Have you guys heard of the seven minute workout? I first read about it on the New York Times blog several months ago and since I am all about fast-paced, high intensity workouts, it intrigued me. 
(Source)
Using only bodyweight exercises, the workout alternates exercises that target muscles in the upper body with those that target large lower body muscles.
According to an article found in the May-June issue of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal about the workout, scientists found that “even a few minutes of training at an intensity approaching your maximum capacity produces molecular changes within muscles comparable to those of several hours of running or bike riding.”
Fast forward a few months and I completely forgot about the workout until I read about it again in Redbook magazine at the gym this morning. The article in Redbook mentioned the free 7 Minute Workout App and I immediately downloaded it for today’s workout.
I loved it!!!
The app was incredibly easy to follow and since you only complete each exercise for 30 seconds, boredom never crept in and I was entertained the entire time.
The app explains the exercises to you just in case something might be unfamiliar. It also includes video demonstrations of each exercise to ensure that you perform the exercises with proper form.
Plus, it does all of the counting for you so there’s no need for a timer!
It’s really easy to set up and use and I texted my sister as I was walking out the door at the gym to tell her all about it. If you’re looking for a fast-paced workout that you can do anywhere, I think this might be right up your alley. This would be a great travel workout option!
I don’t use a lot of apps when I work out, but since I found myself freaking out over this app, I think I need to look into more fitness apps!
Here are a few more apps I’ve used in the past and enjoyed:
- Full Fitness: This app is not free ($1.99), but it’s a great resource. It categorizes exercises by muscle group or equipment, which makes it really easy to assemble a workout that targets your abs or one that uses kettle bells or something of the sort. I use it when I don’t want to really think about my workout.
- RunKeeper: RunKeeper is a free app that tracks runs, walks, bike rides, hikes and more using the GPS in your phone. The app also reports your pace per mile and can give you audio splits by time or distance during your workout. You can also set goals and play your music through the app.
- Active: I find this free app 10,000 times more organized and user-friendly than the Active.com website! I use it when I want to search for races or other athletic events in my area or places where I may be traveling in the future.
Question of the Morning
- What is your favorite fitness app?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Nike Training Club! Free! It has all different kind of workouts – cardio, intervals, heavier weights and you can pick a quick focused 15 minute workout or a 30 or 45 minute workout. I really like it!
Awesome! I’ll definitely look into it!
I second the NTC – great app!!!
I definitely need to look into this one!
Third! You will love it!
I completely agree the Nike Training App is the bomb!
Its the only way I can feel sore after a workout!
And its freee!
Hands down my favorite workout app!! I can always feel a nice burn after working out with this app and it’s a nice mix of strength & cardio 🙂
Me too! Love NTC!
Yes!! NTC is the bomb! It is my go to fitness app when I don’t feel like going to the gym.
this was my suggestion, too!! I love it
Cardiotrainer has been my go-to to keep track of all my workouts for 2 years now. I also use the HIIT interval timer app. I had forgotten about the 7 min workout! I just found an android app for it and am planning on doing it over lunch. Tuesdays are normally a rest day, but I feel like I need to burn off just a little extra energy today.
Love this! What a great workout tool to add to the arsenal 🙂
Just downloaded it. I’m planning on checking it out after work. Thanks for the recommendation!
I use the SparkPeople app religiously. I can track my food, workouts, and weight from my phone. It used to be free, but I think it is $1.99 now. The website and to join are free.
I also LOVE the Zombies, Run! app to keep me entertained on my runs.
I LOVE Digifit – it is a great app that can hook up with a lot of different platforms and I have found it to be worth the cost. My favorite feature is the heart rater monitor compatibility – it helps keep me under control during HIIT! My Fitness Pal is also a great (free) app for tracking nutrition, and it pairs well with Digifit. Thanks for the tips on these other apps, I can’t wait to check them out!
I’ve never heard of that! It sounds great!!
JogLog is my jam! I love having a record of my mileage and pace.
Sold! Thanks for the info Julie! I am going to download it now. 🙂
I use Map My Run – I like it because it doesn’t drain my battery.
This isn’t a fitness app necessarily, but I love Stitcher – a way to organize / listen to podcasts without having to download them. It is awesome. My runs are NEVER boring.
Check out Sworkit! Its like the 7min Workout but you can choose the duration of the workout 🙂
I am going to check this one out! Does it only have one sort of workout or does it change every time? Did you feel tired after 7 minutes or did you keep going?
I use Map My Run a lot!
Installing now!
I absolutely love the Nike Training Club app! Its free and the work outs are crazy intense.
12 Minute Athlete is another great option. It has HIIT workouts (choose 12 or 16 minutes) that KICK. MY. BUTT. It’s similar to 7 minute athlete, but there are a ton of different workouts within the app. Variety! You can also choose which equipment you have on hand (kettlebell, dumbbells, jump rope, box, etc.) before shuffling to a workout…so even if I’m traveling and only have a few things with me, I can still use them to get a great workout! I love it!
Oh this sounds fun, that would be great to look at and do over a lunch break or before work in the morning. I use map my run and my fitness pal a lot.
I love Cyclemeter because it can track my runs, my cycling and my horseback riding. The GPS algorithms seem better than a lot of the free/cheaper apps, which is pretty awesome when you’re riding a horse in circles, but still want to know the mileage and speed.
I also like StrongLifts because it’s an easy 5×5 training program to increase weight lifting and alternates the major lifts (squats, overhead press, deadlift, bench press and barbell row).
And EasyAbs! It’s just a timed, directed ab workout.
This is awesome! I have a yoga app, I have yet to use it, I will most likely use it over break haha. But other than that, I never really thought about fitness apps, I might have to look into some 🙂
I love MapMyRun+ and use it ALL THE TIME for tracking my runs and other workouts. This app also has a food diary if you want to track calories, etc. Another app I love for teaching HIIT classes is Seconds Pro. You can put together a HIIT (or Tabata) timer that beeps when you need to switch to another exercise or rest period. You can also link a playlist to it so coordinating songs is a breeze. Love it!
For the workout above do you do do 30 seconds of each no rest? Once through or multiple times?
Thanks!!
It looks like 12 moves, for 20 seconds each with 10 seconds of rest in between moves.
It’s 12 exercises, completed for 30 seconds each with 10 seconds of rest in between each exercise. Hope this helps!! 🙂
The only two fitness aps I have used are : My Fitness Pal and Run Keeper – they are both great and helped me stay on track!
Is it too boring to say the Nike Plus running app? I love the new updated version which lets you add ‘power songs’ and get facebook cheers as well as tracking the obvious mileage, calories, distance.
I forgot about this workout, but SERIOUSLY, the app will make it so much easier to do – I love it when I can just focus on the exercise and not on timing – so simple but so great!
When I was into circuit workouts and at-home workouts, I used Nike Training Club! It has great, high-intensity workouts that last from between 30 minutes and an hour, I think! It was an awesome app!
I like Workout Trainer by Skimble – and it’s free. It has lots of workouts to choose for workout variety and there are loads of equipment free workouts on the app which makes it great for when I’m travelling
I like workout trainer too!
Ooooooo! Downloading this app NOW! Thanks Julie!! I like Map My Run. Or Endomondo!
This looks like a great app! I love the Nike training app and used to use RunKeeperwhen I was running more frequently. Thanks for sharing!
Oooh I need to download that!! There are always days where it seems like “if I just had ~10 minutes I could squeeze in a calorie buster workout!”
I’m gonna give his app a try! Sounds awesome!
I use the RunKeeper app all the time. I feel bad that it sort of replaced the pricey garmin, but it’s so convenient to just take my iphone on a run and have both music and something tracking my mileage!
I love the PumpUp app. You pick how much time you have to workout, what equipment (if any) and what you want to target. It’s awesome!
I love Fit Fix! It is FitSugar’s app. Has great videos and routines based on what body part you want to focus on. Also includes cardio and strength training. It’s a winner!
This app sounds great! I love that you don’t need any equipment either!
I might have to download this! I like the Nike Training Club app. So many good workouts and I think you’d really like it since you like circuits so much!
I know it’s been said but I LOVE the Nike Training Club App. Best free app I have ever downloaded.
You should try an app called Bootcamp. It sounds like it is almost exactly like the one you describe in your post. It might have different combinations of exercises to mix it up : )
This would be so perfect for travel and the upcoming holidays!! No excuses here! 7 min AND no equipment? Sounds great!
I use GymBoss to keep all my interval workouts (yours included :)) in one place, you can set up all your intervals and it keeps the time for you. It makes planning for the gym so easy since after using it for a while I’ve compiled quite the list of routines and I can just pick one, press start and go. I also use Lose It! to keep track of food and exercise, I don’t use it everyday but if I’ve had a particularly indulgent weekend and know I need to get back on track I’ll start plugging food and exercise in.
Awesome App! It is perfect for those morning where you don’t want to have to think about it. That was what I loved about crossfit (go to the gym and the workout is ready and waiting for you). It was thoughtless. Now that I am back at the gym, this seems like a great option for switching things up.
I never knew about the active app! Thank you for sharing! I love the nike training club and nike running ap
For running I LOVE RunKeeper and for cross training I love the Nike Training Club app. The workouts range from 15-45 minutes and are all clear and I’m ALWAYS sweating just a few minutes in!
I’m really into Sworkit which looks and acts very similar. Sworkit also allows you to adjust the time of each work-out and which area you want to target. I love it!
Downloading!
awesome- I need to check that out! 7 mins is so short that you’ve GOTTA be able to fit that in sometime during the day 🙂
I saw this and thought I’d share since I know you guys roast veggies pretty often: http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/genius-whole-roasted-cauliflower-125800655.html
I do this with my ladies work running group – our fav little abs blaster at lunch 🙂
Love this – I’m going to try it today!
I love love love Nike Training Club app! Hands down my fave! Also love MyFitnessPal app to log my calories and track my macros as well as enter my calories burned during a workout. My 2 faves for sure! I am eager to try out the DigiFit that someone mentioned above though if it pairs well with myFitnessPal and a heart rate monitor it sounds like it’s right up my alley 🙂
Also love the nike run app to track my runs when i run outside 🙂
2 apps that I won’t run without are: Road ID and Cruise Control. Road ID is a free App that sends e-crumbs of your location to anyone you specify. It also sends them an alert if you are stationary for a set amount of time. I send my Road ID e-crumbs to my husband so he can track me anytime I run alone.
Cruise Control is the only app I’ve ever paid for and well worth the $4. It plays my music at a set cadence to help keep my strides per minute to a pace I select. Rather than only play songs known to be at a certain BPM, it speeds up or slows down any of my songs on my iphone to a pace I want to be running.
Just one more reason for me to get out of the stone ages and get a smart phone!
My most favorite fitness app is RunKeeper. I have used this to train for my last two half marathons. It can also be used for cycling. I love that it plays my music through the app, but pauses the music to tell me my pace, distance, etc during my run or ride. I have mine set to update me every half mile during runs. You can set this to whatever notification you like. I will definitely be checking out the 7min app. Everyone has 7min to get healthy.