If you’re sick of yoga or doing basic HIIT sessions in your living room, this altogether more exciting fitness app might be just what you need.
Story-based fitness app Apocalypse Survival Training lets you workout as a secret agent trying to save London from an alien invasion, while getting fitter with running, circuits and yoga workouts.
Transport yourself into another world with this audio fitness adventure app that will immerse you in the story to the point where you won’t even realise how hard you’re working.
Founder Adele Anderson said she wanted a workout that appealed to her ‘geeky’ tendencies, and could help her get fitter without being boring or too difficult.
‘At a Discworld convention (based on a series of Terry Pratchett books), a group asked me if I could combine my writing and fitness experience to make exercise entertaining,’ explains Adele.
‘That gave me the idea of creating a vast story world with vivid characters who we would want to go and spend time with – even if we had to be exercising to do so.’
You don’t need any equipment to do the workouts, and they are seamlessly integrated into a comedy, action adventure story where you join a quirky bunch of survivors to help try to save the planet.
‘I think it’s critical that the journey (the exercise) is as rewarding as the destination (looking/feeling better),’ says Adele. ‘Because fitness is a lifetime commitment with enormous benefits and we see better adherence when it’s enjoyable to do, instead of a chore.
‘When we make exercise escapist by engaging people mentally and emotionally as well as physically, we see much better and long term physical and mental health outcomes.’
The story takes place episodically over three types of workout: running, bodyweight circuits and yoga/stretch, to give you the speed, strength and control you need to survive an apocalyptic alien invasion.
The workouts are designed to be easy to follow by audio for new or returning exercisers, while also being challenging for fitter survivors. The app also provides additional visual and audio support for all exercises, with a choice of Intro or Advanced options.
‘I hope we can flip the mindset of people who think they hate exercise – or specific types of exercise, like running, or circuit training, or stretching – by showing them that it can be fun,’ says Adele.
‘And then help them reflect and realise how positively it impacts their well-being. If those people start exercising with AST and keep going after, I’ve done my job properly.’
The app is available in both iOS and Android versions from Play Store and App Store.
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