My Number One Fitness App

I wanted to do a basic introduction to a great app called icardio produced by www.fitdigits.com which I have been using for about 6 years.

It is very accessible and the support given by the Fit Digits Team is fantastic, you can email queries and get answers and many adaptations have been introduced by Fit Digits as a result of feedback from blind or partially sighted users.

It is quite a learning curve initially but kind of intuitive in the same way most technology and apps are when you start off.

There are categories for many exercise disciplines including running, treadmill work including running and walking, cycling and indoor cycling, dog walking, you can also create your own exercise label if you wish

Through using sensors such as HRM Heart Rate Monitor and sensors like Cadence for Cycling and Steps or strides for walking and running indoor or out (the latter can use GPS) you are guaranteed a fully immersive workout.

The reason I wanted a good and accessible fitness app was our local gym had the equipment but as I only see light and dark none of the machines had usable interfaces and had LCD touch screen and no voice facility.

So no matter what exercise I choose via the icardio app I hear audio readouts when exercising and these can be individually tailored to exactly what suits you by vocal feedback every few minutes, a call out on Calories burned, heart rate zone, time elapse current heart rate and to end work outs you can interact with SIRI to pause, end, resume or start the workout and even set a start off countdown such as 10 seconds, how good is that!

Like many things in life it comes with a cost, you will need some sensors for Heart Rate Monitoring, Stride or Step sensor for step distance and if cycling on the exercise bike or tandem a Cadence sensor to count your pedal rate in rpm, but remember it is an investment into your future health and number one your feeling part of the exercise discipline but with the audible feedback it helps stay focused, the way I interact with the icardio app is via my blue tooth earbuds so I am listening to music of my choice at the gym and when icardio gives feedback it simply fades the music and speaks my progress at intervals I choose, when out on the tandem I use bone conduction earphones to hear my surroundings.

You have an initial trial period with www.fitdigits.com and then the option to subscribe but in my opinion for the money it is well worth it.

The www.fitdigits.com team have online support with many FAQs and you can email for support too at https://support.fitdigits.com/tips-and-how-tos/ios/using-siri/ for example.

Hope this is useful for some readers.
Gary Ankin
United Kingdom