Training videos (and fitness in the gym as a whole) have certainly come a long way Jane Fonda’s training from the 1980s. In the age of Netflix and Hulu, all you need is YouTube or a streaming app to take a virtual tutorial wherever you are connected to Wi-Fi.
Streaming work out Subscriptions and the apps you use To access it, do the same thing as the old exercise VHSs and DVDs – bring the gym to you and allow it Strength training, HIIT or Cardio training on your schedule. However, they go one step further and offer large libraries of fitness classes that you can stream indefinitely.
With so many options, it can be difficult to figure out which training plans are worth your money. In this guide, I describe the best streaming workouts you can buy and what to consider before signing up.
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What is a workout streaming subscription?
Streaming fitness subscriptions are basically Netflix for training videos. You pay a flat monthly fee to stream unlimited training courses on your TV, computer, tablet or phone. Usually these courses are pre-recorded and available on request. Some services – such as B. Daily Burn – however, also offer live courses that you can adjust to.
Most fitness streaming subscriptions are standalone products, but you can also find exercise videos on Amazon Prime Video.
While streaming fitness subscriptions are not a substitute for a personal trainer, they do offer an easy way to integrate with one work out if you can’t or don’t want to go to the gym.
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The best workout subscription apps
Just a note that I purposely do not cover fitness program services that are exclusive to a particular product, such as: mirror or Fight camp. This list includes services that anyone can sign up to without having to buy anything else to get started.
Best workout subscription apps
|
costs per month |
Free trial period |
Availability |
|
|
Burning daily |
$ 19 |
30 days |
iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, web browser |
|
Peloton app |
$ 13 |
30 days |
iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, web browser |
|
CorePower On Demand |
$ 19 |
7 days |
iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, web browser |
|
Glo |
$ 18 |
15 days |
iOS, Apple TV, web browser, Chromecast (coming soon) |
|
Adaptive |
$ 15 |
7 days with $ 99 annual membership |
iOS and Android |
|
Barre3 |
$ 29 |
15 days |
iOS, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, web browser |
|
Crunch live |
$ 10 |
10 days |
iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, web browser |
|
TA Online Studio |
$ 90 |
Two weeks |
Web browser |
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff / CNET
As the name suggests, Daily Burn offers new daily courses at 9:00 a.m.CET. If this time doesn’t work for you, you can view the recorded version later in the day and many more.
Daily Burn is designed to help everyone get fit, regardless of fitness level. By answering a few questions about your goals – weight loss, burning more calories, building muscle, improving fitness – the service can create training and nutrition plans for you.
Since the company was founded in 2007, Daily Burn has a variety of video classes. You get everything from Pilates and exercise basics to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and kickboxing. There are even pregnancy and postpartum workouts.
Daily Burn offers one of the more generous free trials – 30 days. After that, it’s $ 19.99 a month.
Daily Burn also has standalone yoga Membership for $ 9.99 per month, a To run App for $ 7.99 a month and a HIIT Membership for $ 12.99 a month.
Yes, Peloton sells a Peloton bike and treadmill that include a subscription to the streaming training content. But not you to have to buy one of the two machines to access these videos.
For $ 13 a month, you can stream unlimited boot camp, strength, yoga, running, and bike classes with and without equipment. There are also audio-only courses for outdoor runs.
The Peloton app Live streaming courses are available every day, and you can choose from on-demand options at any time. Each class has a training plan so you know what to expect before you start.
Peloton offers one 30 days free trial to get started.
CorePower
Do you like yoga but wish it were … more intense? CorePower is for you. The company has yoga Studios in the United StatesBut you can also take lessons virtually CorePower on Demand.
Classes range from CorePower’s full-body yoga flows and sculpture to meditation and technique classes. New courses are published every month to give you variety.
If, like me, you prefer a more traditional yoga approach, Glo (formerly YogaGlo) is one of the most popular subscriptions. It has a vast network of teachers who have produced hundreds of yoga, pilates and meditation courses. If you are just getting started with yoga or want to improve your poses, there are over 80 Programs to lead your practice.
There are classes of many different styles, including Hatha, Yin, Vinyasa, and Iyengar, and there are classes for every level of experience within these styles. Like CorePower, Glo also offers high-intensity conditioning courses to increase core strength, strengthen muscles and increase heart rate.
Glo offers you a 15-day trial and thereafter $ 18 a month.
Adaptive
Adaptive differs from the other services on this list in that it is only audio. What makes it so great is that you can use Aaptiv to do outdoor workouts like running and cycling, as well as workouts on a treadmill, exercise bike, or elliptical trainer. Aaptiv also offers courses in yoga, strength training and other indoor workouts.
There are more than 2,500 training courses in total, with another 30 every week. You can choose workouts based on time, difficulty, trainer and even choose the music you want to listen to. If you ever need pointers on how to do one more exercise, you can use Aaptiv’s visual training guides that show you how to do 250 movements, e.g. B. deadlifts or rows of dumbbells.
$ 99 a year with a free 7-day trial or $ 14.99 a month (no trial)
Barre3
Ballet-inspired barre classes are a hugely popular way to tone your body. There are many nationwide studios that teach Barre, but you can also take them online. Barre3The company has studios in 33 states, as well as the Philippines and Canada, and has a streaming subscription with more than 500 classes.
The videos range from soothing yoga-like rivers to challenging workouts for balance and flexibility. A new 30-minute lesson is added every week. While you don’t need any equipment to get started, Barre3 recommends getting a few props: a core ball, a resistance band, and light dumbbells.
There is a free 15-day trial and thereafter $ 30 a month.
Instead of going to a crunch gym in person (or if you don’t live near a gym), you can attend some of the most popular courses at home.
There are over 85 streaming training videos available, all inspired by real Crunch courses and moderated by crunch teachers. There are also often real crunch members in the videos.
The courses include full body boot camp, kick boxing, yoga and barre and are divided into playlists like “No Equipment Required” and “Quickies” that only last 15 minutes.
It’s free for current crunch members, or $ 9.99 a month with a 10-day free trial for everyone else. You can also pay $ 90 for a one-year subscription.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff / CNET
Are you sure you want to train with a celebrity trainer? Then go straight to Tracy Anderson’s TA Online Studio.
Tracy Anderson is a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Downey Jr., Kim Kardashian, and Madonna for their research-based “method” that claims that anyone can get lean and muscular.
Since most of us cannot flock to their studios in Manhattan, LA, Madrid or the Hamptons, she offers online courses that you can take anywhere. There are workouts for every level of fitness, from beginners to advanced, and they’re a mix of dance cardio and muscle structure classes designed to train your accessory muscles to ultimately tone your entire body.
The TA Online Studio is not cheap. It’s $ 90 a month or $ 809 a year (that’s $ 270 cheaper than a year of tuition paid monthly). There’s also a free two-week trial to get started.
What are the benefits of a workout streaming subscription?
First, almost all fitness streaming services are cheaper if you go to a gym or gym for your workout. Most cost around $ 10 to $ 30 a month – often as much as you pay for a single class in a studio.
Second, just like the fitness DVDs and VHS tapes of yesteryear, you can train wherever and whenever you want. With a streaming subscription, it’s even easier because you no longer need a DVD player or TV. You can access videos from your phone, tablet or computer.
If you are traveling or prefer not to go to the gym, fitness streaming services make training at home easier.
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The disadvantages
The main disadvantage of a streaming fitness service is that you train alone without a trainer correcting your shape. This is generally fine if you are already an experienced athlete who has taken IRL courses. However, if you are a beginner, it can be difficult to master movements yourself.
The downside of this is that if you feel ashamed or nervous about going into a real class, your own training can be a great way to build trust.
You also need to make room in your house to play sports, and it can be difficult to put housework aside or give your kids time when you are at home Your gym is at home.
As always, continue with these programs at your own risk and start slowly if you are new to sports.
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How to choose a training subscription
When deciding which fitness streaming subscription you would like to receive, here are a few key factors to consider.
What does this cost?
Some streaming fitness services can get expensive, but most usually cost less than a single class in a gym.
Do you need equipment?
Most streaming fitness programs offer a mix of videos with and without equipment such as free weights, resistance bands, or a heart rate monitor. If you’d rather train without buying equipment, choose a service with enough classes that don’t require it.
Continue reading: Should you stretch before or after training?
How will you stream
Are you planning to exercise in front of your TV or use an exercise app on your phone? Most services offer iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Apple TV or Roku apps. However, always check to see if you can stream your workouts where you want.
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Does it match yours? Fitness goals?
If you are doing cardio training, you will of course not choose a service that only offers yoga. Check out the courses each streaming service offers before signing up.
Options like Peloton Digital, Daily Burn, Crunch Live and Aaptiv offer the largest selection of courses.
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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published and updated in May 2019 to reflect the new prices for Peloton Digital.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare provider if you have any questions about an illness or health goals.