- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most gyms and workout studios are temporarily closed.
- There are many safe ways to practice social distancing and keep up your fitness routine from home.
- Popular fitness studios and trainers across the country are adding free streaming and on-demand classes for at-home workouts.
It’s been drilled into you a zillion times: There are scientifically proven benefits of exercising regularly. Among other things, it can help reduce anxiety and boost your mood—things I know I could really use during the age of the novel coronavirus.
“We know about the mental and physical benefits of exercise for the brain, and that it aids with sleep,” says Jordan Metzl, MD, a sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “When people are ruminating about something, exercise helps.”
That said, health experts also keep talking about the importance of social distancing right now to help lower the odds that you’ll contract or spread the novel coronavirus, a.k.a. COVID-19. That raises a huge question: Is it safe to go to the gym right now?
I hate to break it to you, but right now, you should avoid going to any type of gym or workout studio. And, it's likely your go-to gyms are temporarily closed. Most Americans are currently under stay-at-home directives from local and state governments. Read: Don’t leave the house at all, unless you have to for essential business according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Don't worry, you can totally keep up your routine right from home. As an alternative, many organizations are offering up free or reduced-fee online classes or streaming services to try to help people stay fit as everyone hunkers down. Here are a few to check out:
- 305 Fitness: Get ready to shake it in the signature dance HIIT class wherever you are RN. There are dance cardio workouts for all abilities available on Youtube for free.
- All Out: Stream workouts from Women's Health and Men's Health for free for 30 days. Visit alloutstudio.com, click “Start Free Trial,” create an account, select "monthly subscription," and enter the coupon code FREE30. Then download All Out Studio on iOS, Android, or Apple TV and use the same login credentials to access unlimited workouts for 30 days.
- ClassPass Go: Work out with top trainers from around the country in audio running, cycling, yoga, strength, and Pilates classes on the app. The app is free to download, and there's no subscription fee for access to all content.
- CorePower Yoga: Tune into daily livestream classes on YouTube at 10:00 am, 3:00 pm, and 8:00 pm ET. If that doesn't fit your schedule, take your pick from the complimentary class catalogue and stream on-demand.
- Exhale: Access hundreds of barre, yoga, meditation, and HIIT classes with Exhale On Demand. The streaming option is free for your first month.
- Fhitting Room On-Demand: This NYC-based HIIT studio updates its content library weekly, and you can try it for 30 days free.
- FitOn: Packed with celeb trainers and a wide variety of classes, this app promises a full gym in your pocket. Unlimited access to all classes is totally free.
- Kira Stokes Fit: Access the celeb-trainer's Stoked Method classes that combine strength and cardio power moves requiring minimal space and equipment with a 7-day free trial.
- Moda Yoga: This NYC-based yoga studio offers Instagram Live classes in exchange for donations.
- Fit Pregnancy Club: This NYC-based studio for expecting or postpartum moms offers streaming classes. Use code PEACEOFMIND for a discount.
- Jane DO: This NYC-based studio offers a range of workouts online. Score 50 percent off the $9.99/month or $79.99 a year membership with code STAYHEALTHY.
- Mindbody: The app is making it easy to find and try classes all over the country. You can search for "virtual" or "zoom" workouts to access digital classes.
- NOVA Fitness Studios: The online classes stream via FaceTime and Skype, and score a 15 percent discount from the normal package prices for online personal training sessions, personal training packages, and classes with code innovfit.
- Peloton: The spin, treadmill, and home-workout platform extended the 30-day free trial period to 90 days and added brand-new dance cardio classes to the already deep line-up. There are many no-equipment-required workouts, so you can still get your sweat on if you don't have a Peloton Bike RN.
- Pure Barre: Give the ballet-based, sculpting workouts a go with a free one-week trial or stream live workouts on Facebook.
- Tone It Up: The workout app offers 30 days free to new users. Access new classes (like strength training, yoga, kickboxing, barre, dance, and more) each week.
- The Works: This Charleston-based yoga studio offers a 3-day free trial and yoga classes for $29.99 a month afterward.
- SaltDrop: Taught by former Barre3 instructor, Dino Malvone, SaltDrop offers playful, yet tough workouts on Instagram live that are easy to follow at home with no equipment required.
- Stretch*d: Feeling extra tight post-sweat sesh (or a day of WFH)? Check out free online guided stretching on IGTV and YouTube, as well as live and interactive stretching on Instagram Live.
- Rumble: Prepare to punch it out wherever you are with daily Instagram Live workouts from the celeb fave boxing studio.
- Fitness Blender: This streaming platform offers free cardio, strength, and stretch classes.
- Beachbody: Stream sculpting classes and a bonus meal plan during the 14-day free trial.
- ObéFitness: Access 100 live fitness classes a week and new on-demand classes daily with the free 30-day trial using code ATHOME. The 10-minute express and 28-minute signature classes are tailor-made for packed schedules.
- The Sculpt Society: Celeb trainer Meghan Roup offers dance cardio and sculpting classes for all fitness levels with a free 14-day trial. New workouts ranging from 5 to 50 minutes debut each week, and check out her Instagram for live (and free) workouts.
- NEOU: Access live on-demand workouts with the free 30-day trial.
- Variis by Equinox: Stream immersive video and audio classes on IGTV from top fitness brands now. When the app launches, a Variis membership will include virtual classes from Equinox, SoulCycle, Precision Run, PURE Yoga, and more.
Jennifer Nied is the fitness editor at Women’s Health and has more than 10 years of experience in health and wellness journalism. She’s always out exploring—sweat-testing workouts and gear, hiking, snowboarding, running, and more—with her husband, daughter, and dog.
