Health & Fitness
The Best At-Home Workouts – No Equipment Needed
Make the most of those free trials.
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We’re in strange times, and as we’re inside self-isolating and practicing social distancing, it’s more apparent than ever how beneficial maintaining a regular workout routine can be for our mental health. While our beloved gyms and fitness studios have closed to help “flatten the curve,” that doesn’t mean we can’t get a solid sweat on in the confines of our living rooms. We found the best fitness apps – from yoga to kickboxing – that will keep your body moving and your soul alive with all of those feel-good endorphins.
At-Home Workouts That Support Small Businesses:
If you were at regular at F45, many studios are offering private Facebook groups for members with versions of class workouts that can be done from home with little-to-no equipment. For non-members, some studios are posting workouts directly to their Instagram pages.
Misfit Studio, a movement-based workout studio in Toronto, is offering versions of their classes on Instagram Live. Hoame Meditation Studio is doing free guided meditations on Instagram Live, go to their Instagram Story for information on timing. Fit Factory Toronto is offering a 30-minute HIIT classes live on Instagram. BOLO is offering pushup clinics, squat clinics, running and boxing basic tutorials. Power Yoga Canada is live-streaming classes on Facebook and Instagram 5x daily.
If you have the means, now might be the time to ask to schedule a virtual one-on-one session with your fitness instructor: ask your yoga instructor to take you through a guided meditation or, if you have weights at home, get a virtual form-check from a personal trainer.
Retro At-Home Workouts
We encourage you to find joy where you can, and for some, this delightful Jane Fonda-led workout video from the ’80s, complete with leg warmers, fits the bill. It’s only 35-minutes and requires no equipment. If you watch this and feel the urge to get a perm, we take no responsibility.
Equipment needed: None. Cost: Free.
The Best At-Home Yoga Workouts:
Yoga on Gaia
With a library of meditations, yoga practises and lifestyle videos, Yoga on Gaia offers over 8,000 ad-free classes you can stream on your laptop, phone, tablet, or T.V. First, customize your class by style (Ashtanga, Hatha, pre/postnatal, or chair yoga), then tailor even further by selecting your level of difficulty (1 to 3); duration (10 to 90 minutes), and teacher. Opt for the 10-minute “Fresh Attitude,” a practise designed for “mental spring cleaning” so you can calm your mind, move your body, and make space for new beginnings (which feels on-brand right about now), or turn up the dial with an advanced practise of Ananda Vinyasa – a challenging, intensive sequence that “focuses on transitioning away from our never-ending stream of demands and lists to bring ourselves back to the present moment, one inhale and exhale at a time.” Namaste.
Equipment needed: Yoga matt if you have it, but it’s not required. Cost: $15 USD a month; gaia.com/yoga/practices
Yoga with Adriene
With 6.2 million subscribers on YouTube and over a half-million fans on Instagram, there’s a reason Adriene Mishler, otherwise known as “the people’s yogi,” was recognized by Google as the most searched workout of 2015. On a mission to get the tools of yoga into schools and homes, Mishler has built a global online community following her exclusive high-quality yoga videos shot in front of her home in Austin, Texas. Authentic and accessible are words oft-used to describe Adriene’s teaching style, and with good reason. Her library of under 30-minute videos offers every form of practice for every type of person: There’s very specific yoga classes, including for bedtime, depression, writers, a broken heart and PMS. Whatever ails you, you’re sure to find a movement to help work through it.
Equipment needed: Yoga matt if you have it, but it’s not required. Cost: Free; yogawithadriene.com
The Best At-Home HIIT Workouts:
Nike Training Club
Download the free Nike Training Club app for workouts led by Nike Master Trainers. You can select workouts by muscle group (abs and core, arms and shoulders or glutes and legs), workout type (endurance, mobility, strength and yoga) and your available equipment (basic, full or no equipment).
Equipment needed: Varies, but options for none. Cost: Free.
Peloton
Yes, you know this brand as the maker of a very ritzy, celeb-approved at-home spin bike. However, the Peloton App also offers a variety of at-home workout classes – yoga, HIIT, strength training and stretching – completely sans bike or treadmill. And right now, they have extended their usual free trial from 3o days to 90 days.
Equipment needed: Varies, but options for none. Cost: Currently free for new users for 90 days; onepeloton.ca
Daily Burn
Get fit, have fun, repeat: That’s the mantra of Daily Burn. This digital fitness platform offers workout videos and training programs streamed straight from the brand’s highly-energetic NYC studio. Monthly subscribers who are new to fitness or trying to get back into shape can commit to their daily 9 a.m. 30-minute workouts (no equipment required), which broadcast live and stay on-demand for 24-hours, or for the more experienced, build your own bespoke training schedule tailored to your goals, which features nutrition plans, built-in rest days, and programs ranging from “Inferno,” high intensity interval training, “Total Cardio” for heart health, “Recover” for low-impact rehabilitation, and “Beautiful Belly” for maternity yoga. Need even more inspo? Use their live chat feature and private Facebook group to connect with other members to keep you motivated. After all, social support has proven to work wonders in keeping you on track.
Equipment needed: None. Cost: Free for 30 days, then $15 USD per month for Basic; or upgrade to the Premium service for $27 USD per month; dailyburn.com
Keelo
Ideal for those looking for a quick HIIT in the comfort (or isolation) of their own home, Keelo, created and instructed by certified CrossFit coaches, offers 20-minute bodyweight sessions that let you connect a heart rate monitor to your session, and depending on the workout you choose, you can swap moves depending on what equipment you have, or don’t have, at your disposal. Browse a catalogue to preview each of their 180 movement sessions before you commit and check out their functional map, which outlines if you’re in for aerobic exercise, what body parts you will be engaging with, and overall calories burned. Bonus: the app’s coaching team is just an email away, offering recommendations on alternatives and advice on what workouts you should be doing, depending on your weekly commitment level.
Equipment needed: None. Cost: Free. Available on: iTunes; keelo.com.
The Best At-Home Boxing Workouts:
Precision Striking
Honestly, there is nothing more therapeutic than throwing a couple of punches, and this app, spearheaded by pro boxer Jason Van Veldhuysen simulates real, fast-paced combinations with a virtual coach to get your heart rate up and your rage out. With a mix of rope skipping, burpees, and punch combos, you don’t necessarily need a punching bag to throw a few rounds and can rely on the just-as-effective technique of shadowboxing to get you through. Pick the length and number of rounds; the maximum punch combos (from 2 to 4+), along with your desired intensity, all ranging from classic training to his sweatier-than-thou hurricane level. Sparring with someone is the best way to develop your offence and defence skills, but what if you don’t have a partner to work with? Connect the app to your T.V. monitor and throw some hits against their virtual training partner.
Equipment needed: Minimal (jump ropes, for example) but can be modified to do without. Available on: iTunes, Android, and Windows. Cost: Free version for beginners, $5 USD/month for more advanced/pro workouts; precisionstriking.com
Oomph
This kickboxing app believes everyone is born a champion, and it’s their job to help you train like one. True to their word, Canadian expert trainers, Michael Durst and Jenny Lam, leverage all aspects of fitness, muscle strength, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, speed, and flexibility in a multi-faceted program that combines martial arts techniques with heart-pumping, high-energy workouts that will burn calories and shred fat. As you progress through your 10-belt, 30-minute training program you will earn different coloured belts culminating in the iconic Black Belt designation. Set your intensity level, from beginner to advanced, play your music, or enjoy music from their curated playlists.
Equipment Needed: None. Cost: Free to download. Ongoing use requires an active subscription, available monthly. New customers are eligible for a free 7-day trial period; oomph.app.
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