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Bolt Is An Excellent Gym Companion For Weight Lifting
Maybe I’m just bad at lifting weights, but going on my own is always as struggle. I don’t mean at the gym by myself, but…
Maybe I’m just bad at lifting weights, but going on my own is always as struggle. I don’t mean at the gym by myself, but without any guidance from someone — or something — that knows better than I do. I’ve tried my fair share of lifting apps that help guide you in the process of what exercises to do, how much weight to use, and how many reps to undertake. Bolt is a handy gym app that does just that while providing a delightfully native experience.
See, most of the other ones I’ve tried from big devs — looking at you My Fitness Pal, owned by Under Armor — are universal across platforms like Android and look too much like web forms for my liking. Bolt is just for iOS users and helps you plan your trip to the gym and log your workouts while you’re there. If you don’t go to the gym, that’s cool too as there is a series of instructions for at-home workouts as well.
The “discover” tab helps surface unknown workouts to help you focus on your goals. You can see different trainers, different muscle groups, etc. Popular workouts are shown which is very helpful to see what is working for other users. Any that you like can be added to your workout plan with a single tap.
The app diligently tracks your progress as you complete the workout. Each set of reps is marked off the list as you do them and over time, you can see as your progress grows. You can see yourself doing more reps or lifting more weight. These are expert-designed workouts though you can tailor them to yourself if you need to.
In regard to iOS-specific features, the whole app is backed up safely to iCloud, allowing you to move between devices and never worry your workout history has disappeared. It supports the native system-wide dark and light mode, matching your preferred aesthetic without the need for device-specific settings. Workouts and other metrics are stored in Apple Health where you can see them with any other health data you’ve collected from wearables or other sources. Finally, it takes advantage of the new Dynamic Island and Live Activities. Your rest period will count down in the Dynamic Island or in a Live Activity on the Lock Screen, letting you know exactly how long you have left to go.
There’s plenty more going on for this app and it is tailored more for lifting than any gym activities, but it’s so well-designed that I don’t mind. I’m happy using my Apple Watch with heart rate zones for cardio then popping open Bolt to guide my lifting workouts, giving myself the best full-body workout I can.
But enough about other people's apps.
