Why I train with Freeletics
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, I wanted to find a way I could perform physical activity at home. At the time, I imagine that Freeletics boosted their online advertising - and I was hit with one of their ads. Since then, I’m still training with this app.
I’ve had the same conversation with many people - sharing how ‘I’ve found the thing which works for me’, and suggesting that they should try too. It took me longer than it does at work - but after I have repeated myself a few times - I like to put such arguments into writing so I could easily re-iterate those arguments. So here it goes: Why I train with Freeletics?
Goal-based #
When you pick your training journey the virtual coach asks you what are your goals. Weight loss? Muscle gain? Improve fitness? Those goals are taken into account when trying to tailor you with your training journey. I like the fact that I can find a training journey which best fits my goals. And if I have doubts - I can just pick another one from the list.
Easy start #
When starting with Freeletics, the app does a good job at starting slow. Even if you pick one of the more intensive training journeys, it starts with lower intensity sessions. My personal recommendation would be to start with an easier journey like ‘Start Strong’ (for men) or ‘Start Smart’ (for women). I’ve gone through this journey several times when coming back from an injury - and it was a great way to re-set my training routine.
Equipment is optional #
When I started training with Freeletics, I didn’t have any equipment. Just a yoga mattress. I was able to complete several training journeys before I decided to upgrade a bit. I think you can have very effective training sessions without any equipment. Today, I have:
- A thicker mattress
- Training gloves
Those two allow me to train in a safer manner, preventing injuries. In addition, I have:
- Two Kettlebells (8 kg and 12 kg, as recommended by Freeletics)
- A set of resistance bands
- A jump rope
- A foam roller (this helps me a lot during warm-ups, cool-downs and recovery)
Unfortunately, I don’t have a pull-up bar available, which is highly recommended.
If you do have more training equipment - you can unlock more training sessions which increases the variety of exercises. But, those are optional.
Gamification #
The app has several gamification mechanisms which trick my mind to be more engaged with the app:
- Points. For completing a training session, I get some points. I get bonus points if I specify that I had good technique.
- Levels. Points add up to levels. As you gain more points, you advance through the levels. As levels go higher - you need more points to advance to the next level. There’s some sense of accomplishment when advancing to the next level - even though it doesn’t mean anything.
- God workouts. Those are workouts which have a specific name, and can reoccur throughout your training journeys. When you perform a god workout, it’s you against the clock and your past-self, trying to get a new personal record as you maintain correct technique.
- Hell weeks. The last 7 sessions of longer training journeys are made out of a ‘hell week’. Usually, 7 god workouts where you is try to beat your personal record in each god workout.
- Achievements. How many weeks have you fully completed your training since you’ve started? What’s your maximum consecutive full training weeks? How many ‘hell weeks’ have you completed? What’s your personal record for each ‘god workout’? Those achievements show up in your personal Freeletics profile.
Diverse training sessions #
Freeletics does a great job at providing me with diverse training sessions. Obviously, god workouts are the same, but other than those, it’s rare that I get a training sessions which I performed in the past. And even if I did perform a training session before, it wasn’t recently. This is very different from times I went to a gym where I had to repeat the same training sessions again and again, which I found to be boring.
Challenging #
Years ago, I practiced combined martial arts for six years. The instructor used to say that training sessions should be a bit above my current level. If it’s below that - I don’t push myself. If it’s above that - I’ll get injured or won’t be able to achieve the session’s goals.
Freeletics provides me with training sessions which are pushing me to improve. But at the same time, those same sessions can (usually) be completed with good technique. The best example I can give is when I was given a god workout called Kadmos in a 3X flavor - meaning I had to complete it three times. One Kadmos is 40m sprint followed by 10 burpees and a one minute rest, times five. This means that a 3X Kadmos sums up to 150 burpees. Eventually, I was able to complete that training session, even though I initially thought that there’s no way I will be able to do so. Since then, I usually trust the app to provide me with sessions I’ll be able to complete, even if it’ll be hard.
Modifiable training sessions #
When given a training session, I can modify it using thr app’s modifiers. I can ask for an easier or harder session. I can ask for a shorter session if I don’t have enough time to complete a longer one. I can ask for a ‘quiet’ session. There are other modifiers as well.
The quiet session modifier has been extremely useful to me. During night time, when the kids are asleep, I am able to complete a training session without waking them and without bothering my downstairs neighbor with me jumping up and down. Those sessions are less cardio focused, and more strength-focused. They are sill effective.
The price #
The cost of using the app (the virtual coach, without the nutrition suggestion) for a year is about the cost of one month membership at the gym. It’s something I think is very reasonable. After getting the yearly subscription for three years, I got the lifetime subscription at the cost of about three yearly subscriptions.
Personally, I think I get my money’s worth.
The community #
There are local Freeletics communities. I’m a member of the Freeletics Israel group, as well as a WhatsApp group for the same community.
The community is helpful when learning from experienced Freeletics users on things like:
- Which training journey fits my needs?
- How to perform a specific exercise (I’ve uploaded videos of mine, asking for feedback)
- Discussion on recommended equipment
- And more.
Sometimes, there are in-person get-togethers where the group trains together. I haven’t attended those yet, but it seems like fun.
I see results #
One of the most rewarding aspects of using the app is to see the results. To me, these come in various forms:
- People notice. People noticed that my physique has changed and they call it out. This was especially noticeable after getting back to work after Covid lockdowns.
- It’s easier to catch a bus. There’s a specific bus stop I go to to catch my bus to work. It’s a bit uphill. When going through a cardio-focused journey - running that uphill to catch the bus is much easier.
- More energy to play with the kids. When actively using the app, I have more energy to run after the kids, play with them, throw them in the air, lift them up to bed after they’ve fallen asleep in the living room (even the 7 and 10 year-old).
I am able to persist #
For all the reasons above, in general, I am able to persist with training. There have been cases where I took a break (because of an injury, or after a baby was born and things were too hectic) but I was able to get back into the training routine - and that’s the best indicator for me that the app is working for me.
I don’t think I’ll ever be the best Freeletics athlete. But, using Freeletics I’m able to create a routine where I train three times a week, maintaining my body’s fitness which allows me to have a healthy lifestyle - which is something I’m proud of.
👏👏