At-home workouts that improved my exercise mentality
I always considered myself a community-motivated exerciser. I grew up a competitive dancer and never thought much about working out, as hours of rigorous practice kept me active—and I rarely had the free time to do more than go for a run, an activity I remain intimidated by to this day.
I auditioned for and was accepted as a group fitness instructor my sophomore year of college, and enjoyed feeling a part of such an active group again. I taught dance fitness classes, among others, and first semester sophomore year marked my healthiest semester in college.
As I shifted my educational and extra-curricular priorities, working out—and my own health—took the backseat. Post-graduation, I relied on any free trials I could locate and affordable classes at the gym around the corner from my apartment, but I found I rarely went without a roommate or friend, or any sense of companionship to motivate me.
It was CorePower Yoga that helped me start to branch out on my own and commit to myself and my exercise regimen. The price tag helped—I could hardly justify paying nearly $200 a month in New York City for classes I wasn’t going to attend—as did the sense of community that I’d relied on my entire life when exercising. Flash forward a few months and I, along with the rest of the world, found my entire routine thrown upside down (and out the window, and under a moving car … I could go on).
I found I had to shift not just my exercise routine, but how I thought about working out. If I wanted to continue the progress I’d made over the last few months, I had to find ways to self-motivate. There was no $200 membership cloud hanging over my head, no roommates to text and schedule a class with, and, for someone who was furloughed at the time, no schedule or commitments unless I created them myself.
These at-home workouts helped me stay motivated, keep a routine, and were affordable while still helping fund fitness instructors and teachers.
Orange Theory At Home
Getting to class with Orange Theory is as easy as bookmarking this link. Orange Theory is providing free, daily workouts that require motivation, a towel or mat, and the occasional household item to use for weights. Each workout aims to get you in the orange zone and help you achieve splat points, no treadmill necessary.
Orange Theory catalogs all their previous shared workouts, so if the day’s workout doesn’t lend itself to your fitness goals, you can scroll back through weeks of workouts to find one that does.
CorePower Yoga Live & CorePower On Demand
CorePower Yoga, a popular sculpt and yoga studio located in major cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia, is offering a range of different options to help yogis flow from home. They offer a select few free classes on their website that you can utilize at any time, as well as a $19.99/month subscription to their full collection of 300+ classes. You can also register for live stream classes and WFH (workout from home) with instructors in real time.
Learn more here.
Peloton
OnePeloton revolutionized the “remote workout” with the debut of the Peloton bike in 2012 and a mission to bring boutique fitness into the home. The prices are aspirational for many ($2,000+ for their most basic set up and at least $58 a month for the subscription) but a good investment for those committed to cycling in their own home. Writer’s note: on October 15, 2020, Peloton issued a recall for pedals used on their bikes sold between July 2013 & May 2016.
Amidst the need for accessible and affordable home workouts in the wake of COVID-19, Peloton boosted their Peloton Digital membership. Following a 30-day free trial, Peloton Digital members get access to a full library of live/on-demand classes including running programs, strength, yoga, HIIT, and cycling classes for just $12.99/month.
Learn more here.
Equinox Instagram Live
An Equinox membership will set you back, at minimum, a few hundred a month. While they’re transforming the on-demand, digital workout space—they just released Equinox+ via the Variis app, giving members access to digital classes through the top names in boutique fitness including PURE Yoga, Precision Run and Soul Cycle—a membership or Soul Cycle bike is still required. For anyone who, like us, is using their time in quarantine to save rather than spend, check out Equinox’s Instagram page, where they’re bringing select livestream workouts to your phone, and consider throwing them a follow as your donation.
Hannah Goldner, PT, DPT Muscle Conditioning classes
Hannah Goldner, a physical therapist from Philadelphia, incorporates her core belief that movement is medicine into each of her virtual muscle conditioning & movement classes—and if you have time to check out the testimonials on her website, you’ll have proof beyond my word that these workouts are effective, safe, and empowering, whether you have a fitness studio at your disposal or are working out in your 170-square-foot NYC bedroom (like me).
Hannah incorporates intense movements into each class without over-utilizing high-impact exercises and makes each class safe for participants (and their joints) without compromising a great sweat. “Our class consists of low impact strengthening, balance training, and core stabilization with a few physical therapy exercises thrown in the mix for injury prevention. Modifications and amplifications are available along the way to cater to the needs of everyone with varying levels of fitness abilities,” Hannah’s website reads. All classes are donation based (the recommended donation is $10) and virtual to keep you moving while studios are closed. View Hannah’s weekly schedule here & find her on Instagram.
Obé Fitness
Obé Fitness, a newer name in the digital fitness space, offers more than just an instructor/classroom color-coded aesthetic (though we’re a fan of that, too). Obé brings “NYC-style boutique fitness classes” to your living room, or wherever you choose to exercise, and members can choose to take a live class off of Obé’s daily schedule or watch the recorded classes at their convenience. With over 400 recorded classes to choose from (and they’re still growing), the $0.90 a day membership is a steal. Plus, try out a free week on Obé to make sure it’s the right fit before you pay.
Rodrigo Garduño’s Instagram Live
We can’t all be professional athletes, but thanks to Rodrigo Garduño’s daily Instagram Live workouts, we can all exercise with one. Rodrigo started 54D in 2012 to help members transform their bodies and lives with athlete-style training. While Rodrigo has a U.S. location in Miami, FL, he’s training and motivating via his Instagram page to whoever wants to tune in for free. Rodrigo fosters a sense of community among his followers, and while you may be physically working out alone, you’ll mentally have thousands of fellow exercisers sweating right there with you.
CoreBarreFit
CoreBarreFit NYC’s old-school masters of the barre class, Fred DeVito & Elisabeth Halfpapp, are streaming live classes from their mini barn in the Hamptons. Expect smiles, a devoted group of regulars, and sore muscles for days after—it’s tougher than your typical barre class, in a good way.
