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I Tried the Future App for 30 Days: Here Are The Results

My Future coach motivated me and provided personalized workouts to help me reach my fitness goals.

Fitness Apps
9 min readMay 5th, 2024
MKWritten By Michelle King

OVERVIEW

The Future App acts as a personal trainer in your pocket, creating customized exercise plans, providing workout feedback, and offering support through your fitness journey for a fraction of the price.

Working with a personal trainer offers numerous benefits, but in-person training is expensive, so the Future app is an appealing alternative.

Read on to learn more about my experience with the Future app and discover the benefits of remote personal training.

Why I Chose the Future App for My Fitness Goals

I've always been active, running and practicing yoga since high school. However, as a fitness writer, I knew my cardio routine wasn't enough to keep me healthy. Strength training is essential for healthy aging, injury prevention, and improved sports performance. But with so much information online, creating my own strength training routine felt overwhelming. So, I turned to the Future app to take the guesswork out of getting stronger.

I've used digital workout plans, like GymBird's Six Week Beginner Fitness Program, and enjoyed them. But this time, I was looking for a program catered to my specific body and goals.

Registered Dietitian and Strength Coach at Full Circle Sports Nutrition, Derek Lipton, encourages taking a personalized approach to fitness, saying, "By following a personalized plan, you can assure that each exercise is safe for YOU, is geared toward the goals you have in mind, and fits within your schedule – including days per week and length of each workout."

I've suffered a few running-related injuries in the past and deal with lower back pain from sitting all day. I didn't want to accidentally re-injure myself by tackling the wrong exercises or performing movements incorrectly. So, working with a personal trainer who understood my health background was essential. But as a new homeowner, I didn't have the budget to pay for in-person personal training. The Future app provided an affordable alternative, offering exercise guidance at a fraction of the price.

How I Evaluated the Future App

While Future is much more affordable than in-person training, it's still an investment. After the 30-day free trial, the app costs $199 per month. For me to justify the cost, the app would need to hit the following criteria.

  • Highly Personalized
  • Provides Trainer Feedback
  • Easy to Use
  • Aesthetic Interface
  • Improved Consistency & Motivation

Initial Impressions and Setting Up Future

To find the best coach for you, the Future app asks users to take a three-minute quiz before getting started. This quiz covers your experience, goals, demographics, and trainer preferences. The app then lists four trainers who are a good match. Once you've chosen your trainer, you provide payment information and schedule a meeting to review your goals over Facetime.

I matched with Senior Performance Coach Kaylee Johnson, and we imminently hit it off. We chatted about our dogs and shared love of running before diving into my fitness background and exercise goals. Since I was still developing a lifting habit, we started slowly, scheduling two weekly lifting sessions along with my typical running schedule.

Kaylee promised to have my new workout routine programmed shortly, but until then, I could try one of the app’s four intro workouts.

Future: Our Take
$199 per month

Future

Best for 1:1 Virtual Training

  • Apple Watch Rental Program
  • Record Mode for better coaching & feedback
  • Select Your Coach

Personalization at Its Finest: How the Future App Tailors to Your Fitness Needs

Overall, I was impressed with the level of personalization Future provided. Each workout felt tailored to my goals and having the ability to ask my coach questions improved my confidence in the gym.

Customized Workouts

A week after my initial conversation with Kaylee, my first workouts became available through the Future app. I was excited to start my new exercise program and discover how she customized workouts for my unique needs and preferences.

During our initial conversation, I informed Kaylee of my lower back pain and my desire to lift in a way that supported my running. Strengthening my core and glutes would help in both areas, so she included core exercises like dead bugs and planks as well as glute exercises like squats and glute bridges.

I also appreciated how my trainer went out of her way to create workouts that utilized the equipment I had on hand. I planned to perform one weekly workout at home using my home gym and one weekly workout at my local Crunch Fitness. This added a layer of complexity to programming since I would have access to different equipment for each workout. Kaylee did an amazing job keeping home workouts interesting using limited equipment and ramping up the intensity when I had access to a full gym.

Smartwatch Connectivity

Wearable fitness technology can help exercisers make the most of their workout programs. While the Future app doesn't require users to connect to a smartwatch, it's highly encouraged. Utilizing an Apple Watch or a Google Pixel Watch during workouts helps your coach track your heart rate and calorie burn. Your coach may ramp up the intensity if your heart rate is too low, or if it's too high, they may take it down a level.

I thought I was running at an appropriate pace for my easy runs, but my trainer Kaylee noticed my heart rate was higher than it should be for these workouts. She encouraged me to slow down so that my body could reap the full benefits of easier workouts. This left me with more energy for my lifting sessions.

Workout Feedback

At the end of each workout, the Future app prompts users to rate the intensity and provide feedback for their coach. I found this to be one of Future's most helpful features. After completing workouts, I would take five minutes to tell Kaylee what I liked, didn't like, and what movements I had questions about. I would also use this time to shoot form-check videos her way to ensure I was performing movements correctly.

Having my trainer Kaylee review my form helped build my confidence in the gym and made me less fearful of re-injuring myself. The more feedback I provided, the more tailored the following week of workouts felt.

The last thing I want to deal with while exercising is an app that's challenging to use. I love programs that seamlessly guide me through workouts and make me feel as if I'm exercising in a bougie fitness studio, even if I'm just on my back patio. So, I had high expectations for Future, and the interface did not disappoint.

Layout and Design

Every Sunday evening, your Future coach will share your custom program, so you can plan for the week ahead. For additional insights on your upcoming workouts, click the "View Workout" button to see what exercises you'll be performing. To start a workout, press play, and the app will guide you through each exercise with videos and audio cues.

From Future's visuals to their playlists, everything about this app feels high-end and personalized. The app design is simple, sleek, and aesthetically pleasing, while the high-quality video demonstrations are easy to follow.

One feature I loved that doesn't get enough credit is Future's killer playlists. I'm a bit of a music snob and typically prefer working out to my own music. But, I truly enjoyed the variety of playlists Future offers and discovered a few new favorite songs in the process. For slower-paced workouts, check out the app's Downtown Chill playlist. Looking for something more upbeat? I recommend Hip-Hop Heaters. The app also lets you connect to Spotify if you prefer listening to your own beats.

Ease of Use

Along with being incredibly aesthetic, the Future app is also easy to use. Each workout starts with your coach’s introduction, offering insights into the exercises ahead. Before starting, take a moment to review each movement’s video demonstrations and audio cues.

During workouts, you can record your reps manually or adjust suggested weights as necessary. You can also pause the app whenever you need a water break. While the Future app is easy to navigate on your phone, I recommend connecting it to an Apple Watch if you have one. This lets you keep your hands free and view exercises from your watch. Once you’ve completed a movement, tap the button on your watch to go on to the next exercise.

Accessibility

Users can access Future workouts on their iPhone, Android, or Apple Watch. The app is currently only available in the United States, but the company is working on expanding to more countries.

Staying the Course: Engagement and Motivation

Setting a fitness goal is easy. Achieving a fitness goal is much harder, especially if you pursue the journey alone. Research shows that informing someone of a goal increases your likelihood of success by 65%. Having a Future fitness coach in your corner gives you an accountability partner, improving motivation and your likelihood of success.

The Role of the Future App Coach in My Fitness Journey

Before I started using the Future app, no one knew if I skipped a workout. But, once I began to use Future, my coach could see when and if I exercised. This provided me with an extra level of accountability I hadn’t had since I was a high school athlete.

Beyond just providing workout plans, my trainer Kaylee served as a constant source of support and motivation. She checked with me throughout the week to see how I felt and constantly adjusted my program to accommodate travel and other life circumstances. Knowing that I had someone cheering me on and invested in my success made all the difference, pushing me to stay consistent and strive for improvement.

Investment in Your Health: Analyzing the Future App's Cost and Value

At $199 per month, Future is one of the most expensive fitness apps on the market. But if you're looking for personalized coaching, it's more than worth it. The average hourly cost of working with a trainer ranges from $60-$100. But with Future, you get unlimited workouts and communication with your coach.

Unlimited monthly in-person training sessions could easily cost you thousands. However, if you're on a budget, if you work out from different locations, and if you’re looking for personalized fitness coaching, Future is the best option.

If you don’t need 1:1 coaching or you’re interested in more affordable fitness programs that you can do from anywhere, check out GymBird’s fitness programs.

Real Results: Testimonials and Success Stories from Future App Users

With an average of 4.9 out of 5 stars on the Apple App Store, users provided Future overwhelmingly positive feedback. Many reviewers noted struggling to stick to a program before finding Future, but with their coach's help, they finally made fitness a habit. Others were parents or traveled for work and had struggled to find programs that worked with their busy lives. These reviewers praised the app's flexibility and were happy to find a program that fit their schedule.

One user wrote, “This is the only exercise program I have ever been able to stick to. I have been using it consistently for the past eight months, and I have noticed major changes in my body and my view on exercise. I look forward to my workouts and feel so much stronger and more confident.”

My Personal Experience After 30 Days

During my first 30 days with Future, I didn't miss a single workout and built a ton of confidence in the gym. Before training with Kaylee, I was only comfortable performing basic strength training exercises. But after a month, I was lifting heavier than ever, and my lower back pain was almost gone. I also felt stronger and faster while running.

I wanted to see if I could keep the momentum going by myself to save a little money, so I canceled the app. I soon realized that I needed a trainer to keep me accountable to exercise regularly. I redownloaded the app and have been using Future ever since.

How the Future App Stacks Up Against Competitors

App Name Monthly Price Trial Period Best For 
Future $19930 Days Personal Training 
Alo $12.9914 Days Boutique Style Classes 
iFit $1530 Days Cardio Workouts
Peloton $12.9930 Days Cycling 
Centr$29.997 Days Strength Training

Bottom Line

The Future app gave me structure, kept me motivated, and improved my confidence in the gym. It’s more expensive than other fitness apps, but the personalization and expert guidance make it well worth the price. Since I started using the Future app, I've worked with three different coaches. Each offered impressive credentials and expertise in their programming. I’m going to keep using this app for the foreseeable future. Unsure if Future is right for you? Find your coach and get one month of free training.