Evlo Review: I Tried the Evlo Fitness App, Here's What I Think

Evlo was recently put on my radar, and I was instantly excited to check it out. It was glaringly obvious even at first glance that Evlo has built a strong reputation for its approach to strength training, particularly for women who want to build muscle and sculpt their body without feeling like they need to be completely exhausted after every workout (this message is very aligned with my own!).

Even though I am a personal trainer and fitness app creator, I still like to test out and explore other apps. I was very intrigued by the fact that Evlo was founded by a physical therapist and wanted to see how they structured their programs for their clients. Plus, it’s fun for me to try other people’s workouts every so often.

Over the course of the last 10 years or so, I’ve tried and reviewed dozens of fitness apps. And I think there’s a big difference between just looking at the app from the outside and making a quick judgment and actually getting inside it and trying the workouts, so that’s what I do. I signed up for Evlo and tried a few of their workouts, paying attention to everything from the app experience to the actual programming.

In this review, I'm breaking down what Evlo is, what I liked about it, what I didn't, and how I think it compares to Simply Strong. And yes, I'll be giving you my honest opinion as both a fitness consumer and someone who programs strength workouts for women.

What Is Evlo?

Evlo is a fitness app that was created by Dr. Shannon Ritchey, a physical therapist and strength coach. Her programming and training philosophy are centered around strength training and building muscle, but with an emphasis on gentle training.

One thing that immediately stood out to me was that Evlo doesn’t play into the typical “more is better” mentality that’s common in the fitness industry. This is something that I myself have leaned heavily into, especially as I’ve aged

According to Evlo, you aren’t necessarily going to finish every workout drenched in sweat and insanely sore, but that’s the whole point. This type of programming focuses more on building muscle and getting stronger. As someone who has changed my own training philosophy significantly over the years, this is a message that I can absolutely get behind.

But philosophy is one thing; I wanted to actually try the workouts and see if the philosophy matches the workouts.

What Is the Evlo App Like?

First, I have to say that the Evlo app has a very nice onboarding experience where you get to select your “track,” which is essentially your workout plan/training split in the app. It was a really easy and smooth process.

Here’s how the intake process works so you can determine which “track” to start with:

-Choose: General, prenatal, or postnatal (I chose general)

-Choose: Evlo weekly or Foundations (I chose Evlo weekly)

-Choose: Frequency (3,4, or 5 days per week) (I chose 5)

-Choose: Thursday format (which workout you will do on Thursdays - Build + or Barre) (I chose Build +)

Once you go through those initial selections, you’ll be given an example of what your workout week will look like. Here’s mine:

• Monday: Upper build
• Tuesday: Lower build
• Wednesday: Mat build
• Thursday: Build +
• Friday: Full body
• Saturday/Sunday: Rest

After you preview the plan, you’re taken to the main app navigation, and all of your workouts are already on your calendar for the week, listed right at the top of the app navigation. Each week, there are new workouts (although they call them classes). Each week, the classes are new and different, and they are only released one week at a time.

In addition to the workouts that get planned for you based on the track you set when getting started, there’s a whole library of workouts that you can access on demand. There are cardio workouts, recovery sessions, mini workouts, and a feed that includes all of the newest workouts on the app.

In addition to the workouts on the app, there’s also a “learn” tab that has a series of blog posts about relevant topics, which is handy.

What Are the Evlo Workouts Like?

Ok, this was the part that I was most interested in. The workouts are in a follow-along format, which means that they are pre-recorded by one of the instructors, and you follow along with the video on the screen as the instructor talks you through it. I haven’t done a follow-along workout like this in years - probably since my Beachbody days. While I used to love this style of workout, I no longer find it to be the best fit for my training preferences.

I prefer go-at-your-own-pace workouts where I control the tempo, pace, rest, etc. of my own workout and am guided by the app program. So I was a little bummed to see that these were pre-recorded videos, although I know a lot of women still prefer this style.

Once I pressed play on the video, the workout began with a guided warmup/meditation with breathing exercises and cues. Then, the workout starts to get into the strength exercises. There’s a place to track and log your weights and reps underneath the video in the overview section, but I don’t imagine many people utilize it, as it would be cumbersome to try to fill that out while keeping up with the moves on the screen.

The workout itself is very pilates/yoga-inspired, just with weights. I would definitely describe it as “gentle,” as the overall tone and pace of the workout is very slow, intentional, and calm. The workout can be as challenging as you want it to be by controlling your weight selection. The Evlo team more or less advises that you use weights that feel good for you, not necessarily challenge you.

This is not a progressive overload-focused program, a strength training principle that I believe wholeheartedly in. The workouts are different each week, and without repetition and tracking, you’re not able to gauge progress.

Most of the workouts that I did were right around 30 minutes (plus or minus a few minutes), which I really enjoyed as that tends to be the sweet spot for most women. Each workout has a breakdown of what’s included in it, along with timestamps for the video so you know what to expect and when, which was nice.

If you wanted to, you could totally skip the guided workout and just follow the exercise programming listed - that’s actually what I did because I don’t like guided workouts. I prefer to control my own pace moving through the exercises, and I like to listen to my own music/podcast/audiobooks when I work out. If you follow the exercises listed instead of the follow-along videos, it’s a lot easier to fill in your weights and reps. However, I don’t see anywhere where that information is stored, and since you do different exercises each week, there’s really no system for tracking progressions.

My Thoughts on Evlo's Programming as a Personal Trainer

Back when I was in my 20s, doing random follow-along workouts I found on YouTube, I probably would have loved the Evlo app. I used to think I needed a video to follow along to so that I knew what I was doing and new workouts every week to keep things “fun,”, but I’ve completely changed my approach as I’ve gotten older.

The best results I’ve ever had have been through focusing on lifting weights with intention and applying progressive overload. I focus on basic strength training foundations and lift with the intention to provide my muscles with the stimulus they need to grow and adapt. In order to gauge your progress and know if you are getting stronger, you need to be able to track your lifts and repeat your exercises - the Evlo app isn’t really set up for that.

That’s not to say that I think Evlo’s programming is bad; it’s not at all. I think it would be a great fit for some women. I think the gentle, Pilates-inspired approach is very appealing to some women, as well as the follow-along video format.

One thing that I would want women to know is that there’s a way to be “gentle” with their approach to strength training while still lifting heavy weights and applying progressive overload. A good strength training program that’s designed for muscle strength will utilize basic, proven exercises in repetition in an efficient and concise way that allows you to get results without feeling exhausted and burnt out.

Evlo vs. Simply Strong: How Do They Compare?

If you're trying to decide between Evlo and Simply Strong, this is probably the section you really want to see.

There are definitely similarities between the two. Both place an emphasis on strength training rather than making calorie burn the primary goal, and both are designed to help women get stronger without requiring hours in the gym.

But there are also some important differences.

Who Is Evlo Best For?

Based on my experience with the app, I think Evlo would be a great fit for women who:

• Want a strength-focused program rather than traditional cardio-heavy workouts
• Enjoy a more structured approach to training
• Prefer workouts that don't revolve around maximizing muscle
• Want recovery to be an intentional part of your training
• Like Pilates-inspired workouts
• Enjoy follow-along video workouts

Who Might Prefer Simply Strong?

I think Simply Strong may be a better fit if you:

• Want 30-45 minute workouts that are easy to fit into a busy schedule
• Prefer dumbbell and resistance-band training at home
• Want to train 3, 4, or 5 days per week
• Want to repeat workouts and exercises so you can clearly track progression
• Want built-in exercise swaps and workout tracking
• Prefer a straightforward program that tells you exactly what to do
• Want progressive overload to be a major focus of your training
• Don't want to spend time figuring out what workout to do each day
• Prefer to move through your workout at your own pace

Is Evlo Worth It?

So, after actually using the app, would I recommend Evlo? Yes, absolutely - for the right person.

I think Evlo has a lot going for it, and I have a lot of respect for a program that prioritizes strength, muscle building, and recovery rather than perpetuating the idea that every workout needs to leave you exhausted.

But would I personally choose Evlo over Simply Strong? No, and that's not because I think Evlo is a bad program.

It's because I created Simply Strong around the exact type of training I believe works best for the women I work with: realistic strength training, progressive overload, manageable workouts, intentional repetition, and a program that tells you exactly what to do without making fitness your full-time job.

Evlo is wonderful and very impressive from an app experience standpoint. It’s evident that Dr. Shannon and the rest of her team work hard to program these workouts and to make them safe and functional, and I would absolutely recommend this app for someone who’s seeking this style of training.

One thing that I think is a potential barrier to entry for some women is the monthly cost of $55.99/month or $599/year; this app is a bit more expensive than most on the market. For some, the monthly cost may be well worth it, and for others, it may lead them to seek a more budget-friendly alternative.

If you think the Simply Strong App might be a good fit, take my quick quiz to find out, and you'll get a coupon for 50% off your first month.