Teemo App [Review]
Teemo is an app available for iOS devices that turns “spare minutes into fitness adventures.” Basically, you connect with a group of your friends (everyone must have an iOS device and a Facebook account) to tackle a challenge. The challenges all tell a story and lead participants through a series of exercises that pertain to obstacles one might encounter if they were really climbing Mt. Everest. (Or… a general approximation to that. Perhaps not EXACTLY the same!)
There are several themed challenges. The RUNiverse crew tackled “Climbing Everest” and then we made it through the “Desert Dash”. As you can see from the screenshot, the app guides participants through a map and kind of explains where you are in the journey. In the Desert Dash we made our way through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah… virtually, all from our separate corners in the United States.
Jill’s Thoughts:
Endurance – 12 minutes, Strength – 14 minutes, Wellness – 9 minutes
I’ve had a lot of fun with this app – except when I couldn’t do exercises… being almost at the end of pregnancy will kind of do that to you. Supermans while pregnant? Impossible! I like that the exercises don’t require equipment and you can do 1-2 minutes of exercises at a time or you can do more of them in a row to complete a longer workout. I like to do a few minutes of Teemo exercise every hour during the workday, just to force myself to move a little from my desk. (Of course, that could be awkward if you don’t telecommute like I do… your coworkers might look at you as though you are insane if you drop to the ground and start doing something on all fours!)
The app keeps track of stats for you–it was kind of cool to see the amount of exercise I had racked up in just Monday-Wednesday of one week while using the app. And that’s on top of my “officially designated” workouts.
I can’t wait to be able to do the exercises full-force in a few short weeks! Definitely check this one out!
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Chris’ Thoughts:
I’m in complete and utter lover with this app. I want to write poetry in its name. Like Jill, I primarily work from home. One of the biggest problems I have is sitting in front of my computer all day. It’s so easy to get lost in email and PowerPoint that you forget to get off the couch. Teemo makes it quick and (sometimes) easy to get up, do a few minutes of exercise, and get back to work. In fact, I will set alarms on my iPhone to alert me that I need to get up and move.
I’ve also started using it after I swim at the local gym. Typically, I’m exhausted and don’t have a ton of energy to spend another 30 minutes lifting weights. I will, however, fire up Teemo, do 15 or 20 minutes of random exercises, and head home. I like that it gives me different types of exercises–from yoga to squats to fake jump roping–all within a few minutes time.
Finally, I like that I’m doing the challenge with my friends. It motivates me to know that they are plugging away at the exercises at the same time I am. I would recommend this app to everyone.
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Alissa’s Thoughts:
I had a lot of fun with this app. Unfortunately, I don’t work from home so I couldn’t really do the exercises during my work day like Chris and Jill. (Well maybe I could have, but I think my co-workers would definitely be weirded out!) I think that a home office environment would be the ideal situation for this game. I mostly enjoyed playing the game in the evenings on non-run days, while my husband sat on the couch with his beer and gave me strange looks.
The user interface is cute, clean and easy to understand. The exercises were fun as well. I found myself looking forward to finding out what the next exercise would be. I don’t think I had done jumping jacks since grade school P.E.! My only frustration was my own competitiveness. I’d be sitting at my desk at work watching my phone light up to tell me all the exercise my teammates were getting in while I was pretty much chained to my desk all day!
Over all, I’d definitely recommend this app if you have active friends with iPhones that will play with you. Everyone wins playing Teemo.
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The app is going to be $2, but it is free (as of this writing) for launch promotion purposes. Download it and start a group challenge with your friends!
