Online Workouts You Can Do at Home to Ease Social Distancing

Photo: Stocksy / Visualspectrum

Gyms are now closed, but it's still so important to keep taking care of yourself by staying active. We love group fitness classes not just for the workout, but because of the sense of community and ritual that comes with heading to your regular classes and seeing familiar faces. To help maintain some level of normalcy in your daily routine throughout 2020, some of your favorite studios are offering online workouts and digital classes streaming right into your home, many at discounted rates.

It's important to stay active right now for a few reasons, says Rondel King, MS, an exercise physiologist at NYU Langone Health. "Social distancing shouldn't hinder your physical activity—work out at home, use the environment as your playground, get creative," he says. "Staying active can help take your mind off the pandemic and help alleviate the stressors at this time."

COVID-19 has prompted many studios and apps to offer discounts on preexisting streaming services, or to tap into the streaming game for the first time. You'll want to bookmark this link. Below, find some of the best fitness streaming services and free classes you can take at home.

The best online workouts you can stream from the comfort of your own home

Barre / Pilates / Sculpting

Erica Bloom Pilates (prices vary)

New York City-based Pilates guru Erika Bloom is offering private Pilates sessions over video chat. Book your session by emailing info@erikabloom.com and do the workouts that you have the equipment for—prices vary by session type. Bloom and her instructors specialize in traditional Pilates and also yoga, bodywork, post-injury, injury prevention, pre- and post-natal, and more athletic conditioning types of workouts. The studio will work with you depending on where you are in your fitness journey, and you’ll get customized exercises just for your body’s state.

Barre3 ($29/month)

Barre3 is a hybrid of barre, Pilates, and yoga (and even regular strength training) for a fun, low-impact workout sesh. Stream classes at home with a 15-day free trial before committing to your membership, which then costs you $29 a month. The classes welcome all levels with minimal equipment (a resistance band and a core ball) necessary—no need to invest in a Reformer. Choose from 10 to 60-minute long workouts so that you can easily fit one into your day.

Bar Method (prices vary)

The Bar Method is a traditional barre-type workout class that welcomes all levels to its sculpting, pulsing, and dancer-inspired exercises. Members with recurring packages have access to 30 days of Bar Method Online classes, and new members can sign up for a Zoom single class or a streaming membership (it’s currently offering a 14-day free trial). Choose between more cardio-focused barre workouts to more restorative or even advanced classes. What you’ll get in return? Better flexibility, posture, and balancing skills.

Club Pilates ($30)

Stream a mat Pilates class, requiring zero or minimal equipment, on Club Pilates’ Facebook Live. Check its social media account for class times. You can also try its on-demand program with a 7-day free trial. If you don’t cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $30 per month. Levels vary by class, but there’s everything from introductory to more advanced levels to choose from. Expect your traditional core-focused Pilates work, including hundreds, planks, and slow, burns-so-good lunges.

Balanced Body (free)

You can watch over 40 free on-demand Pilates workouts, ranging from work breaks, to mindful movements, to full-body classes (we repeat: free). Every level of Pilates-lover can get in on these workouts, but you will need the proper equipment—resistance bands and Pilates rings—for many of the workouts. The best part? Pick from whatever length of workout you want, from a 10 or 20-minute quickie all the way up to hour-long sessions, all of which bring you a low-impact workout.

MELISSA WOOD HEALTH ($10/MONTH)

Trainer and wellness expert Melissa Wood offers her MWHmethod workouts with a 7-day free trial. If you don’t cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $100 for the year or you can opt to pay $10 per month. All levels are welcome, and you’ll just need a set of light weights to start your workout. You can choose from all sorts of workouts—all of which are low-impact—including sculpting, yoga, Pilates, meditation, and dance. She also offers a range of workout lengths, even those as short as 10 minutes.

Pure Barre (free)

Pure Barre is one of the largest barre fitness chains in the country, and it’s offering free classes for all levels on its Facebook Live. Check its social media account for class times. If you’re new to barre, you can sign up for foundational fitness classes that teach you the basics. Or you can choose other types of barre workouts, from resistance-based training to those that spike your heart rate more.

Physique 57 ($25/month)

Physique57 is offering over 100 videos of on-demand barre classes, which you can test out with a 7-day free trial. If you don’t cancel at the end of the trial, you’ll be charged $25 per month for their full library of all-level classes. The studio offers 15, 30, and 57-minute workouts, none of which are ever the same the second time you sweat. Classes are divided by muscle groups (core, full-body, arms, etc.) or by level.

SLT (free)

SLT, which stands for strengthen, lengthen, and tone, is a Megaformer-inspired Pilates class that is done all on a machine in the studio. Now, it’s streaming completely free, all-levels of express Pilates sessions on its IGTV. No, you will not need any sort of equipment. On the studio’s Instagram you’ll find all sorts of at-home workouts, ranging from 5-minute sessions to fuller workouts from the SLT instructors you know and love. You’ll still feel the slow burn that the studio is known for—trust us.

Solidcore (free)

Another Megaformer-inspired Pilates studio, SolidCore, is also offering free workouts on its IGTV every day. You’ll find classes of all levels, with minimal equipment necessary. You could also sign up for SolidCore Zoom workouts, so that you get to watch your instructor teach exercises live along with other participants looking to get their sweat on. The perk? You’ll have professional eyes on your form, so you can kinda, sorta get the same feeling of being with an instructor in a studio. These start at $12 for a two-class package.

Xtend Barre ($8) 

You can stream the barre workout Xtend Barre via Openfit for a 14-day free trial. If you don’t cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $8 per month. Use code XTEND20 to take $20 off the annual price to make it about $6 per month. All levels are welcome, and you won’t need any equipment. You can pick cardio-based barre workouts, traditional Pilates workouts, or more of a HIIT-based barre hybrid workout.

Boot camp / HIIT / Cardio

 

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Tomorrow’s lineup is pure ??? Swipe for details!!!

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AARMY (free)

AARMY’s workouts are known for being hard AF (they’re typically not beginner-friendly), and whether you opt in for a spin class or a bootcamp you’re guaranteed to be dripping in sweat within the first ten minutes. The brand will be launching a paid digital platform later this year, but for now you can try daily bootcamp, cycle, or AARMY challenges for free through its Instagram live. Check out its social media accounts for class times, and get ready for an intense workout that will leave you feeling like an athlete.

Box+Flow (free)

Put up a one-two punch—then shimmy down into down dog—with Box and Flow’s free, full-length, 45-minute classes on IGTV. The sessions combine boxing and yoga, giving you all the stretching and strengthening you need for the day. It’s mean to cater to people at all levels, so you’ll be able to enjoy even if you’re a total noob to either modality. And the best part? The only equipment you'll need is a mat.

Fhitting Room ($10/month)

Looking for something high-intensity? Fhitting Room’s got you with customizable workouts, expert curated collections, and how-to videos to help you perfect your form with every move. They’re offering 30 days of free HIIT workouts on Fhitting Room On Demand, and at the end of the trial you’ll be charged the $10/month subscription fee. These classes are accessible for all levels and include plenty of no-equipment-necessary workouts.

FightCamp (free)

Fightcamp offers one of the smartest digital boxing workouts out there. The app connects to a smart bag and gloves, which monitors your stats so that you can track your progress. Even if you don’t have the equipment at home, you can download the free FightCamp app (only available on Apple products ) and have unlimited access to hundreds of boxing, skill, speed, and core workouts.

Gold'sAmp (free)

Get full access to workouts from Gold’s trainers by way of their digital personal training app, which is free through May 31. The experience is ultra-motivating thanks to expert coaches and high energy playlists, and will help you get stronger by way of a lot of strength training. The app is available to download on Apple and Android products. No credit card or equipment is required for these all-level workouts.

Rumble (free)

Rumble has brought its all-level cardio boxing and bodyweight workouts to Instagram Live, where you can access them for free. Even without the usual in-studio equipments, they’ll still light every muscle on fire—and get your heart racing. Check out Instagram for class times, and literally get ready to rumble.

Dance cardio / Aerobics

 

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Raise your hand if you are working out in your living room more than you ever imagined you would ?‍♀️drop that fire emoji ?and your most used item in this #305LIVE starter pack below. What's keeping your quarantine werkouts XXXtraaa lit?! ?⁠ ⁠ ?Speaker or wireless headphones: we're crankin' up that volume loud enough to feel the music deep down in our souls. ?⁠ ?Stone shoes: Hello Ms. IDGAF I'm gonna stomp to my heart's content! ?⁠ ?Wifi on fleek: Yes you have called your internet provider & let them know your 305 time will not be disrupted bc of their bs ?⁠ ?Sunnies: You gotta block out the hateration in this dancery ?‍♀️⁠ ?Your fav bevvy: Yea we're wondering when someone is gonna #sponsor our hydration too. ? @gatorade⁠ ?Your Georgia peach: The booty shorts are out ✓ and the booty is bouncin' baby! ?⁠ ?Hype crew: ""eoowww"", ""woop-woop"", ""go best frand"" galore in this house ?⁠ ?Towel: You'll be singin' ""wipe me down"" 3 minutes in we know and you'll also need something to twirl around when things get lit ?⁠ ? Post-class sweaty selfie (or a video #levelup) to document the fiyahh (duh, you've tagged @305fitness) ?⁠ ⁠ #sorryimnotsorryneighbor ?#teamextra #camethroughdrippin"

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305 Fitness (free)

305 Fitness—known for its hair-flipping-fun dance parties (er, I mean "classes") isn't letting the beat stop just because we're all working and sweating from home. You can stream full classes for free on its YouTube channel at 12 p.m. ET, no matter your level. One of the many reasons dancing is so awesome is that you don't need any equipment at all to boost your endorphins and learn moves that you can share with your friends over Zoom.  Just log in, dance your heart out, and repeat. (Bonus if you wear your most fun gear to move in.)

AKT (free)

AKT is a dance-based cardio fitness workout that combines everything you love about heart-pumping HIIT and strength training with choreography. Right now, you can stream free classes on Facebook Live, and check its social media accounts for class times. You'll need minimal equipment (think dumbbells or canned goods and resistance bands) and a little bit of space to get sweaty with AKT trainers. Anna Kaiser, the founder of AKT, designs workouts that work for every fitness level, so even if you're a newbie to dance, HIIT, and strength training, these free workouts are worth a try. AKT's streaming workouts also live on Facebook Live for a hot second, so you can scroll through a lengthy library right now and not wait for the live class to start.

Body by Simone ($16 per month)

Body By Simone has a very loyal audience, and there's a good reason why: Founder Simone De La Rue's workouts are fun, dancey, and straight-up challenging. You'll find dance, dance cardio, and HIIT cardio on the app, as well as nutritional guidance from nutritionist Kelly Leveque, RN. Download the BBS app and get two free weeks of digital classes. If you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $16 for a monthly membership, $84 for 6 months, or $144 for the year. All levels are welcome, and you don't need anything to get started except a yoga mat and some light hand weights. But, again, canned goods work!

The Class by Taryn Toomey ($40/month)

Taryn Toomey's The Class is part workout, part spiritual experience—so don't be too surprised if it gives you all the feels when you try it at home. While often described as a yoga-HIIT-dance hybrid, The Class is a little bit more than that. As Well+Good staffer Erin Bunch describes it: "Much of The Class is focused upon the principles that you can build long, lean muscle by focusing on working fast-twitch muscles. You do this by repeating small, dance-like movements for what feels like for-e-ver."  Try The Class with a 14-day free trial. If you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $400 for the year or the monthly rate. You don't need any prior experience or equipment to get started.

DanceBody ($18)

Another service with a cult-following, DanceBody is just Fun. You'll learn choreography to jams like "I Like That," and collect moves you can bust out when quarantine is over and you're #attheclub. You can try DanceBody LIVE with a free 7-day trial or take 50 percent off your first month with code DBATHOME, making it $18. Or, if you just want to learn one dance, you can "rent a class" by heading here. You won't need anything to get started, equipment-wise or experience-wise.

PlyoJam ($14/month)

This isn't just a dance class. You'll also get access to strength training, stretching, core workouts and so much more. This service also offers private support groups, so you can make connections while you sweat. You can start with a 30-day free trial, but if you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged the monthly fee. No need for equipment or experience to cue this workout up. According to the website, each workout caters to beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.

The Sculpt Society ($20/month)

Celebrity dance instructor Megan Roup promises non-stop fun with her streaming workouts, and she delivers. With dance workouts that also bring in wrist and ankle weights, you can expect choreographed toning that's just a straight-up blast. Start taking classes with a 14-day free trial. If you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $120 for the year or $20 per month. Bring your best moves (and your own personal set of hand and ankle weights), whether you're a beginner or an old pro. Classes range from five minutes to 50 minutes, so you can take dance breaks during work and go for the full length once you log off for the day.

Cycling / Rowing

 

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Raise your hand if you are working out in your living room more than you ever imagined you would ?‍♀️drop that fire emoji ?and your most used item in this #305LIVE starter pack below. What's keeping your quarantine werkouts XXXtraaa lit?! ?⁠ ⁠ ?Speaker or wireless headphones: we're crankin' up that volume loud enough to feel the music deep down in our souls. ?⁠ ?Stone shoes: Hello Ms. IDGAF I'm gonna stomp to my heart's content! ?⁠ ?Wifi on fleek: Yes you have called your internet provider & let them know your 305 time will not be disrupted bc of their bs ?⁠ ?Sunnies: You gotta block out the hateration in this dancery ?‍♀️⁠ ?Your fav bevvy: Yea we're wondering when someone is gonna #sponsor our hydration too. ? @gatorade⁠ ?Your Georgia peach: The booty shorts are out ✓ and the booty is bouncin' baby! ?⁠ ?Hype crew: ""eoowww"", ""woop-woop"", ""go best frand"" galore in this house ?⁠ ?Towel: You'll be singin' ""wipe me down"" 3 minutes in we know and you'll also need something to twirl around when things get lit ?⁠ ? Post-class sweaty selfie (or a video #levelup) to document the fiyahh (duh, you've tagged @305fitness) ?⁠ ⁠ #sorryimnotsorryneighbor ?#teamextra #camethroughdrippin"

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Cityrow ($30/month)

Most folks don't have a rowing machine in their homes, and that's fine. CityRow's free, live-streamed classes on IGTV require only your body weight to strengthen the muscles you'll need to row like an absolute champ when studios re-open. You can also try the business' on-demand service with a 30-day free trial. If you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $270 for the year or $30 per month. Since a good workout routine is a well-rounded one, the on-demand service includes yoga, strength, and mobility workouts for a 3D exercise schedule.

CycleBar (free)

Let's say you bought a spin bike before they were back-ordered until the end of eternity (okay, okay—for, like, a few weeks). You, forward-thinker can stream free cycling classes on CycleBar's Facebook Live no matter your level, or check its social media account for class times. Luckily, these classes stick around even after they're no longer working in real-time. So you can hop on your bike and get that cardio in every single day of the week (or as many days as you want to).

Yoga / Stretching

 

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While the world is experiencing a collective anxiety around the coronavirus, we have so many fears.  What will it feel like if I get sick? What if my loved one gets it? How do we cope and get through it? @cnn reporter @chrisccuomo has been open and transparent about his personal experiences with this virus and one thing he said in a recent broadcast really stood out. KEEP MOVING. We keep wondering what we can do to help out the many who are suffering besides the necessary donations. @lara.heimann created this sequence to help those like Chris, who are recovering and need to get their breath and bodies moving ; but all of us can benefit from movement and breath to quell the anxiety. Tag a friend and hugs to you all! And let us know how we can help YOU ? #breath #breathe #move #movewell #anxiety #physicaltherapy #igyogq #community #corona #covid

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LYT ($40/month)

Founder of LYT Lara Heimann is a yoga instructor-slash-physical therapist. Get a 30-day free trial to her digital movement classes with roots in both practices. If you don’t cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $40 per month. You can do this class no matter your skill level at yoga, with just a mat (and some props, like blocks and straps, if you’ve got ’em).

Love Yoga Space ($30/three classes)

Los Angeles-based yoga studio Love Yoga is streaming classes on Zoom every day. The flows are for all levels of yogis—all you’ll really need is a mat (blocks are optional). Sign up through MindBody and you’ll be emailed a link before class starts. Classes are donation based, and start at $6 per session. The yoga flows are about one hour long and are a mix between vinyasa and restorative yoga for a well-rounded practice.

Modo Yoga (free)

Though Modo Yoga is a hot yoga studio, it’s offering free daily yoga classes on its Instagram account. Click to its Instagram Live and Instagram TV sections for various options, ranging from 20-minute guided meditations to 30-minute and 60-minute yoga flows. This yoga is for all levels. You can also sign up on Modo’s website for more yoga class streaming.

Racked Stretch (free)

Stream free stretching sessions on Instagram Live by Racked Stretch studio. Or sign up for virtual stretching sessions on Racked’s website, which are $25 for a pack of five. You don’t need to be an experienced stretcher, or any special equipment, to get limber at lunchtime. Choose what type of stretching class you want, from upper body to lower body, all of which will work to open up your muscles after sitting all day long. And yes, there will be modifications.

Sky Ting ($20/month)

NYC yoga studio Sky Ting is offering a 7-day free trial to Sky Ting TV, which you can sign up for on its website. After the trial, the membership is $20 a month. In the studio’s virtual yoga sessions, you’ll be flowing through the same types of flows that you’re used to if you’ve visited the studio before. In its offering are more mini-sessions, like a 15-minute wake-up flow, all the way up to hour-long vinyasas. Sky Ting classes are friendly to all levels—all you need is your mat.

StretchLab (free)

Grab a yoga strap, exercise band, or towel and stream free stretching classes on Facebook Live. These are perfect classes for unwinding the knots you'll find from head-to-toe in your body after a long day's work, and they'll help you switch gears out of "must be productive" mode. Check its social media account for class times, and don't feel like you need to be flexible to get in on the goodness of this session. Make sure to breathe deep, and use these sessions as a time to unwind your mental knots, too.

Y7 Studio (free)

Y7's classes are the danciest, dark yoga classes America has to offer, so feel free to snap off the lights (and burn a candle or two) for this one. IRL, Y7 plays its music loud and encourages plenty of #moves on the mat. So when you do stream all-level hip hop yoga flows on Instagram Live, don't be afraid to really get down for downward dog—if you know what I mean? Check Instagram for class times, class levels. And grab your mat and props if you have them.

A bit of everything

Class Pass (free)

Classpass is now doing for digital fitness what it did for studios when it launched in 2013: making them accessible. Even if you don’t have a subscription, you can livestream classes from over 1,500 studios across the country, and 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to studios (you can also donate directly to your favorite studios through the ClassPass app). In addition to the live classes, members have access to a library of over 2,000 prerecorded audio and video workouts for free. All levels and minimal equipment are required

Exhale ($20/month)

The Exhale app gives you everything you could possibly need to embrace your inner ballerina. Enjoy complimentary 30-day subscription to Exhale On Demand for access to hundreds of barre, yoga, HIIT, and meditation videos—many of which can be done without equipment. If you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $20 per month or $200 for the year.

Les Mills ($15/month)

Les Mills’ workouts have been a gym staple for as long as we can remember, and you can now get access to more than 800 classes right from your phone. In addition to individual sessions, the app also helps you put together a personalized long-term plan to keep you on track toward reaching your goals. Try 14 days of this on-demand fitness service if you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $120 for the year, $36 every three months, or $15 per month. Some equipment and experience is required for many classes, but not all.

Neou ($15/month)

Neou’s diversity of classes—which include thousands of modalities, lengths, and target muscles— means there's plenty of content for every skill level. You can enjoy its offerings no matter what equipment you have access to right now, since many of the workouts are bodyweight based. Get 30 days of free access to on-demand streaming classes, followed by a $15/month membership fee.

The Ness ($40/month)

The Ness, an invite-only studio in New York City, is offering digital sculpt and trampoline classes via it’s app with a 3-day free trial. If you don't cancel by the end of the trial, you will be charged $399 for the year or $40 per month. You can also book an online private by emailing hi@thenessnyc.com. No special skills are required, and while the sculpt classes are mostly equipment free, for the bounce classes you will (obviously) need a trampoline.

OBÉ FITNESS ($27/MONTH)

Obé launched in 2018, bringing its high-energy live and on-demand workouts in the palm of your hand via an app. It features a number of different modalities including HIIT, yoga, Pilates, dance cardio, strength training, and even some trampoline classes. Most sessions are under 30 minutes, and you can pick and choose your class based on the modality, instructor, and equipment it requires (yes, there are equipment-free options, too). And for moms, there are pre- and post-natal workouts, plus a brand new KidzBop partnership that offers workouts you can do with the little ones, too. All levels are welcome.

PLANET FITNESS (FREE)

The big-box gym has brought its offerings online by way of free “Home Work-Ins” on its Facebook page. You’ll find classes strength training classes taught by trainers and even some celebs every day at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. CT). If you want something more, the company also offers on-demand workouts by way of itsapp, hosted by fitness pro Erica Lugo. All levels are welcomed and no equipment is required.

SOULCYCLE (FREE) 

Breaking away from its bike-centric roots, SoulCycle is now offering free, full-body workouts via its Instagram page. You’ll find some of your favorite SoulCycle instructors leading you through different HIIT and strength training workouts that require no equipment at all. If you do want to hop on the bike, the brand is also streaming spinning playlists onPandora’s SoulCycle Radio station. If you happen to be an Equinox member, you can also access on-demand SoulCycle workouts for $40 a month onthe Variis app.

TONE IT UP ($8/MONTH)

Created “for women, by women,” the Tone It Up app is one of the OGs of digital fitness—the brand has been around since 2009. It offers kickboxing, strength training, yoga, and dance cardio, and is meant to cater to all fitness levels. The best part, though, is the Tone It Up community, which is filled with women sharing their fitness journeys with one another. Download the app and get 30 days of free classes. The app available for iPhone and Android users, and the first 30 days are free.

YMCA 360 (FREE)

It’s not just fun to stay at the YMCA–it’s also fun to take their classes in your living room. Whether you’re looking for a high-intensity boot camp class or something more low impact (they’ve even got classes for seniors), YMCA 360 has got you covered. You can access the on-demand workouts on their website, and all classes are free for the foreseeable future. No equipment necessary.

This post will be updated regularly. To share new information about online workouts in 2020, please contact us at info@www.wellandgood.com.

This story was originally published on March 16, 2020; updated on April 10, 2020 with additional reporting by Rachel Lapidos, Zoë Weiner, and Kells McPhillips

.This strength-boosting sequence will help you master the yoga headstand, and here's how to keep other muscles from overcompensating (and ruining) your core workouts.

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