It is hard to believe that all Android users are complete geeks, who spend their days and nights in front of computers. But after I received my Android phone my computer usage increased dramatically, which isn’t really beneficial for my body.

Concerned about this I started looking for training and exercise software. The search process was as follows: open Android Market, enter “training” as a search keyword, find the highest rated program, and install it. If the program was only available in the trial version or wasn’t suitable I uninstalled it and continued my search. The first matching program I tried was Runstar, which, though beautiful, offered very limited functionality (demo only offered Freerun – stopwatch + music player + Google Maps). The second program was the hero of this review – CardioTrainer.

It costs US$2.99, but 7 day free trial is available to try all modes. Price seems to be very reasonable, given what the program can do. I’ll try to explain the functionality and all modes available.

CardioTrainer has three modes of operation:
1. Record Your Workout. You will probably use this mode the most. Basically you set a route and the program counts time, distance and the number of steps (pedometer).

It is very simple – get outside, start the mode, press the Start button and run. Reasonably open area is needed for the stable operation of the Google Maps. CardioTrainer uses it to show the route.  The program has basic navigation functionality – a pleasant male voice tells you where to turn.
Steps, time, distance and even lost calories are calculated and recorded. Calories, as I understand, are calculated based on the weight, which is set when you first start the program.
CardioTrainer can be used as a music player to entertain you while running. Select the pre-created playlist, turn the shuffle on and enjoy. The program keeps the history of all routes, including distances and times. You can also easily specify new routes. Everything is very convenient and easy to understand.

2. Weight Loss Trainer. This is a class scheduler. First you need to set a target – the number of kilos that you want to lose. The program will calculate your weekly goals, number of weeks required to achieve the target and whether it is achievable.

Second step is to set your training schedule, as well as exercise type (jogging, cycling, walking) and distance. And the program will show your progress based on these settings.

3. Race Against Yourself. Select the route that you ran earlier, and run it again. Set the SpeedFactor – looks like this is a relative increase of your speed compared to the previous races. Useful mode for improving your results.

To be honest, I haven’t had a chance to test the program thoroughly. But few times I tried it the program worked without any failures and left pleasant impressions. It is very easy to use and has intuitive interface, sufficient number of modes and GPS (if required). All this gives the impression of a complete, smooth and professional product, which, unfortunately, is still uncommon on Android.

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