Little did we know, the first half of 2020 would be spent at home! Although it was incredibly unexpected, scary, and at times, unmotivating, I have found a few amazing workout regimes and programs that have me wondering if I will ever want to go back to the gym!
The beauty of all the programs I have used during this quarantine is that they can all easily be done from home with little to no equipment and are relatively affordable.
I was in the habit for the last year and a half or so of getting up early every morning to go to the gym or a workout class. Then 2020 hit (like a wrecking ball!). I was scared that I would revert back to my “old self”- a twenty-something who was riddled by anxiety and felt bad in her own body. Working out does a lot more for me than tone my body. It truly helps me control and live with my anxiety. Never did I think that it would make as much of a difference as it did, but exercise coupled with healthy eating (an 80%/20% lifestyle) has truly made the world of difference for me. I refused to let quarantine get in my way.
I started out by testing a ton of different trial programs since every at-home workout company was offering free trials and great deals during the beginning of the COVID quarantine.
I tried these…
Once my trials were completed, I narrowed it down to one or two that I felt were worth paying for (given my workout needs)!
A quick review on all of them:
- Peloton: This app is great for outdoor runs/walks and HIIT workouts. I am not a big HIIT person and for some reason, I struggled to find an instructor I felt I really enjoyed. Sounds silly given they were behind a computer screen, but it does mean a lot when I am getting out of bed at 6 am to go meet that person for a workout. I know a ton of people that love this app, so perhaps I needed to give it more time, but it just didn’t meet my needs as well as some of the other options I found.
- Pure Barre Go/On Demand: I was an avid Pure Barre lover for the short time I had the privilege. A few weeks prior to quarantine, I purchased my first bundle of classes. I was determined to try something new and I was loving it. I would attend a 6 am class two-three times per week. WHen COVID hit, they offered a free 90 day trial of their Pure Barre On Demand program. I loved it! For the first half of quarantine, I did a Pure Barre workout at least 5-6 times a week and began paying for it for a bit after my trial ended. After a while, I had just started to get bored and wanted to also incorporate strength training, so I ended up canceling after I found another option that also offered barre (hint: you’ll find out below!) I can’t wait to get back to the Pure Barre studio for in-person classes since I truly believe in that long, lean Pure Barre muscle!
- Open Fit: I tried the Open Fit app because I was, you guessed it, targeted by a Facebook ad! They knew I was doing barre classes so naturally, I was a good target for the Xtend Barre program by Andrea Rogers on Open Fit! I love Andrea’s energy and I enjoyed 99% of the classes. What I loved about this barre program was that it had more cardio involved, so I got sweatier and felt like it was a great happy medium between a cardio workout and what I enjoy about barre class. There was one portion of every class where Andrea would move very fast (like very fast!). I had trouble keeping up with her in that one circuit or move, which felt a little discouraging. I know I shouldn’t have made that be the deal-breaker, but I kinda did (eek!). When it was time to pay for the membership, I felt indifferent about it since I didn’t feel like I truly could master the whole class and was not getting the true benefits because of the very fast pace. A lesson to myself is to keep trying until you master it, but moral of the story, I didn’t want to pay for it…which is when I found Obe Fitness!
- Obe Fitness: Obe Fitness had been on my mind for a while. I would see a ton of influencers speaking about it and I had been meaning to try it. When COVID hit, I figured this was a good time. I have to admit that in the beginning I was indifferent, but I keep at it trying various instructors, types of classes, etc. Surprisingly I found that I really really enjoyed strength training. Not only does it make me feel stronger, but it helps me build muscle. I am not at a point where I want to/need to lose much weight, so this seemed like a great option to help me get stronger and toned. I fell in love with these upper and lower body power classes with Kat Ellis, who is a NYC based instructor. I loved the workouts she designed and her circuits were manageable for me (a beginner at strength training). They are hard and leave me sweating by the end, but don’t seem too overwhelming that I don’t want to show up in the morning.
I am also forgetting to mention that Obe has an insane amount of other programs! From barre classes to pilates to prenatal and postnatal classes to HIIT workouts, it has it all! There is a workout for anyone’s interest and fitness levels. They also have express workouts that range from 9-15 minutes long if you’re crunched on time or want to add it to your other workout.
Ding ding ding! Obe Fitness takes the cake for the best quarantine workout!
What’s been your go to at home workout regime? Would love to learn more!
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