Apple Fitness+ updated with new content

Apple Fitness+ is introducing new ways for users to stay active and mindful in the new year. Starting Monday, January 8, the service will introduce a brand-new sound meditation theme and a new workout program titled Strength, Core, and Yoga for Golfers, featuring record-breaking athlete Rose Zhang, known as one of golf's rising stars.

The Artist Spotlight series will launch new workouts celebrating the countdown to the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show featuring USHER.

Time to Walk will introduce new guests, including Al Roker, Trixie Mattel, Lilly Singh, Common, and Colman Domingo. For the first time ever, select Time to Walk episodes will be available on Apple Podcasts for anyone to enjoy in the 21 countries where the service is available, even without a Fitness+ subscription.

Highlights:

Here's what you should know:

• Sound Meditations for Relaxation: Fitness+ is introducing a brand-new meditation theme called Sound, offering users a new way to feel relaxed and restored. Each meditation provides light guidance from a Fitness+ trainer while allowing ample space for users to be present, with a variety of soothing tones and rhythms — such as the tranquil sounds of singing bowls and the deep pitch of gongs — all arranged to create a sense of ease.
• Strength, Core, and Yoga for Golfers: Building strength, stability, and mobility is important for golfers of all levels to help them swing with ease and drive the ball with power. Fitness+ introduces a new workout program, Strength, Core, and Yoga for Golfers, featuring and designed with professional golfer Rose Zhang and led by Fitness+ Strength and Core trainer Kyle Ardill. Inspired by Zhang's training on and off the course, this program features a mix of four workouts across Strength, Core, and Yoga, designed to improve strength, balance, flexibility, and mobility.
• Biggest Artist Spotlight series: Music is an essential element of every Fitness+ workout, and so, the Artist Spotlight series — which dedicates an entire workout playlist to a single artist — will launch its biggest series yet to celebrate the countdown to the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show featuring USHER, with music by iconic halftime performers each week leading up to the big game. These would include Rihanna, Britney Spears, U2, and finally - USHER.
• New episodes of Time to Walk: New episodes of Time to Walk will begin with Al Roker, longtime weather anchor and segment cohost for the TODAY show. On this walk, Roker shares what he learned from his mentor that inspired him to pay it forward as a mentor himself. He also talks about the pivotal conversation he had with his father that prompted him to seek out a lifestyle change. Guests in the coming weeks will include Trixie Mattel (Brian Firkus), a global cultural phenomenon who won the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars; Lilly Singh, a Canadian author and actor; Common, a rapper, actor, and activist; and Colman Domingo, an actor, writer, and director. Additionally, for the first time, select Time to Walk episodes will be available for listeners on Apple Podcasts.
• Ring in the New Year award: Apple Watch users can earn a new limited-edition award, Ring in the New Year, when they close all three Activity rings for seven days in a row any time in January.

On the record

"Starting the new year can mean kicking off a fitness and wellbeing journey, restarting after a long break, or looking to take it up a level with a new challenge," said Jay Blahnik, Apple's vice president of Fitness Technologies. "From sound meditations to help you relax, to building strength for an improved golf swing, or turning up the volume on your workouts, Fitness+ has something for everyone to help them stay active and support their wellbeing in the new year."

Partnership with Anytime Fitness

For the first time, Anytime Fitness memberships now include access to a free Fitness+ subscription. Anytime Fitness is the world's largest fitness club brand, delivering personalized and affordable health and wellness training, coaching, nutrition, and recovery guidance to their members.

Prospective members who try Anytime Fitness for free can get up to three months of Fitness+ for no cost. Additionally, Fitness+ users who join Anytime Fitness and sign up for a qualifying 12 months+ membership get their first 30 days at no charge. The personalized plans designed by Anytime Fitness coaches in the Anytime Fitness iOS app will include an integration of Apple Fitness+ workout content for coaches to recommend to their clients.