Technology that gets you in shape | Techdigg.info

The 2012 London Olympics have come and gone. The celebrations were beautiful and we cheered for our teams and our favourite athletes and now it is time to look away from the television screens and then weep at our growing pot bellies . And the tech-savvy crowd generally does not have the perception of being too fit. But not to worry, advances in personal technologycan help you get that ripped bodies that you've always wanted, or try to anyway.
Here we look at some of the mobile apps that can help you in your personal fitness regimens. 

Nike+ running app
Nike has understood its market. They're not just about making shoes anymore. They want to offer fitness. And they have developed an entire range of products to make technology work for you. The Nike+ running app, out of all the running apps in the market, seems to be the most popular, and it is available for iOS and Android devices.

According to the Google Play store, the app has been downloaded over million times in the last 30 days. The phone's accelerometer and GPS measure your speed and track the distance you've run. You can also post your run on Facebook and have your friends cheer you on. It also has an option to play songs that get you pumped up (yes 'Eye of the Tiger' is right on top of your list). But another interesting thing about the app is that you can post about your runs on its social website Game On World and compete with your records and friends. But do be careful as this app is supported on Android 2.3 and above and may have some compatibility issues with some phones.

Endomondo sports tracker
Here is another sports app that can give Nike+ a run for its money. It also uses a combination of GPS and accelerometer to measure your speed and the distance you've covered. But in addition to your runs, it also has options for workouts in the gym.

You can enter a workout manually and then share your workouts and runs with your friends on Facebook. The app also has an audio coach so that you can better yourselves. You can get motivational bits from your friends and the app converts messages to speech during the workout and run. The app is helpful for cycling enthusiasts too. It also allows you to integrate with h Sony Ericsson's SmartWatch as a SmartExtra.

You can also keep a workout playlist with the app (yes now it's Rocky's training theme song).

iPump and Fitness Builder
There are a lot of dedicated apps just for workout training, iPump and Fitness Builder seem to be the most popular app for iOS devices. The app is priced at $0.99. The app has a huge list of workout regimens for different parts of the body and allows you to view videos of the workout and the correct manner of doing the exercises. It also draws regimens and workouts for various equipment . They've also added a database of gyms close by to your location and help you choose one. Other good free alternatives are Daily Burn on iOS devices and Workout trainer for Android devices.

Authentic Yoga
While yoga should really be learnt with a master, technology is trying to close that gap if you can't find one and if you think you're disciplined enough. Authentic Yoga is an app for iOS devices designed by medicine expert Deepak Chopra and yoga instructor Tara Stiles. The app is nice for beginners in yoga who want to do basic asanas. The app is also helpful if you want to understand the philosophy behind yoga better too.