I’m looking to up my strength training game from paper and pencil to something a little more modern. I’ve read about the Strong app. Does anyone have any recommendations? I primarily lift to improve my biking. I definitely don’t want to pay a monthly fee higher than I pay TR!
I’ve used Strong for years. Its free and simple.
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Looked through a bunch and after stronglifts 5x5 became paid i went with strong as well
is there anything that syncs with strava or tr?
Been using the free version of HEVY for a few years and it syncs to Strava. Doesn’t sync to TR.
Via the Strava sync, it does send data to intervals.icu, but you still need to manually enter the total weight lifted and load (tss). I do that while walking from the gym to the car so I can look like everyone else with my nose pointed at a phone. (On intervals, you can set your lifting to increase your fatigue and not increase your form. Nice feature.)
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Have been through all the apps there are. Hevy is the best. Integrates with Strava in a very cool way, puts all the ets and weights into the description and makes a chart of the muscles worked. You can create workout routines and just hit start. Interface isn’t fussy at all to use in the gym. The app has thought of everything a person in the gym wants. It can even keep the display from sleeping during a workout.
Strong isn’t really actively developed anymore, Hevy is getting regular updates. Strong doesn’t have a web interface. A web interface is great if you’re making new workout routines if you don’t enjoy pecking around on your phone doing this stuff. The Hevy app icon is better than the Strong app icon.
Don’t get started in the wrong app
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I’m using Hevy as well. I have the paid version and I think it’s fairly cheap for what it offers. you can build your workouts on the website which makes it easier than on the phone in my opinion.
Then actually using it at the gym is really easy and straight forward.
I just wished it sync to TR but it doesn’t at the moment.
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I use Strong but it’s definitely simple and does what it does well but doesn’t have many bells and whistles. If I was doing more than I do now (1-2 lifts per week with super simple repeating structure) then I’d be looking for something else.
But with Strong I can see all my previous workouts, all my previous lifts of a specific exercise, and I can easily copy/paste the workout from Strong to a TrainingPeaks comment as text for my coach to see.
The lifting app space is super annoying because you don’t have a standard file format like you do with endurance sport (.fit). So if you start with one and decide you want to switch then you basically have to lose all your history and start from scratch.
Give Decathlon Couch maybe a look. It’s free, comes with big variety of exercises and syncs to Apple Health.
TrainHeroic works well for me.
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I’ve using Volt for about a year, works well.
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I’ve used strong, and now Hevy. Hevy is awesome. It’s well thought out, syncs to strava. Others above said it doesn’t sync to TR, which is true. I record my workouts with my garmin watch and that syncs over to TR. Helps with calorie management (I know it’s not very accurate, but at least it gives me an idea to go with). It has instructional videos if you need those, is easy to track 1rm. Very happy with it. You can even share workouts with other users (sent my routine to my son).
I use StrongLifts. Paid for the one off lifetime subscription which was around $100 AUD.
I follow one of the 5x5 programs which I’ve added some other exercises to.
Syncs with TR, Strava, Garmin
You can get it to add weight every x times you complete the reps or deload if you fail x times. Has a deload week. Simple interface when in the gym. Regular updates.
Using keylifts (used strong before). I think it‘s very neat, especially if you train with a trainingmax and percentages. Very easy to do cycles and progressions. Lots of strength templates there.
I’m actually still on paper and pencil! I like using a simple training journal to track workouts and progress. But I’m sure an app is more efficient.
I’ve been using Peak Strength (https://peakstrength.app) for the past 2 months or so. They have a plan specific to sprint cycling, which is heavy with explosive movements such as the high hang power clean, snatch, squat, has single leg movements like Bulgarian split squats, etc. There’s a lot of plyometrics and jumping too. I’ve added about 100w to my sprint in the time I’ve used it. The main downside is it is $39/month, but honestly I am looking way more shredded and have increased my power pretty significantly. I’m doing 4 sessions per week, about 1hr to 1.25hr each. The guy who runs it also runs this YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GarageStrength
I took a look at Hevy this morning. It’s basically a workout tracking app. There are some pre-programmed routines, or you can create routines with some basic knowledge, but it doesn’t look like it is coaching you. I think that’s the main distinction with Peak Strength, which is asks you what is your goal, asks you what equipment you have or don’t have, and then creates a specific workout plan based on that. It’s not quite like TrainerRoad but it does adjust the plan as you go, with specific periodization and what not. BTW I’m not affiliated in any way, I’ve just been very satisfied over the past few months.