If you’re like most people, you’d like to work out more often or be a little more fit than you are currently. But getting fit takes a serious investment of time. Gyms can also be downright intimidating if you don’t already know exactly what to do.
The barriers to working out keep many people from devoting the time necessary to reach their fitness goals. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Whether you’re uncomfortable venturing out to the gym or just prefer the comfort of home, there are apps to help you get fit or stay fit without leaving your house. Check out this round-up of the best fitness apps for at-home workouts.
Fitbit Premium
Fitbit Premium is a subscription service from the company that virtually invented the fitness tracker. It costs $9.99 a month or $79.99 annually (a savings of almost $40). Fitbit is shuttering its
Fitbit Coach service and rolling all that content into the Fitbit Premium ecosystem.
Fitbit Premium includes over 15 guided programs and over 200 workouts, so there’s something for everyone. You can join Fitbit Premium with or without a Fitbit device, and the content is available on all sorts of devices. Windows, Mac, iOS and more can all deliver up your Fitbit workouts. There’s also a health metrics dashboard, advanced insights on heart rate and sleep, over 100 mindfulness sessions and more.
Fitbit Premium doesn’t include one-on-one coaching at the base price, but you can add this service for an additional $45 per month.
Peloton
Peloton is best known for its exceptional (and exceptionally expensive) bikes and treadmills. But the real secret sauce is their massive subscription database of live and on-demand fitness routines. Even if you don’t own a Peloton device, you can still reap the benefits of a Peloton subscription.
Many of the routines can be completed with little or no equipment. There are boot camp style fitness routines, plus countless yoga routines and much more. And you can even use on-demand cycling or treadmill routines with your non-Peloton fitness equipment.
A full Peloton membership runs $39 per month, which is pretty steep. However, there’s also a $12.99
Peloton Digital membership to consider. At the lower price, you still get access to thousands of fitness routines across a stunning range of categories. You don’t get the live Peloton classes without paying the higher rate, though, and you also can’t track your performance metrics over time.
PEAR Personal Fitness
Yes, the company’s goal is to get you to pay the $5.99 per month premium tier. However, it’s great to get a chance to test out the app’s functionality with a limited selection of truly free workouts.
PEAR is a mobile-centric app, only available for iOS and Android. It’s focused on audio-centric workouts where you’re guided through a fitness routine without much need to focus on the screen. For those who tend to get distracted by their device, this is a significant perk.
There are programs for people at all fitness levels, and PEAR claims these can adapt to your performance, too. The app is compatible with a pretty wide range of fitness trackers as well.
PEAR isn’t the most fully-featured app in this list. But free is free!
Workout Trainer from Skimble
One big obstacle to successful at-home fitness is knowing where to start. If you take on too much, too fast, you’re likely to injure yourself and lose any progress you’ve made. It can be a frustrating cycle.
If you’re a beginner,
Workout Trainer is an app worth checking out. The free app evaluates your current fitness and level, then it recommends routines to match. You can also hire personal trainers within the app for focused coaching.
The premium tier costs $6.99 per month and adds hundreds more programs, customization ability, and fitness tracker integration.
From Fitness Equipment to the Device You’re Watching On, Upsie Covers It All
Many at-home fitness apps don’t require an expensive treadmill to use, but you still need a connected device to watch the content. And placing a delicate electronic screen in your workout area does carry some risk. Make sure to protect your device with an extended warranty from Upsie.
Upsie covers defects, failures and even accidental damage. iPads and dumbbells don’t mix, but with an Upsie tablet
extended warranty, your iPad will be back to working condition quickly and painlessly.
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