Home Columnists Andrew McDonald: Some fun and free apps to help you exercise

Andrew McDonald: Some fun and free apps to help you exercise

A slight change of tone this week. Today we’re going to look at free* phone apps you can use to encourage you to leave the house and get a bit of exercise.

The first I’m going to talk about are podcast players. There is a huge variety of these and once you’ve downloaded one you can find endless things to listen to on an infinite list of topics.

My personal favourites are Podbean and Player FM. There are almost as many of these apps as there are shows worth listening to, so I’ll leave it to you to discover one which suits your needs.

Just look up “podcast players” on Google Play or Apple App Store. Whether you’re running or walking you can entertain yourself on the go!

Another great app is Geocaching. For those unfamiliar with the concept, it’s basically like a treasure hunt for grown ups (though kids love it as well).

Dotted all around the world, and there will definitely be some close to wherever you live, Geocachers (amateur enthusiasts), have left little caches for you to find.

On the app you find approximate locations and using the GPS settings in your phone you head towards where these little boxes are hidden. When you get close, you read the clues on the app and use them to hunt your target.

Some caches are very small, some can be quite big and contain little mementos which you can keep (the idea is “you take one, you leave one of your own for the next person)” as proof of your discovery. Some are easy to find, others are devilishly difficult, all are fun, particularly if you go hunting with other people.

For nature lovers are apps like PlantSnap which allow you to take photos of flora and identify what it is. Ever pass flowers, bushes or trees you’d love to know the name of but aren’t quite sure? PlantSnap has the answer!

Fans of the supernatural are sure to like Zombies, Run! Only a few have survived an epidemic of the living dead and you are one of them! You have 45 missions and 19 side-missions to complete in order to save humankind!

The young and young-at-heart will find great enjoyment in Pokemon Go.

You have to catch all the cute little characters and you can even fight battles against other people! Perhaps it’s lost a little of its popularity since it was all the craze a year or so ago but if you’re struggling to get your children to go on a walk with you, it’s definitely still an option.

The great thing with all these apps is they will get you exercising, and looking forward to exercise, without even noticing it!

*Whilst all of these apps can be used in free mode, some do have in-app purchases though none of these are necessary.

SEE ALSO – You can check out all of Andrew’s columns here