App to keep active people on track

A premium version of Strava for cyclists and runners enables access to detailed data, heart rate and pace analysis. Photo / Getty Images

As far as fitness apps go, Strava's can be counted among the most dynamic.

Since launching in 2009, the mobile app and website has gone from being a performance tracking gadget for cyclists and runners to a handy tool for swimmers, skiers, skaters, surfers, rowers and even rock climbers.

In the gym, Strava can now help out with crossfit training, or workouts as diverse as stair-stepping and weight-training to yoga.

It is also compatible with most devices, including iPhones, iPad, Apple Watch and Android.

As of this week, Strava Running and Cycling remained the 11th most popular free iPhone health and fitness app download in New Zealand, and the 34th in the US.

So how does it work?

The app tracks your runs and rides, uploads it from your device, and then analyses and compares the data of your own effort to that of friends and pro users, moving you up and down leaderboards, if you're the competitive type.

If you're not, you can create a "privacy zone" around any address like your home, office, or any place you tend to start activities from that you would like to keep private.

You can use it to record new routes and manually log activity including the type, time and distance, even if you didn't record it with a GPS device.

A premium version for cyclists and runners enables access to detailed data, heart rate and pace analysis.