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Staying in is no excuse to stop staying fit.
The global interactive fitness industry was already expected to grow by $5.44 billion between 2020 and 2024, even before the coronavirus pandemic closed many businesses (including gyms) and forced millions of Americans to work from home — if they have been lucky enough to keep their jobs.
So now that millions of people are looking for ways to also work out from home, gym chains such as Planet Fitness PLNT, +4.07% have been jumping on the home sweat sessions bandwagon — such as streaming free exercise classes on Facebook FB, +4.56% or Google-owned GOOG, +5.38% YouTube.
And brands such as Peloton PTON, +5.02% and DailyBurn that were already streaming workouts on demand are suddenly, well, in demand. March downloads of the Peloton app — which offers yoga and body strength classes if you don’t have the $2,000-plus stationary bike — are five times higher than February’s, according to data from Sensor Tower.
Read more: Peloton is ‘clearly benefiting from global quarantines,’ new data show
Peloton isn’t the only wellness brand experiencing a pandemic bump. A rep from Daily Burn, which provides workout and nutrition programs via apps, told MarketWatch that it has seen a 268% year-over-year increase in new members just over the past week. Yoga app Down Dog told MarketWatch that 400,000 people have signed up for free memberships in the last two weeks; 100,000 came from Spain, Italy and France, the three European countries hit hardest by COVID-19. Nike NKE, +6.70% also reported that its workout app’s weekly active users in China were up 80% by the end of the quarter (while people were isolated at home) compared with the beginning of it.
The good news for consumers: Most of these workouts are free for the time being, with boutique fitness brands extending their free trial periods or waiving their fees entirely while many countries including the U.S. call on residents to shelter in place or quarantine themselves.
So here are 14 free workouts that you can try via streaming services and wellness apps.
PELOTON: While better known for its spin classes, Peloton also offers thousands of strength, yoga, stretching, boot camp and cardio workouts on its app, as well as meditation exercises and outdoor running coaching, which don’t require any expensive equipment. Peloton has extended its 30-day free trial period to 90 days, which you can sign up for through April 30. After that, you’ll pay $12.99 a month.
SOULCYCLE: The coronavirus has pumped the breaks on SoulCycle’s spin classes, but its instructors are offering free workouts off the bike on their individual Instagram accounts, including dance and body weight movement classes. See the full list here.
NIKE TRAINING CLUB: The athletic giant has waived the $14.99 a month fee for its premium service indefinitely. Now, downloading the app grants people access to more than 185 free workouts (yoga, cardio and more) which last from 15 to 45 minutes, as well as targeted running training programs, nutrition and wellness guidance.
DAILY BURN: Stream thousands of yoga, barre, Pilates, cardio, strength training and high intensity workouts — as well as specialized sessions for women who are pregnant or postpartum — over your smart TV or laptop. Daily Burn is currently extending its 30-day free trial to 60 days, with premium access to all new members to boot. After that, it’s $14.95 a month for the Basic subscription, $26.95 for Premium. Paying members who have been financially affected by COVID-19 can also email support@dailyburn.com to add a free month to their account.
PLANET FITNESS: While the gym chain is closed, it’s offering free 20-minute at-home workouts — which it’s calling “Home Work-Ins” — on its company Facebook page. They are open to nonmembers and members alike.
COREPOWER YOGA: The country’s largest yoga studio chain is giving everyone free access to a collection of online classes while its 200 locations are closed. (In-person classes generally cost $26 apiece.) CorePower Yoga On Demand will also post new classes online each week, including meditation sessions to clear your head.
BARRY’S BOOTCAMP: Work up a sweat with free, 20-minute versions of Barry’s Bootcamp’s signature cardio and strength-training classes on Instagram. The studio is posting three workouts a day, which will be announced the day before through Instagram Stories under the @barrys handle, so you can mark your calendar.
RUMBLE: You can also get ready to rumble with these free boxing-inspired fitness classes on Instagram each morning. Turn on post notifications for @doyourumble, so you’ll get an alert when the classes are about to go live (generally at 8 a.m. ET).
CENTR BY CHRIS HEMSWORTH: Train like Thor, but without paying an ungodly sum. The “Avengers” star is offering a free six-week trial on his new Centr fitness and meal plan app, as long as you sign up before March 31. After that, the subscription plan runs $10 a month if you drop $120 for a full-year membership. Workouts cover high-intensity interval training (HIIT), boxing, yoga, strength training, MMA and more.
DOWN DOG: This family of yoga apps, including Down Dog, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Barre, and 7 Minute Workout, will be free until April 1. But students and teachers, as well as health care professionals fighting coronavirus, will have free access until July 1. Otherwise, memberships run $7.99 a month, or $49.99 a year.
305 FITNESS: Dance it out like nobody’s watching with free cardio routines and movement classes on the 305 Fitness YouTube page every day at 6 p.m. ET. They also keep updating a list of their upcoming digital events here.
BARRE3: Bring the ballet studio into your home with unlimited classes in strength conditioning, cardio and mindfulness that aim to restore balance to your body. Barre3 is offering a 15-day free trial, and 10% off all props if you want to add resistance bands and core balls to your home gym. After that, the subscription runs $29 a month.
FITON: This fitness app always has free workouts, including some led by celebrity exercise coaches such as actress Gabrielle Union and “Queer Eye’s” Jonathan Van Ness. Classes include cardio, strength, HIIT, dance and Pilates classes, plus sessions tailored to prenatal and postnatal workouts. But upgrading to FitOn PRO ($69.99 a year) includes personalized meal plans, more than 500 recipes and unlimited offline downloads.
P.VOLVE: Draw on more than 200 videos streaming high-intensity, low-impact workouts to strengthen and tone the body in small spaces — and with limited-to-no equipment. P.volve is offering a free 14-day trial; after that, the subscription runs $19.99 a month. To start streaming for free, click here and enter the promo code OnePvolve.
