Review: GymTechnik NextGen (Giveaway)

Today is the first in my series of apps that I use on a regular basis and we’re starting off with GymTechnik NextGen BlackBerry fitness app.  Last November, I started going to my local gym, and I have been using GymTechnik the whole time.

The backbone of GymTechnik is their website.  Here, you can update your workouts, enter your body stats, create workouts, and upload progress photos.  You can also track your workout progress on their workout calendar.  The site also has tons of suggested workouts based on your goals and helpful articles about your health and fitness.  If you don’t see any workouts that appeal to you, they make it very easy to make your own from their list of exercises and machines.  For somebody who had barely ever set foot in a gym, it was very helpful to be able to use the pre-made workouts to get me started on a workout routine.  As the weeks went by, I added more exercises as I felt comfortable with them.

GymTechnik also has a mobile site that is mostly designed to be used while you’re at the gym.  It allows you to log your workout stats as you go so you don’t forget and add exercises to your workout program.

Where GymTechnik really shines, in my opinion, is with their BlackBerry app.  At first glance, it is a prettier version of their mobile site, but it is a lot more once you looking into it.  When you first launch it, it will take a few minutes to set up, but that’s only because it is downloading months of your previous exercise logs, as well as a local cache of their workout library.  Personally, I don’t always get the best cell of Wi-Fi connections in my gym, so it’s great to have a local cache of everything so I don’t have to wait for it to download data while I’m working out.

While I’m working out, I can use the GymTechnik NextGen app to track my workout.  When I get to a machine, I just pull it up on my BlackBerry and GymTechnik tells me how many sets/reps I did last time, and how much weight I used.  It will also show me instructions for whatever exercise I select, which is great when I’m trying a new workout that I’m not familiar with yet.  When you’re done with your workout, it shows you a nice summary screen that shows you how much you have improved over the last time you did that workout before it syncs your latest data back to the site.

When I started going to the gym, it took a lot of effort to get into the swing of it and develop the habit of going every day.  GymTechnik’s service really helped me get excited keep going by showing me my progress on a daily basis.

Even though I love GymTechnik NextGen, I believe there are a few places where the app can be improved.  For every review, I am going to try to do a list of features that I don’t think hurt the app, but I would like to see in the next version.

• Use of the push API – You’re going to see this feature on a lot of my request lists because I love push and I think most applications can stand to be improved by it.  In this case, while I like the way NextGen will reach out to the site and sync when I want to when I want to grab my latest data (usually my weigh-in from that day), I think it would be better if the site could push out updates to my BlackBerry in the background whenever there is a change.  This way, all of my data would be there waiting for me when I needed it without having to make sure it syncs.
• Ability to start a custom-made cardio routine – I know the GymTechnik product team is working on this feature now, but I figured I’d put it here anyway.  I have a custom-made cardio workout that I do almost every time I go to the gym, and right now, I can’t start it from the NextGen app.  If I go into the mobile site and start the workout and then sync my phone, then I can view the workout and update the stats when I’m done, but it gets a little tedious sometimes.
• Ability to share my workout stats – When I find out that I’ve lost 5 pounds, or that I could lift 15 more pounds than I could a week ago, I’d like to be able to tweet about it to my friends.  It’d be nice if there was an option for that right in the NextGen app.  Maybe they could have a link with my recent workout that I can tweet so all my friends can see my progress.  I think there is the potential for a lot of social features here.

To celebrate my first review, the guys at GymTechnik have been kind enough to give me 3 premium subscriptions to their service.  For this contest, there are 2 ways to win one of the subscriptions

1. Leave a comment on this review.  You must use an email address that is valid so that I can contact you if you win.  Unless you win, I will not use your email for anything.  Comments must be posted by Monday at 11:59PM EDT.
2. Post this message to Twitter: “RT @StormOTA: RT this to win a free subscription to @GymTechnik from http://stormota.com. http://bit.ly/cPeib9″  All tweets must be posted by Monday at 11:59PM EDT

UPDATE (4/2 8:00PM): In order for GymTechnik to give you the free subscription if you win, you will need an account with them, so head over to their site (www.GymTechnik.com) and sign up for their 30-day trial (no credit card required).  Also, people who already have a premium subscription are unable to win.

I’ve also decided to double your chances to win.  If you enter the contest using both methods listed above, you’ll be entered twice to win.  Good luck!

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