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Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
From HIIT to yoga: The best online workout programs of 2025 for every exercise preference
We broke a sweat testing 22 apps and platforms to find the best for every need Raise your hand if you've ever bought a gym membership with big dreams ... only to ghost it after two weeks. Yeah, me too. Here's what nobody tells you about gym memberships: They often end up being expensive guilt subscriptions. But online workouts? That's where the magic happens. You can sweat it out at 6 a.m. or 11 p.m. — whenever your chaotic life more sprinting to make that 7 p.m. yoga class. No more hovering around the squat rack like a vulture waiting for Brad to finish his bicep selfie session. Just you, your living room and all the gains your heart you've been thinking, "But home workouts aren't as good as the real thing!" Plot twist: They actually are. While studies tend to be small, researchers have found that virtual workouts can be just as effective as gym sessions. Plus, there appears to be a mental health boost from online workouts similar to that of other exercise sessions — you may find yourself feeling happier and more energized after each to build muscle? There's an app for that. Need to torch calories? Covered. Just want to move your body without feeling like a sweaty mess in public? We've got you. HIIT, yoga, strength training, dance workouts — it can all be right there on your phone. As Jenny Liebl, a certified trainer and senior product developer at the International Sports Sciences Association, puts it: "There's a wide variety of online fitness professionals offering an even wider variety of programs, guidance and coaching in the online format — there's someone out there for everyone!"We had two writers test a total of 22 online fitness programs for this piece — one, a personal trainer herself, and the other a fitness "dabbler." Together, they talked to four fitness specialists and tested a range of workout platforms to figure out what actually works. Ready to ditch the excuses and turn your living room into a sweat sanctuary? Let's dig in. Table of contents Best overall online workout program More online workout programs we like for 2025 Factors to consider when choosing an online workout program How we chose Other online workout programs we tested FAQs Meet our experts Update, July 16, 2025: We checked all product prices and availability and tested a wide range of new options. Our No. 1 pick for the best online workout program changed due to Centr's increased programming options and expanded library of healthy living tutorials. We also added new categories, including "Best for hypertrophy," "Best for busy lifestyles," "Best for circuit training," "Best for prenatal and postpartum fitness," "Best for Pilates," "Best for beginner strength training," "Best for running," "Best for women's health" and "Best free online workout program." Best overall online workout program (back to top) More online workout programs we like for 2025 (back to top) Factors to consider when choosing an online workout program Before starting your search for a fitness program, it's essential to take time to reflect on what you want in a program to ensure it's the right fit. "Clearly define your own fitness goals and consider what you want to achieve in a specific timeframe," says Kyrie Furr, director of performance fitness at Athletic Lab. Liebl agrees, emphasizing that users should select a fitness platform that suits their individual needs. She says, "If they prefer a live class with a specific training style, they can likely find that option. For those who just need a plan to follow at the gym and then provide feedback, that's easily available too." It's all about finding a program tailored to your preferences, whether it's live interaction or independent workouts. Liebl continues: "Online clients should find a fitness professional they connect with or an app they like the functionality of. The training style, philosophies, personality and expertise should align." She also explains the importance of reviews, advising, "Try performing an online search of the trainer or application name for reviews, or, if you have a hard time finding any, ask the fitness professionals themselves for any reviews or client testimonials they can share!" Here are some other factors to consider when selecting the best online workout programs: Variety: Ensure the platform offers a wide range of workouts such as strength training, yoga or HIIT to keep it interesting. Qualified trainers: "Certification indicates that a trainer is familiar with best practices in fitness, including proper form, technique and programming tailored to different fitness levels and goals. Certified trainers have undergone formal education and training in fitness principles, exercise physiology and injury prevention, which helps ensure that the programs they create are safe and effective," says Furr. Progression levels: "Choose a program that matches your current fitness level — beginner, intermediate or advanced," says Furr. Cost: Evaluate subscription fees versus the value provided. Community support: "Some platforms offer community features, like forums or social media groups, which can provide motivation and accountability," says Furr. Flexibility: Opt for programs that offer on-demand or live classes to fit your schedule. Coaching and feedback preferences: Liebl notes that understanding how you like to be coached and receive feedback can influence your decision. Perhaps you need continual motivation from a coach or you prefer a more independent approach. Also, consider your comfort level with doing a program on your own. Are you self-motivated enough to follow an online workout, or do you need the structure and guidance of a live class or personal trainer? Tailoring these factors to your preferences will help you choose a fitness program that really works for you. Michelle Ditto, VP of training and technique at Pure Barre, suggests experimenting. "Allow yourself to trial-and-error fitness concepts you like, and don't be afraid to avoid what you don't; there is no rule that you have to run or do yoga or HIIT or even barre to be fit! You are an experiment; find what works for you with the goal to find a program that you can stick with long term. Give yourself six months. Break it up into smaller chunks if you need to, and commit to one month or even one week at a time. You are worth the effort to find something that you both enjoy and that is also health promoting. And luckily, myriad modalities fit both of those parameters." (back to top) How we chose We collaborated with four fitness professionals to identify the best online fitness programs and conducted a detailed review. They included certified personal trainers (CPTs), a certified high-performance coach and a doctor of physical therapy. Two testers — a relative fitness newbie and a personal trainer — personally tested 20-plus platforms, exploring various workout styles and formats from each. This in-depth analysis allowed us to evaluate the quality, user experience and effectiveness of different digital workout programs. (back to top) Other online workout programs we tested When searching for the best workout plan, we tested a range of platforms. Below are options we tested that didn't quite make the cut: Muscle Booster: This app lets you customize workouts based on your location (home or gym) and available equipment, which sounds great in theory. You can target specific body parts and choose your focus areas. However, the onboarding process is pretty questionable — the "body type" options don't include being already fit, and the language around "target zones" feels outdated. Even after selecting "advanced" as my fitness level, the workouts were surprisingly basic, with just four exercises, including only two compound movements. The warm-ups and cooldowns were longer than the actual strength training, which doesn't make much sense. While it offers video demos and adjusts future workouts based on your performance, plus includes challenges and recipes, the workout programming just wasn't solid enough to earn a spot on our list. FitFusion: If streaming is your go-to, FitFusion might catch your eye. The app runs smoothly across devices — from smart TVs and Rokus to your everyday phone — so it's easy to get your workout in, wherever you are. With big-name trainers leading sessions, you'll find everything from HIIT and dance cardio to barre and Pilates. There's also the option to download classes for offline use, which is handy when Wi-Fi's spotty. That said, the app lacks features to help you plan out a workout routine, doesn't include much in the way of strength training or more structured workouts, and the trial is just seven days. Still, at $15 a month, it delivers plenty of variety for the price. The Floss: Bonnie Crotzer founded this innovative platform dedicated to fascia flossing, a practice designed to release tension, improve flexibility and promote better circulation by remodeling the fascia — your body's connective tissue. It offers comprehensive tools and guidance on using fascia flossing to relieve pain and improve function. However, because it focuses solely on fascia-based practices, there was little variety in workout styles, so it didn't make our list of finalists. Peloton app: You don't need the iconic Peloton bike to enjoy its world-class classes. From cycling to strength training, yoga and more, there's a massive variety of enjoyable workouts led by motivating instructors, and you can use whatever equipment you have. The app tends to focus on workouts that require equipment (cycling, rowing, treadmill), and it lacks a broader selection of dance cardio options, so for me, it fell short. 8fit: If you're looking for personalized workout and meal plans in one place, 8fit is a solid option. Workouts include boxing, Pilates, HIIT and meditation, but there wasn't as much variety as with some similarly priced options. CorePower Yoga: Known for its intense sculpt and hot yoga sessions, CorePower is a great pick for seasoned yogis looking to push their limits. The Yoga Sculpt classes blend vinyasa flow with strength training (expect to break a serious sweat). There are also gentler options like Core Restore, which focus on deep stretching and relaxation. You can access classes online, via the app or attend in-person at over 200 studios across the U.S. While the variety is impressive, the classes skew toward intermediate and advanced levels, which may not be ideal for beginners. MapMyFitness: This Outside-powered app works more like a supercharged fitness tracker than a structured program. With GPS mapping, route planning and the ability to log everything from runs to strength sessions, it's great for those who like to build their own routines. You can track your progress over time, join monthly, seasonal, and yearly challenges, and even share milestones on the community feed. But since it's more of a data tool than a workout platform, it didn't quite make the finalist list for guided programs. (back to top) FAQs What are online workout programs? "Online workout programs are fitness routines that are delivered through digital platforms," says Michael Masi, Doctor of Physical Therapy and personal trainer. "The key feature of online workout programs is their accessibility, meaning users can engage in workouts from anywhere, provided they have an internet connection," he continues. What are the advantages of online workouts? The best online fitness programs have many advantages. "First, online programs are generally more cost-effective, making them accessible to a wider audience," says Masi. "Second, they offer greater flexibility, allowing individuals to work out when and where it's most convenient for them. Third, online platforms typically provide a broad variety of workouts, from yoga to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), ensuring that users can find programs suited to their fitness levels and goals. Beyond that, some online programs allow users to work out in the comfort and privacy of their own home. This has a fairly large appeal, especially for beginners who may feel intimidated by a gym environment," he notes. Are online fitness programs as effective as in-person training? Research shows that online exercise classes are effective for increasing strength and muscle mass and improving cardiovascular health. A study comparing body mass-based exercises performed online via Zoom and in-person training showed similar results for both groups. Our experts agree. According to Ditto, online fitness programs can be as effective as in-person training, though there are key differences. "Online workout programs can offer a simple starting point to engage with physical activity from the comfort of anywhere you need to be," says Ditto. She emphasizes that these programs offer greater flexibility and convenience, allowing you to work out immediately from home without needing to travel. However, she also points out that "in-person programs feature one-on-one, tailored interaction," providing personal accountability and a sense of community that many online programs might lack. She suggests balancing these aspects based on your fitness goals and preferences. Liebl adds, "When created with a level of individualization for each client and with appropriate detail, online workouts and programs can be just as effective as in-person training." She elaborates that comprehensive instruction can take different forms based on the client's needs. For example, video demonstrations of movements can help visually guide the user through proper form and technique, making it easier for them to follow along. Alternatively, detailed written instructions can benefit those who prefer step-by-step breakdowns of how to execute a movement. These can include specific cues for body positioning, timing or modifications. Both methods are tailored to the client's learning style to ensure the successful performance of exercises. (back to top) Meet our experts Michelle Ditto, VP of training and technique at Pure Barre Kyrie Furr, certified high-performance coach and director of performance fitness at Athletic Lab Jenny Liebl, CPT and senior product developer at the International Sports Sciences Association Michael Masi, doctor of physical therapy and a certified personal trainer at Masi Fitness (back to top) Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
WebMD
20-06-2025
- Health
- WebMD
Why It's Important to Finally Define 'Fitness' for Yourself
June 19, 2025 — For most of my life, if you asked me if I was fit, I would say yes without hesitation. I spent my childhood playing year-round sports, was on a D1 lacrosse team in college, became a certified trainer, and spent more than a decade as a fitness director for a major women's magazine. By pretty much any objective measure, my fitness hovered somewhere above average. More than that, I loved it: the stress relief, the sense of accomplishment, the high after a tough workout; the grit I developed in (and out) of sports. It wasn't hard for me to feel connected to and passionate about exercise. But as I sit here in the midst of a stressful season of life — a few months out from unexpected abdominal surgery, among other joys — I am so very far from that version of me. I know I don't have the speed, strength, or cardiovascular endurance I've had in the past. And for the first time (maybe ever), I'm not sure what to call myself. Am I fit? Woefully out of shape? What, exactly, does any of that mean? As I talked to experts on the topic, I learned something pivotal: the most important definition of fitness isn't in a textbook — it's a truth you define for yourself. What Is Fitness? Let Us Count the Ways While there are objective measures of physical fitness — your VO2 max and grip strength, for example — not every expert will agree on which ones matter most. Medical doctors view physical fitness through a lens of disease. Are you exercising enough to help you avoid poor health outcomes? Longevity zealots will zero in on 'health span.' Are you doing workouts that will lengthen the vibrant, active years of your life? (And, of course, posting all about it on social media so everyone knows). Athletes will look to specific performance metrics that deliver success in their particular arena. Where does your pace per mile fall within the rest of the runners your age? How many pushups can you do in a minute? Pullups? What's your bench-squat-deadlift total? Resting heart rate? And on and on. And for you, maybe none of the above. ' What we know for sure is that there's a million different ways to look at how to even define what fitness is,' says Boston-based sports psychology coach Emily Saul. For Saul's money, everything you read and hear about defining fitness is noise. Consider one thing only: 'What feels meaningful?' 'It really comes down to the individual,' she says. 'Because your assessment is always within the context of whatever your standard is. So you have to decide for yourself what things are important in terms of the quality of your life.' Sometimes it helps to think of real, life-based situations where you can say to yourself, I want to be able to do that. That makes me feel fit. Maybe it's not having to ask for help when putting your suitcase in the overhead bin. Or maybe you're a grandparent and want to play with your grandkids on the floor. 'It's not going to be the same answer for everyone,' she adds. 'Each person has to decide what's meaningful for them right now.' From there, assessment of your fitness becomes far easier — because it's tied to one very simple metric: your own progress. 'I care more about the person's progress and what they're doing now compared to where they were three months ago,' says Los Angeles-based fitness coach Sohee Lee Carpenter. 'Are you lifting more weight? Are you doing more reps? Has your form improved? Are you moving pain -free? Do you feel better when you do certain movements? Can you run more miles without stopping? Those kinds of things are way better markers of fitness.' Why Finding Your 'Why' Needs a Rethink There's a reason things like the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans exist: Regular exercise is not really an elective; it's an essential pillar for overall good health. So why does there seem to be this collective eye -rolling, heel-dragging response to it? For starters, some of it stems from our culturally complicated relationship with physical activity. That's a good question to ask: Do I have a positive relationship with physical activity? Research has shown for years that a negative perception or relationship with exercise wrecks your motivation. Maybe you feel intimidated, inadequate, or defeated when you think about exercise. Maybe you see too many super-fit people on Instagram and know that's not you, never was, never will be. The message has been driven home that fitness is a 'have to' not a 'want to' proposition. We also live in a very goals-driven society, which creates this idea that you need to have an ambitious 'why' behind your exercise routine. (In reality, you don't.) 'The social media version of 'what's your why?' is essentially, what's the next thing you're aiming to do?' Saul says. 'It's how people shorthand for what their next goal is, and they talk about it as if that's their bigger meaning. I push back hard when I hear people say something like 'My why is qualifying for Boston.' No, that's not 'your why.' That's the means to what you think is your why. So let's actually get at what's meaningful to you about that.' This is critical to making exercise Your Thing. You have to ask yourself: What are the bigger values driving me? And what about this thing (working out) is connected to my values? 'That can't come from an outside source telling you, 'You've got to do it' or 'This is what I do,'' says Jen Fraboni, DPT, founder of Jen Health. 'It has to come from what you're really hearing from listening within your own body.' Do you believe yourself to be hardworking? Great. 'You can work hard at something that you don't necessarily want to do — not because you're trying to force yourself to like doing the thing but because you value being a hard worker,' says Saul. 'You may never love the thing, but lots of people do things because they like the results and not because they like the activity itself.' There are days you don't feel like going to work, right? But you get up, make your coffee, and go anyway. Because whether you realize it or not, your job is connected in some way to your core values (like taking care of your family or challenging yourself). You need to bring that same perspective to fitness: what about this thing (working out) is connected to your identity? 'The reason most people [exercise] is not because there's always that strong internal motivation or desire for it,' says Saul. 'It's that doing it is in alignment with who I know myself to be — or with who I really want to know myself to be.' That last part is important because it means even if you're not there yet, the way you choose to think about yourself can hold a lot of power. 'It actually starts not with 'I choose to see myself as an active person' but 'I understand the kinds of things that an active person does and I will do them,'' says Saul. 'That's this formulaic statement, right? Like if active people do these things, and I do these things, then I am an active person — and I have to believe that because I'm building evidence of it day after day after day. It's not easy at the start to just see yourself that way, but it becomes harder to not see yourself that way by doing those things.' When fitness crisscrosses with who you are, it feels less like a duty. It becomes something you do whether you're always super excited about it or not. After talking to Saul, I thought about it. I value being someone who tackles hard things. And wouldn't you know: that little flip — focusing on the idea that I want to be someone who does hard things, and right now for a number of reasons fitness is a thing that feels hard — well, it's helped pull me off the couch on days I can't seem to find my usual motivation. The Depths of Perception All too often, the hardest part of working out isn't even the act itself, it's what happens right before. In the thinking about working out. How you perceive exercise in that moment defines what you do. A subtle shift in perception, in perspective, changes how you feel — and ultimately act. 'It's even harder if you are very stuck on 'fitness looks like this' or 'my workouts have to be this way,'' says Carpenter. Even harder still? When you're judging yourself based on a past (younger, fitter) version of you. Carpenter stresses that you have to be willing to recalibrate what is realistic — and what you can perceive as a 'fitness win' — right now. 'Maybe when you were in your marathon days, a fitness win was getting faster in a particular workout,' she says. 'Now, maybe it's 'Hey, I got on a 30-minute workout when I wanted to not do anything at all.' Changing those definitions, maybe even tracking them, and celebrating those little wins can help a lot.' Sometimes those wins might initially feel like a step back. 'I am running a challenge right now and I have someone who actually took a break from doing any kind of deadlifting because of pain,' says Fraboni, also a pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist (PCES). 'We're starting to ease back into it restarting at the basics — doing mobility and breath work, being so mindful of form — and she's like, 'wow, I'm realizing that if I step back on the weight and don't let the ego drive me on what I should be doing and what I have done in the past, I feel so much stronger and better in my body.'' Whether you're coming back from an injury, illness, having a baby, or dealing with a hectic work schedule, not judging or comparing yourself to past versions of fitness is hard — even for seasoned pros. Take Fraboni, who's a new mother of two: 'I feel like I'm progressing so well in strength pretty quickly postpartum and that feels good. However, I feel like I'm moving in a foreign body,' she says. 'It's almost like two different worlds: so proud of myself for how I'm gaining strength; and, on the flip side, I look in the mirror and think, Whoa, I don't recognize who I am. I've never felt like this. I've never looked like this.' In those phases of life, Fraboni stresses the importance of having empathy for the person you see in the mirror and a solid grip on the reality of your goals. 'It's a new person that I'm moving into,' she says. 'We never are going back to the person we were before. We're never going back into a previous body. We're always moving forward — we're aging, we're changing — so I have to always make that switch in my mind mentally that this is a new body and I'm moving forward.' 'Claim Your Identity as a 'Fit Person'' Nearly a decade ago, I was out to dinner in New York City with the incredibly fit, active, and vibrant LaJean Lawson, PhD, a 63-year-old exercise scientist. I asked her, 'What's your secret to staying in such great shape?' Her answer was simple: Identify your 'basic threshold' of fitness that is impossible to fail. Early on, Lawson decided she had to claim an unrelenting identity as a fit person, and in order to do that, she needed to perform an intentional fitness activity daily. Her basic threshold: one pullup or two full pushups. So at the end of every day, whether she was sick, or traveling, or crazy with work deadlines, she would do one of those two things. It may not sound like much, but, in less than 15 seconds a day, it has enabled her to maintain a very long streak of being a continuously active person. While I loved the philosophy, I was skeptical. But I gave it a shot anyways. My first basic threshold: Rather than taking a cab or subway, I would walk to and from work (about 25 minutes each way). It didn't take long to notice that instead of feeling defeated for missing a spin class, I was proud that I kicked off my heels and hiked home — even if it was raining, snowing, or late. Was the effort comparable? Of course not. But it helped shift my mindset and it made me feel like I was still on track. Lawson's modest approach has stuck with me, and I have repeatedly tested — and proved — its effectiveness. I can choose a bare minimum that works for the season I'm in, not the season I want to be in. These activities don't outweigh or replace my workouts, but they help connect the dots in between missed sessions and breed confidence rather than frustration. As Lawson so perfectly told me, 'In the end, being able to claim your identity as a 'fit person' is as much a state of being as it is a state of doing.' At the heart of true long-term success is repetition. When you take a look at the principal achievement among people who successfully maintain active and healthy lives for years and decades, you'll see a common denominator: They have made being active a consistent part of their way of life. It isn't a switch they turn on before beach season or a big event and then shut off as soon as it's over. What's more, their daily behaviors don't change how they see themselves. They're still active, healthy people — even if they haven't been to the gym in weeks. They don't beat themselves up or give up on their goals because they made one mistake or got nudged off track. It doesn't change how they think of themselves as people. 'From a health behavior perspective, we know that higher levels of self-compassion are correlated with more perseverance,' says Carpenter. 'You're more likely to keep trying in pursuit of a goal if you're not as hard on yourself about it. So when you miss a day, you're not beating yourself up about it — and because you're not beating yourself up about it, you're less likely to throw in the towel.' An important caveat: 'Self-compassion and self-love do involve being brutally honest with yourself, too,' she adds. 'I think it's super important to be accountable. Sometimes you need to call yourself out.' The truth is, there have been plenty of moments over the past few months where I have given myself a pass to skip the gym, when I know my body (and soul) would have felt better doing something. Whether you're working towards the best shape of your life or you're far away from your goals, there is one metric above all others that can serve as a powerful gut check: Are you consistent? 'For most people, the thing that we're wanting more than anything is just a feeling of progress, " says Saul. 'That's one of the core basic psychological needs.' That has become my new barometer. If I'm checking the boxes day after day, then I know I'm moving in the right direction. If I've given myself too many days off, it's time for an honest look in the mirror. Not to guilt or shame or beat myself up, but just to reset. 'There's this overwhelming pressure to be perfect every single day, and that's not the reality for anyone,' says Fraboni. 'But what if you just chose to choose again the next day? OK, I didn't do it today, but I can choose again tomorrow. What a gift to be able to do that — to get the choice to choose again.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
If You Do One Move For Strong, Sculpted Shoulders, Please Let It Be This One
Lateral raises may not look like they're doing much for your body, but trust me—they do. They're an essential shoulder exercise that will amp up your strength and stability in a big way. The move targets mainly your deltoids (the triangular muscles on top of your shoulders) and will create visible shoulder definition if that's your thing. But you won't reap the benefits of this move unless it's done correctly. Too often, I see people just swaying and swinging their dumbbells around, without any sort of structure or form. Not only is that not going to get you the results you want—it's also putting at risk for injury. That's why as a certified personal trainer and founder of KKSWEAT, I'm going to teach you everything you need to know about lateral raises, including how to do them, technique, variations, and more. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand with arms by sides, palms facing down and inward. Without bending arms, raise them up and straight out to sides until they're shoulder-level, still in your periphery. Lower the dumbbells back to starting position. That's 1 rep. Form cue: When you raise your arms, keep them at shoulder-level—and no higher. Do not lift them up to your ears. Make sure to keep your head above your tailbone, too, with no movement in your upper torso. Reps/sets for best results: I recommend using 5- to 8-pound weights for three sets of 8 to 12 reps. Make sure to take a 30- to 45-second rest in between sets. I can't say this enough, but lateral raises are a prime shoulder move. It's an isolation exercise, meaning that it's extremely focused on a particular joint and group of muscles. In this case, it's your shoulder joints and your deltoid muscles. Strengthening these can protect you from future injuries when you're lifting—and score you toned shoulders at the same time. Do them with your thumbs up. Standard form for a lateral raise is with your palms facing down (as demonstrated above). But if you're struggling with this form, try doing the move with your thumbs up. With this modification, you'll find it's easier to keep your shoulders down and focus on that stability. Play with tempo. Try sneaking a three-second hold into your lateral raise before bringing your arms back down. This will build up your resistance and strength. Try a front raise instead. This is basically the same thing as a lateral raise, except you'll be bringing your arms up in front of you, rather than out to your sides. By doing so, you'll target slightly different muscles to mix it up. Add it to your shoulder circuit. Dumbbell lateral raises aren't meant to be a warm up and should only be done after you've substantially worked out the other parts of your upper body. This helps ensure you'll have the shoulder mobility to do the move correctly. Plus, lateral raises target smaller muscles, and I generally recommend starting with chest and back movements (since those are bigger muscles) to warm up first. Personally, I usually put my lateral raises about three quarters of the way into my shoulder circuit. You'll find that by warming up larger muscles first, it's easier to focus on form, avoid injury, and reap all the benefits the lateral raise has to offer. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals
