Best At-Home Workouts 

One thing that’s come as a result of the pandemic is that we’ve seen a huge increase in access to at-home and on-demand workouts — including from local spots and smaller outfits.

Yes, a number of local fitness studios (like so many workplaces) have worked to transition their services online as much as possible. Your favorite local workout spots — or even those from places you’ve visited or your BFF swears by — may have remote offerings. For parents, this kind of access is very welcome indeed.

Of course, working out at home is never quite the same as the in-person experience, but there really are some great options out there! Below are some of what we think are the best at-home workouts, both free and subscription-based. 

Best At-Home Workouts — Free:

• Bodyfit by Amy — Free videos led by personal trainer Amy; workouts range from 10 to 45 minutes in length and offerings include cardio, HIIT, pilates, strength training, pre- and post-natal fitness, and (new!) mommy-and-me classes. Amy is great — check out her new website for additional offerings.

• Fitness Blender — Fitness Blender was created by a husband/wife team, both of whom are physical trainers. The site has hundreds of free workout videos varying from 5-90 minutes long; offerings include pilates, HIIT, boxing, cardio, strength training, etc. I love that you can search FB easily for a certain length/type of class as well as body area focus (i.e. legs, abs, etc.), and equipment needed. 

• Nike Training Club — This app offers hundreds of the best at-home workouts ranging from yoga and kick-boxing to HIIT and lifting; search for workouts individually or enroll in any number of curated regimens.

• POPSUGAR Fitness — POPSUGAR’s workout video library is so extensive, it’s almost overwhelming… offerings range from quickies (just a few minutes) to the real deal (30-45 minutes), and include pilates/barre/yoga, dance cardio, HIIT, strength training, and more; if you think variety is the spice of life, this is a good place to land. 

• Orange Theory — Early on in the pandemic, Orange Theory started offering many of its cult-fav workouts free on its website. Many of them are still live, though they are shorter in length.

• Corepower Yoga — This is a paid subscription yoga site, but Corepower offers everyone free access to a selection of online classes, no trial/payment required. If you’re looking to practice yoga once a week or so, this is a wonderful way to access serious classes for free.

• Bikini Body Mommy — Many readers recommend this site, especially for efficient pre- and post-natal workouts; most workouts are under 20 minutes and require a mat and light handheld weights (optional).

Best At-Home Workouts — Subscription-Based:

• Barre3 (~$29/month or $99/year; option for a free 15-day trial) — Choose from a wide array of full-body workouts that combine strength conditioning, cardio and mindfulness. You’ll need a mat, and though many workouts call for light weights, a core ball, and a resistance band, if you don’t have them, no problem; all workouts can be done without as well. 

• Daily Burn (~$19/month after 30-day trial) — Offers access to over 1,000 workouts, which include cardio, yoga, dance, Pilates, strength conditioning and more. The Daily Burn 365 workout program is also a cool feature — it’s a live 30-minute workout aired for members every morning at 9:00 am EST (no equipment needed). If you miss it, no problem — you can watch it later on-demand on the Daily Burn 365 page.

• Bodi (formerly Beachbody On Demand ) (~$1,983/month or ~$179/year) — Sign up for unlimited access to all the best infomercial-worthy exercise programs (kidding!) from your pre-kid days (not kidding); you’ll get tons of workout content, nutrition advice and fitness inspiration.

• Peloton (~$13/month after 30-day trial) — Contrary to what you may think, you don’t need a bike to use Peloton (it’s true, I swear). This app has a ton of live and on-demand classes to choose from, such as strength, core, yoga, cardio, running/walking (both indoor and outdoor), cycling, stretching and bootcamp. Workouts range in length, running anywhere from 5 to 60 minutes, and everything in between; some utilize equipment (weights, bike, treadmill, etc.) and some don’t. 

• Glo Yoga (~$24/month after free 7-day trial) — Yogis everywhere are obsessed with Glo’s simplicity, variety, and high-quality classes (one reviewer beamed that it was the only yoga subscription to rival taking an in-person class); membership comes with access to thousands of classes with dozens of teachers in all different yoga styles (and meditation); take a three-question survey when you sign up for classes tailored to your preferences… and then get your flow on. 

• Obe Fitness (~$27/month or $199/year after 7-day trial) — Offers beginner, intermediate and advanced cardio, strength and yoga classes that you can do live or on-demand at your convenience. Most classes are 28 minutes — brief, yet highly effective (note that some classes are longer). No equipment is needed for beginner-level classes, but the more advanced sessions use resistance loops, hand and ankle weights, and sliders. If you miss scrunchies, neon-colored workout gear, and the eighties in general, you’ll love it. 😉

• Down Dog Yoga (~$8/month or $50/year) — A reader recommended this app for customizable yoga classes and I AM OBSESSED. You can select everything about your class, including what kind of yoga you want to practice, exactly how long, the voice of the teacher, type of music, pace and intensity of the class… It’s awesome. Namaste.

• Mommastrong (~$12/month; 14-day free trial) — This reader-recommended subscription was built by a mom and for moms at every fitness level and lifestage; there’s some optional equipment involved, but you’ll want at least a mat to get started; pick from one of four programs (prenatal, immediate postnatal, postpartum, and beyond) and commit to just 15 minutes/daily. 

Good luck moving, friends! What are the best at-home workouts you’ve tried? If you have suggestions to add, leave them in the comments below!

See also: Maternity Workout Clothes