- Apple Fitness Plus is kicking off 2025 with a bunch of new classes.
- Apple is also working with Strava to let your workouts easily sync.
- More ‘Time to Walk’ and ‘Artist Spotlight Series’ are incoming.
In what’s become an annual drop, Apple Fitness Plus is starting 2025 off strong with new features, workout types, and programming, plus a new integration that should make folks pretty darn happy. It also comes after a pretty big redesign that launched in 2024, which makes classes easier to find.
So let’s start there – after completing your workout in Fitness+, you’ll be able to export all of the data right into Strava, one of our best fitness apps. This way, you can see, log, and review all of the workout metrics alongside your other statistics. You’ll also be able to view the exact title and episode number of the workout, the genre, and even the Fitness+ Trainer.
Beyond that integration, though, you’ll start to see some members of the Strava community in the Fitness+ studio during workouts. Apple says “celebrated athletes from the Strava community will join the Fitness+ trainer team as special guests in workouts throughout the year”.
Who those athletes are is being kept under wraps, but given Strava’s so ubiquitous throughout the fitness community, we’re likely to see sessions similar to ultrarunner Scott Jurek’s “Yoga for Runners” collaboration with Fitness+ trainer Jessica Skye. Who knows, you might see Bradley Wiggins drop into a cycling class with trainer Emily Fayette.
Plus, if you’re a Strava subscriber – brand new or already one – you get three months of Apple Fitness Plus for free – meaning you can jump right into using this integration, stream a class in 4K UHD, or dive into a new program.
If you’re looking to dive into a program, something a little more regimented that lays out a schedule, ‘3 Perfect Weeks of Strength’ might be up your alley. It’s the newest Fitness Plus program and is all about building and maintaining strength with twelve 30-minute workouts spread across three weeks in these categories: Progressive Overload, Time Under Tension, and Dynamic Power.
Similarly, Apple’s hopping on the pickleball wagon with a dedicated program led by Catherine Parenteau, a champion of the sport. She’ll lead the class alongside Fitness+ trainers with a focus on strength, endurance, and agility for playing your best in the sport.
There is also an ‘Introduction to Breath Meditation’ program arriving, which seems like a great way to reduce stress as the new year takes effect. It’s also a good reminder that meditation and yoga classes are good to mix in among core, strength, and other workout types. These are also a bit more bite-sized in ten-minute-long classes.
If you’re keen to start on your yoga journey as well, there are classes focusing on individual poses. This might be one that I give a go – Yoga Peak Poses are billed as an ‘intimate workout’ experience focused on poses like Dancer, Twisted Hand to Big Toe, and Crow.
While my favorite Artist Spotlight Series in the Fitness Plus library would have to be the Bruce Springsteen-focused ones, several new ones have also been announced. A quick point is that while much of this content, including the new programs and Strava integration, takes effect on January 6, 2025, their music classes will be on a schedule.
Artist Spotlight Series dedicates the entire playlist used during the workout to one artist or band, and aims to tell a story with the picked tracks. On January 13, 2025, Janet Jackson drops as the first one of the year. Coldplay swiftly follows that on January 20 and Kendrick Lamar on February 3, timed to the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show as he is headlining.
If dancing is more your speed, So You Think You Can Dance star Alex Wong is leading a special 20-minute dance workout that drops on January 6, 2025.
Time to Walk, Fitness+’s series of audio-only guided walks, is back with new episodes from Adam Scott, Maddie Ziegler, Tiffany Haddish, Steve Aioki, Lana Condor, Rita Ora, and Daddy Yankee, all set to arrive this year. With these, you’ll be asked to walk through stories and even favorite tracks as the host walks through stories. It’s a cool experience that works great on the Apple Watch.
As a whole, Fitness Plus is offering new programs that I think existing users will find rewarding and continues to expand its offerings for people who might try Apple’s streaming workout service for the first time. As a reminder, it’s deeply integrated with the Apple Watch, but you can stream and take the classes on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV 4K streaming box. I’m still waiting on a Mac app.
Fitness Plus starts at $9.99 a month or $79.99 for an annual subscription, but alongside the Strava promotion, you can also score free trials by purchasing an Apple device like an Apple Watch, iPhone, or iPad. Additionally, if you’re already subscribed to Apple One Premier, you get access to Fitness Plus for you and your family. In fact, any subscription is for up to six members in total.