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Best For Gym Fitness Goals: Matt Roberts Body.Network
The Netflix of the workout world, Body Network boasts a holistic mix of health and fitness videos that have been put together by some of the UK’s leading experts. Not just workouts, the network also provides rehabilitation programmes, a tri-part introduction to mindfulness and meditation, and nutritional programmes. It has everything that you need to hone a fitter, healthier and more efficient body. Unlike other on-demand services, this network caters for outdoor as well as indoor exercisers. The 10K training plan from running expert Charlie Webster is designed to help you hit a 6.2-mile goal, including interval workout audio sessions that you can take with you on your run. The Get Fit for Cycling series aims to improve cycling performance, a great option for off-season bike training. And if you don’t care about exercising outside, there’s a host of popular gym and home workouts, too, such as Pilates, yoga, post-natal exercise and boxing programmes. A lot of the workouts are periodised in that they start at a beginner level and progress to advanced training, which means you don’t only work out, but also learn the techniques needed to perform exercise properly. The Body Network educates as well as makes you sweat!
Best For Performance Goals: Beach Body On Demand
£2.99 per week, beachbodyondemand.com
Beach Body pioneers some of the most popular workouts worldwide – we’re talking Insanity, PiYo, P90X – so this really is the place to come if you want to be ahead of the game. There are ‘sneak peek’ workouts of up-and-coming programmes, such as Shaun T’s Cize or Hammer & Chisel, in which you get to try the latest sessions first. Plus, Q&A videos with the top trainers reveal a few insider secrets! And if you don’t have a clue what workout to do, there’s even a ‘challenge du jour’ session, which will keep you on your toes every day you log in. The best bit, however, is that Beach Body On Demand (BOD) isn’t exclusively for the super-fit; it’s great for all levels, whether you follow Autumn Calabrese’s Active Maternity programme or the sports-friendly Insanity The Asylum schedule. A lot of the programmes are time-orientated – there’s the 21-day fix or the 90-day P90x plan – so it’s a great website to sign up to if you have a shape-up goal for 2016. It’s really easy to use and you can even stream it via the On Demand app to devices such as tablets, Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV. Handy.
Best For Shape-up Goals: Yoogaia
£14.99 per month, yoogaia.com
Can’t find a yoga class that you love? You need to log onto Yoogaia. The online yoga studio provides live classes across a range of low-impact disciplines including Pilates, barre, core exercise and, of course, yoga. There’s a packed schedule with daily workouts such as Yin Yoga Stretch or Barre Cardio Express available for you to book onto. The live workouts happen via your webcam – the instructor can see you and you can see the instructor but exercisers can’t see one another – which gives you the sensation of face-to-face instruction with a leading expert. Shy? Then you don’t have to switch your webcam on. And if you miss one of your regular sessions, you can catch up with the workout via the ‘Recording’ tab – something that you can’t do when you miss your favourite gym class. It’s great for mums, newbies and anyone who wants to try a specific class that might not be available in your area. This site comes thoroughly recommended.
Great For Wellbeing Goals: Les Mills On Demand
£9.95 per month, lesmillsondemand.com
If you’re already au fait with the popular Les Mills gym classes – think Body Pump, Body Combat, Body Balance or Grit – you’re going to love On Demand because you can do the same workouts from home when you can’t make it to the gym. On the other hand, if you’re new to Les Mills exercise, this is a great place to start – you can build plenty of confidence before trying these workouts at the gym with others. Les Mills Junior recommends that newbies start with the kit-free 20-minute Grit Cardio class. But, if that’s not your thing, view the ‘Introduction’ videos to discover which class whets your appetite. There’s a really great variety of workouts on the site but it’s worth bearing in mind that some, such as Body Pump or RPM, do require kit. Still, On Demand cannot be faulted for its great playlists, fantastic workouts and non-stop instructor enthusiasm. And there’s even an exercise video for kids!
This article first appeared in Women’s Fitness
