There are so many exercise products marketed toward women, how do you know what works and what is best left alone?  iPhone apps are the most popular new medium with many applications geared toward women and pregnancy exericse.

Does working out to an iPhone App even make any sense?   It’s a phone with a small screen, not a tv, how can this be a good thing?

I asked myself the same thing.  I created the Pilates for You  DVD Series and also wrote a book on Pilates and Pregnancy so I already saw the pros and cons of those 2 mediums.  As a certified Pilates instructor, I always prefer that a clients take lessons with a trained instructor so that they can be evaluated to make sure that what they are doing is right for them and that their form and execution is correct.  That said, not everyone has the time or money to go to a group class, never mind a private session.  I made sure that the workouts I provided on DVD or in my book were filled with detail and provided modifications.

Technology progresses quickly.  My first workouts were Prenatal and Postnatal Pilates and they were on VHS! So when iPhone Applications came along, I had to really educate myself on whether this was a plausible medium for exercise.  I’ve come to believe that this may actually be the best format so far!

Think of your phone as a personal trainer that always travels with you.    Many exercise apps work like a video stream.  You can watch an exercise then pause the workout, put the phone down and do the exercise.  I chose to do my first apps more like my Pregnancy Workbook.  I liked the idea that you can choose an exercise, read the benefits,  look at the series of pictures and descriptions and then put the phone down and do that exercise.  No need to worry that the video is jumping ahead of you, you look at your phone as needed.  I am the queen of details, so I liked that I could fill my app with as much information about an exercise as I wanted and yet let the user pick and choose what they wanted to focus on.

Many exercise apps, like mine, allow you to customize the length of the workout.  Who doesn’t have time for a 5 minute workout.  Since the phone is always with you, why not squeeze in several short workouts rather than 1 long one.  I allow my user to pick time or a body part.  This truly makes the experience like having a customized workout for each woman.

Having an exercise application that can go with you everywhere can be a life-saver for many women.  You don’t need a TV and it’s not as bulky as a book.   You can select a five minute workout during a break at the office when your back is aching, or a 20 minute workout in your hotel room to get you going for the day.

Saving time, customizing workouts, limiting the bulk that needs to go with you everyday are all reasons to take another look at the world of iPhone app.

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