Apple currently offers a number of services—Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, iCloud—and is kicking off the new year with a slew of updates to Fitness+.
Yes, Apple’s digital fitness service has had an exciting two years. When it first launched it was exclusive to Apple Watch users as it showcased metrics in real-time, as well as you closing your rings, but in late 2022 it was expanded to anyone with an iPhone.
For 2023, Apple (AAPL) is preparing a number of new workouts and features that will all land next week on Jan. 9 2023. Let’s walk through the new workout types, the latest season of Time to Walk, and the arrival of a collection all around Queen B herself.
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Kickboxing Arrives as the 12th Workout Type
Kicking things off is a whole new category of workouts. Apple is adding Kickboxing to Fitness+ as the twelfth workout type and an exemplary option for a total-body cardio journey. Via a preview clip, it’s safe to say that this workout type will get you moving and is designed for folks with any level of experience.
Aiding in that is the fact that no extra equipment is required, just your body. You’ll be swinging your arms, getting a stance, and getting in the groove. A key differentiator of Fitness+ in the digital fitness space is the various length of workouts, and Kickboxing will arrive in 10-, 20-, and 30-minute lengths. And the classes are complete with a bell--how’s that for fun.
Teaching the kickboxing classes will be Fitness+ trainers Jamie-Ray Hartshorne who you may know from other workout types, and Nez Dally who is a new trainer to the platform. Additionally, joining the Fitness+ team as trainers will be Brian Cochrane and Jenn Lau. You’ll find them teaching HIIT and Strength classes respectively.
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In addition to Kickboxing, the other 11 workout types are HIIT, yoga, core, strength, pilates, dance, cycling, treadmill, rowing, and mindful cooldowns. You can take individual classes or jump into a collection which are curated around specific workout types or a few looped together.
Launching on Jan. 9 will be the first of two new collections, the first of which is “6 Weeks to Restart Your Fitness.” A collection designed to get you into the habit of working out everyday and might be a perfect match for folks looking to kickstart their resolutions. On Jan. 23., “Level Up Your Core Training” will arrive and focus on letting you get the most of dumbbells with a range of 10 and 20 minute workouts.
The new kickboxing classes, as well as those in the collections and the ones dropping weekly, are all shot and are streaming in 4K UHD quality. One of the big appeals of Fitness+ is the honestly TV-like production quality for each episode. From the lighting to clearly see the workout, the different camera angles, and the mixing of music with trainer instruction. Simply the classes look great on a TV through an Apple TV 4K, as well as on an iPhone or iPad.
Sleep Meditations Arrive
In addition to all the workout types above, Fitness+ also features Mediations. These can help you get in a mindset--Renew, Connect, and Grow--and while they have a video component, you can also just listen to the audio.
And joining the existing themes will be Sleep, which was likely a must requested addition. These will focus on helping you get better rest and establishing better habits for falling asleep. For instance, you can also have these types of meditations triggered when your iOS device enables a wind down mode. The sleep-themed mediations will arrive in 5, 10, and 20 minutes intervals.
Unlike other sleep meditations from competing services like Peloton, Apple will conclude selection mediations with five minutes of relaxing music. Fitness+ is also rolling out an "Introduce to Meditations for Sleep" collection that contains four twenty minute long classes.
Beyoncé Lands as the Latest Artist Spotlight
Joining the likes of Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé will be the next Artist Spotlight series on Fitness+. This will be a set of seven workouts that feature songs from through Beyoncé's catalog of work, including tracks from her seventh album RENAISSANCE. It’s safe to say that the Fitness+ trainers went all out with these workouts by also wearing custom outfits, engaging mood lighting, and in some cases adding in a disco ball.
The Beyoncé Artist Spotlight series will offer cycling, dance, HIIT, pilates, strength, treadmill, and yoga workouts when it arrives on Jan. 9. Later in the month, a Foo Fighters series will launch on Jan. 16 with a Bad Bunny one arriving on Jan. 23.
Time to Walk Season 5 Debuts With Jamie Lee Curtis
Beyond video workout classes and mediations, Fitness+ also offers Time to Walk and Time to Run, which are primarily audio focused experiences. Our friends over at SI Lifestyle broke this out in more detail in conversation with Jay Blahnik, Apple’s VP of Fitness, which you can read here.
Time to Walk is back with its fifth season and is debuting an episode on Jan. 9 with Jamie Lee Curtis. The actor, author, and activist will kick things off by sharing stories and focusing on embracing life’s unexpected moments. Arriving in the weeks after will be episodes with Amber Ruffin, Jason Segel, José Andrés, Nina Hoss, Colman Domingo, Nathan Chen, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. You can expect a few other episodes in the back half of season five as well.
We’d also recommend listening to Time to Walk via AirPods connected to your Apple Watch. It’s not only an easy connection, but with the adaptive transparency mode of second-generation AirPods Pro, you can clearly hear the episode while also being aware of your surroundings.
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Apple Fitness+: Cost and Which Devices It Works With
With the arrival of a whole new workout type, new classes for existing categories, two new collections, and additions to fitness-favorites like Time to Walk, Apple’s kicking off Fitness+ with a bang for 2023.
And the service still costs either $9.99 a month or $79.99 for the year, but if you’ve recently purchased an Apple device or are planning too, you will get access to a free subscription.
If you’ve purchased an Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV 4K since Sept. 2022, you’re eligible for three months of Fitness+ for free. Target Circle Members can also redeem four months of Fitness+ for free.
Additionally, you can get started with Fitness+ with either an iPhone or an Apple Watch. With the latter, your metrics will better sync across the experience and you’ll be able to monitor the progress with your “Activity Rings” on screen during the workout. It can also pull details like your Heart Rate for easy viewing and the experience is mirrored on your wrist. With just an iPhone, you’ll still get full access to the Fitness+ experience and work towards closing your Move ring.
Whether you’re using an iPhone or an Apple Watch, you’ll be able to access the classes via the Fitness app on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV. You can also stream Time to Walk or Time to Run directly from your Apple Watch.
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