Many fitness and recreation centres are closing their doors for the next few weeks. With kids off school and social outings no longer an option, keeping your anxiety and cortisol levels in check is super important. Try one of these programs to get your body moving for 30 minutes today. Don’t want to spend money? No problem, even the paid subscriptions I use offer free sample workouts, which I’ve linked below.
SWEAT app
What it is:
Fitness programs from five different trainers which can be completed at home or in the gym and include combinations of cardio, strength-training and recovery. A yoga program is also available. For my detailed review of SWEAT click here.
PROS: Excellent for postpartum or fitness beginners, app is easy to use, workouts are simple and can be completed in 30 minutes and if you follow the program you will see results quickly.
CONS: Some programs require a gym membership or extensive equipment, workouts can get repetitive and boring after you’ve been doing it for a while.
Cost:
$20/month
Free trial included:
YES (7 days)
Freebie workout here
Beachbody On Demand
What it is:
Sometimes dubbed the “Netflix for workouts”, members have access to an extensive library of fitness programs including strength training, cardio, barre, pilates, yoga, boxing and more. Each program comes with a variety of resources to help you succeed including calendars, workout trackers and detailed meal-planning and nutrition guides.
If your budget is small, stick with a basic membership which includes access to the streaming service, nutrition plans, and a personal coach; there are a lot of unnecessary things you can spend money on here.
PROS: Great for men and women, tons of variety, program-specific meal plans and nutrition guides, really positive accountability groups to keep you on track.
CONS: Uses multi-level marketing, constant promotion and up-selling of BeachBody products, number of workout options can be overwhelming.
Cost:
$49- $186 (plus more for supplements, gear and other branded swag)
Free trial included:
YES (14 days)
Freebie workouts:
- Morning Meltdown 100
- Barre Blend
- 21 Day Fix Real Time
- 21 Day Fix Extreme
- Liift4
- 6 Weeks of the Work
- Shift Shop
The Bar Method
What it is:
Barre classes combine elements of ballet, pilates and yoga to create workouts that are high-intensity and low-impact. Each Bar Method class starts with upper body exercises, then moves to leg and glute work at the bar (or chair/counter) and finishes with abdominal exercises on the mat. Classes are 15, 45 or 60 minutes in length with varying exercises.
PROS: Barre classes are really uplifting and fun. They challenge you to push through mental barriers and tackle challenges by, “embracing the shake”. This technique builds confidence that ends up extending to all other areas of your life, while strengthening small muscle groups not often utilized in other workout programs.
CONS: The number of unique workouts are limited and classes are repetitive so, in my opinion, it doesn’t make sense to pay monthly.
Cost:
$19.99/month
Free trial included:
YES (14 days)
Freebie workout here
Kira Stokes’ Stoked Method
What it is:
Specially designed workouts that combine cardio, strength training, drills, barre, yoga and pilates. Moves are designed to flow into each other and ‘shock’ the body to avoid plateau. Workouts range from 60-minute full-body blasts to 30-minute targeted sessions and 10-15 minute “finishers.”
PROS: I just started this program and am obsessed! I absolutely love Kira and her style of teaching. My form has improved so much through her guidance and I love the dynamic style of her workouts: they are challenging, but not frustrating and you really feel like you’re in a class with her.
CONS: I wish there was a concise program guide outlining which workouts to do, in which order. You kind of have to create your own schedule so I’m not sure how that affects results.
Cost:
$14.99 US/month
Free trial included:
YES (7 days)
Freebie workout here
