Jefit

Yes. If what you like about the Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises is essentially “I want a huge illustrated exercise encyclopedia that I can carry in my pocket and look up an exercise instantly,” there are much better phone-based options now.

I’d narrow it to three serious choices for you:

1. JEFIT — probably the closest digital replacement

JEFIT

This is the one I would try first for your particular purpose. It has 1,400+ exercises, with instructions and demonstrations, plus workout programs and tracking. Multiple 2026 comparisons identify JEFIT as having one of the deepest exercise databases.

Why it fits your question:

• Huge searchable exercise encyclopedia

• Exercise demonstrations right on the phone

• Can search by muscle, equipment, or exercise

• Can make your own routines

• iPhone/Apple Watch compatible

• Long-established rather than a brand-new AI fitness app

• Free version gives you access to a remarkably large exercise library

Downside: the interface isn’t as elegant as some newer apps.

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for “Men’s Health Big Book, but on my iPhone.”

2. Hevy — best-looking/easiest to actually use

Hevy

Hevy is one of the most highly rated fitness apps, currently around 4.9 stars with a very large number of ratings.

It has exercise demonstrations and a very clean interface.

The catch is that its built-in library is smaller—roughly 400+ curated exercises in some current comparisons—so it isn’t really the digital equivalent of a 692-exercise encyclopedia.

Best if: you want to say:

“Show me today’s workout, show me how to do each movement, and let me record what I did.”

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for ease of use, ⭐⭐⭐⭐ for exercise reference.

3. Fitbod — best if you want the phone to become your trainer

Fitbod

This is a different philosophy. Rather than you browsing hundreds of exercises, Fitbod uses a very large exercise library—around 1,500+ exercises—and generates workouts for you.

So you could tell it what equipment you have and what you’re trying to accomplish, and it can construct the workout.

My verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for “tell me what to do.”

But I don’t think it’s necessarily the best match for your question. You’re asking more for a portable reference library that lets you choose effective exercises.

And there is one book I’d seriously consider instead

If you want the quality of a respected exercise book, rather than a workout-tracking app, look at Frédéric Delavier’s Strength Training Anatomy.

This is a very established reference. It has the famous anatomical illustrations showing exactly which muscles are being activated during an exercise. Human Kinetics says more than two million people have used the book.

And importantly, there is an ebook version, so you could have essentially the reference book in your iPhone instead of carrying the large paperback.

But for YOU, I’d actually do this

Given the kinds of things you’ve been working on—tennis, pickleball, swimming, leg strength, knee stability, core, shoulders, balance and maintaining muscle as you get older—I wouldn’t necessarily want a bodybuilding encyclopedia with 1,500 exercises.

I’d want a curated athletic exercise library.

Something like:

Your iPhone → “Exercises”

• 🦵 Legs / knees

• 🍑 Glutes

• 🧍 Core

• 💪 Chest

• 🏋️ Back

• 🏹 Shoulders / rotator cuff

• 🤲 Arms

• 🦶 Calves / ankles

• ⚖️ Balance

• 🧘 Mobility

• 🎾 Tennis/PB athletic movements

And under each exercise:

picture/video → muscles → how to perform → reps → sets → difficulty → what equipment → what it helps

That’s actually much more useful than scrolling through 692 exercises.

My ranking for your exact use

Best for

My rating for you

JEFIT

Huge exercise encyclopedia

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hevy

Beautiful/easy everyday app

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fitbod

App designs workout for you

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Delavier ebook

Serious illustrated reference

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Men’s Health Big Book

Huge traditional reference

⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you want just one thing to download tonight, I’d start with JEFIT. It comes closest to what you’re describing: a giant illustrated exercise reference sitting in your pocket rather than a 3-pound book.

And I think there’s an even better next step for you: I can compare JEFIT, Hevy, Fitbod, and the best exercise apps specifically for a 69-year-old athletic man who plays a lot of tennis/pickleball and wants muscle + knee/core/shoulder durability—not bodybuilding. That would change my recommendation somewhat.