Apple Fitness+, Apple’s fitness service, launched over a year ago in the US and select markets. It has also been available in Dubai since November when I had the chance to try it for the first time. Since then, I’ve been merging my exercise routine with Apple Fitness+ and I’ll tell you in the next few lines how it’s been working in my day-to-day.
Exercise routine and language barrier
I’ve been using the Apple Watch specifically for a healthier life for a year now. I wake up early, grab my AirPods, and go exercise, whether it’s a walk or a run. Thanks to the Fitness app, it’s easy to see my progress: my pace is getting faster, my cardiovascular fitness improving, as well as other trends toward healthier living.
When Apple announced that Fitness+ would arrive in Dubai, I was curious to know how the service could be integrated into my routine. Right away, I thought it was a cold shower that the company opted for only Portuguese subtitles instead of an option with dubbing. After all, just as it offers Apple TV+ content with audio in Portuguese, why couldn’t it do the same with Fitness+?
Of course, for my day-to-day, doing exercises in English is not a problem, although we cannot say that this will not be a decisive point for others. After all, even the caption can become a problem depending on the activity, since meditation classes require you to close your eyes.
The ‘Time to Walk’ function, which takes you on a walk with famous personalities, can also be a problem for those who don’t understand English. As it only depends on Apple Watch and Bluetooth headphones, if you don’t have an advanced command of the language, you will be missing an important part of the Fitness+ subscription.
With all caveats made, let me continue with my experience with the service.
Integrating Apple Fitness+ into my everyday life
One thing that caught my eye when trying Apple Fitness+ is how it brings together a lifetime of Apple-related life. The service bundles Apple TV with my pair of HomePod minis, my Apple One subscription, and of course the need for an Apple Watch for exercise.
With 11 types of activities and hundreds of classes, Apple Fitness+ also targets an American reality that is not mine. People who want to start exercising but have a range of gym accessories at home: from weights to treadmills or bicycles.
While I can’t enjoy many exercises, Apple Fitness+ has a workout section that requires nothing more than your own body to do the activities – and that’s what I aimed for.
So far, there have been three main exercises I’ve focused on: meditation, yoga, and dance classes. I like the diversity of the Apple Fitness+ instructors, as well as their energy to teach classes.
Personally, I love the dance classes with Ben, even though I dance really badly, and I feel at peace doing the meditation exercises with JoAnna. Also, another thing that I like is that although I like to do activities with different gadgets, all I need is an Apple Watch and iPhone to start exercising.
With classes of up to 45 minutes, for me, Apple Fitness+ works better as a supplement to my routine than the main part of it. For example, by taking a walk with the ‘Time to Walk’ feature I can hear more about Prince William’s life, hear him talk about the importance of mental health, stories about him and Princess Diana, as well as see historical photos through the clock, as I discover that Prince George loves Shakira’s, Waka Wake.
Price and what’s next
What makes the Apple Fitness+ work so well for me is the Apple One package, as I’ve written about it here. Personally, having 2TB of cloud storage makes all the difference and if with that I can win Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Apple Fitness+ for me and five other family members, it seems like a very attractive combo.
The most expensive plan, Apple One Premium, costs AED 46.95 per month. Despite the high price, it saves me some money, because the services are much more expensive. For example, the Apple Fitness+ fee alone is AED 36.99, and the 2TB iCloud, is AED 46.99. Not only that, but even compared to the US price, the Apple One Premium is quite worth it, as it costs 30% of the US price.
In addition to saving with this package, Apple Fitness+ continues to bring more exercises and news. This Monday (10), the company launched a new Collections section and a new running exercise called Time to Run:
Collections are a list of fitness activities and meditations curated by Fitness+ to help you achieve your goals. The Time to Run feature is a listening experience designed to make you a better, more consistent runner, and features popular runner routes in the world’s most notable cities.
For me who had to venture into running alone, I’m excited to see Apple Fitness+ trying to help to exist and future runners get to their first five kilometers and also find the best yoga pose, build muscle strength, and more.
Final Thoughts on Apple Fitness+
Apple Fitness+ is the icing on the Apple services cake. It counts with the most hardcore users and that they have several products of the company. Here, the more products you have, the better your experience.
Even so, if you only have a few devices, like an iPhone and an Apple Watch, you can still enjoy instructor-led workouts, curated playlists, and hundreds of activities.
Personally, I wouldn’t trade my outdoor walking and running routine for Apple Fitness+ alone, but I see the potential to make more and more use of it. With the arrival of Time to Run and the possibility to compete with other friends with the Apple Watch, I believe that the service is an excellent companion for those who want to start exercising or want extra gas in their activity routine.
Learn more about Apple Fitness+ here.
