The Busy Girl’s Guide: The Best Online Workouts

Hi friends!  I’m back with my second installment of The Busy Girl’s Guide!  I’m so excited about this installment.  It is something I have been working on for awhile and can’t wait to share with you!  In this installment we are going to be talking about The Best Online Workouts.

Just like every other normal human being on the planet, I struggle to schedule in my workouts with all the demands in my schedule: work, family & friend time, chores, sleep, etc.  As much as I would love to attend a fitness class every day of the week, my schedule and wallet won’t allow it.  So I supplement my workouts at home.  I love workout dvds but the problem with dvds is you become familiar with the choreography and it either becomes boring or less challenging over time.  Luckily online workouts are taking off with workouts from some of the hottest trainers in the industry streaming their workouts online.  So no need to get up super early to hit the gym, you can roll out of bed and throw on a pair of shorts and be working out in no time! 

1.    Physique 57–  I’ve talked about Physique about a hundred times before but their online workouts are really great!  Most are 30 minutes long although there are a couple of hour long workouts.  These online workouts really mimic their actual classes and I love being able to feel the burn when I am at home and can’t make it to a class!  Many of the videos require no equipment at all.  Some videos require handweights, a chair (to simulate a ballet barre) or a playground ball.  These workouts are very tough and great when you need something quick and challenging.  Or you can pair two classes together for an entire hour of torture, I mean fun.  The only drawback is the price—most classes are $5 for 30 minutes with a few classes priced higher.  A monthly subscription sets you back $57 but is a lot less expensive than the $300+ monthly fee for in-studio classes.

2.      Booya Fitness–  Booya is relatively new to the game of online workouts but it has the potential to be a huge hit.  The founder, Prita Kumar, wanted to be able to take her favorite NYC classes now that she lives in Boston, Ma.  So she created a website where popular fitness studios from around NYC will instruct a 30 minute online class.  Brilliant.  What I love about this site is that you can actually experience some of the studios I have been raving about like a lunatic for years now.  A few of my favorites include Chaise Fitness and As One.  The site only recently launched so the inventory is still being built but new classes are added every month.  And the best part about Booya is that you can take free classes!  Each day there is a new free class for the day!  Or you can subscribe to a paid membership for $9.99 a month and get full access.  Classes are all 30 minutes each, which is perfect if you are short on time.

3.      Barre3–  I am excited to say that this Portland-based barre program is opening in NYC this spring.  But before there was even a whisper of a local studio, I loved their online classes.  This is by far the most extensive library of online barre workouts I have come across so far.  A great feature about barre3 is that you can choose your workout length (10 minutes, 30 minutes, 40 minutes or 60 minutes) so it is there for you when you have a lot of time or you don’t!  The classes are also broken down by target area so if you want to work your arms and abs today and your seat and thighs tomorrow, barre3 has you covered.  The longer classes are generally full-body classes to sculpt you from head to toe.  Prices are extremely reasonable with a monthly subscription costing $15 a month or you can choose a longer term subscription of $70 for 6 months or $120 for the year.  I highly recommend these classes if you are an avid runner or cyclist or other form of cardio queen (or king!) who needs to add in some strength and flexibility training.  A 10 minute class after some cardio is perfection.

4.      Buti Fitness–  Another online series I’ve talked about before and love.  This is yoga on steroids but in a good way.  Buti is a totally unique concept of pairing yoga with influences of dance (I would say African dance), cardio and strength.  Often set to hip hop music, the creator Bizzie Gold is so unique that these classes are both fun and energizing.  Plus, if you are one of those people that says yoga is not a good workout, then this is for you!  Online prices vary depending on your interest.  The Tone subscription is $39.99 and has classes like I have described here.  You get all the archived workouts plus one new one a week.  Sculpt is $59.99 a month and gets you all archived Tone classes plus the plyometric based Sculpt classes that are usually short and intense.  Or you can subscribe to Buti Lite for only $12.99 a month and get 4 tone videos per month plus one new video each week! 

5.      Yoga Today–  This is my go-to for at-home yoga videos.  I started with Yoga Today way back in 2007(!) when they had a free 50 minute podcast everyday (there are so many things about this sentence that make me say Wow!).  Yoga Today has evolved over time and now, unfortunately, they don’t have any more free classes nor can you download the classes (I have about 12 downloaded on my computer that I love!).  But, you can take a different class with them every day for only $9 a month.  The instructors are fabulous and each practices a different style of yoga so the classes don’t feel repetitive.  They also have some great focus classes (yoga for jet lag, yoga for runners, yoga for cyclists, restorative yoga, etc).  And the views are omg to die for! *UPDATE!: I just saw on FB they are doing a 30 day free promo.  Enter the code Freefor30!*

6.      Body By Simone– Body by Simone or BBS is another NYC favorite of mine (full review on in-studio classes coming soon!).  Simone is an ex-pat Aussie who set up shop in NYC and is offering amazing classes in her West Side studio.  The online classes give you a great taste of what it is like in her in-studio classes.  She offers everything from dance cardio to upper body to lower body, abs and even trampoline.  Her classes are tough but her attitude is fun.  She also has some video breakdowns of the moves, which is perfect if you are a newbie.  Plus, it is reasonably priced at $10 a month!

7.     Fusion Fitness– Another workout I’ve talked about before but if you think online workouts are easy, Fusion Fitness will prove you wrong.  These classes are tough and not for the faint-at-heart! I love being able to get an advanced workout at home and Fusion Fitness will give you just that.  The classes are full length ranging from 40-60 minutes.  Classes are $10 each of $49 for a month of unlimited classes.  There is a great range of classes from cardio kickboxing to barre to toning to just plain awesomeness (that’s a real class).  Plus you can get the Dream Body Cardio Series online, which I have and love!  

8.    YouTube Workouts–  What’s better than free, right?!  YouTube is an awesome place to get a variety of workouts.  A few of my favorites:

– Tara Stiles Yoga: Tara teamed up with Livestrong Women and filmed a bunch of short yoga workouts with a specific focus (stretch, sleep, core, etc).  I love these workouts when I need a quick stretch or want to wind down before bed.

– Blogilates– I loved the Blogilates DVD, so obviously I would love Cassey Ho’s YouTube workouts!

– VitaTrain4Life– Who doesn’t love Allie and her workouts?  You would have to be out of your mind to NOT take advice from someone who is training with a rocket scientist coach for a duathlon in Spain.

– Tone It Up– With an extensive library of workouts filmed on the beach, you’ll almost feel like you are in paradise.

– My Own Balance (shameless plug!)- I post barre videos, stretch videos and dance videos!

If you want to catch up on other Busy Girl Guide’s, you can check out my Stitch Fix review here! 

Readers, have you ever done an online workout?  Which of these workouts would you most like to try?  How do you fit in workouts when you are really busy?