Gym closed? Here are some home workouts for physicians to try
Key Takeaways
Due to the growing number of state-mandated shut-down orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of health-conscious Americans will spend the majority of their day indoors, but that should not be an excuse to become sedentary. While getting to the gym for a workout or just staying physically active might be a challenge in the next few months, there are ways to get moving, right from home.
Working out at home has a lot of benefits. First and foremost, you’re doing your part to help contain the spread of COVID-19 while keeping yourself healthy and infection-free. Second, what could be easier and more convenient than not having to leave the house to get your workout in? And, believe it or not—thanks to all the fitness apps and YouTube channels that have sprung up over the past few years—there’s a myriad of at-home workout options to choose from.
Whether you’re looking for a way to keep track of your workout through an app or searching for instructional videos to follow on YouTube, here are some ways you can keep physically fit in the comfort of your home:
Fitness apps
Fitness apps can be used primarily to keep track of workouts and progress, or as a fitness coach, as most apps have voice prompted, timed workouts regimens. Most apps will not require you to follow a video during the workout, so it’s mostly a hands-free experience.
Availability: Apple Store
Cost: Free
Level: All levels
This app from Johnson & Johnson is the #1 fitness app in 127 countries, including the US. It includes 12 high-intensity bodyweight exercises, with 30 seconds per exercise and 10 seconds of rest in between. These simple and fast workouts, designed to be done daily, give you a full-body challenge for improved fitness and weight loss. Workouts range from 7 to 32 minutes, and can be synced to your iTunes music account. Even better: No subscription and no equipment are needed for this free workout plan.
Availability: Apple Store
Cost: $15/month after free trial
Level: All levels
The Aaptiv app gives you thousands of voice-guided workouts featuring licensed music, so you don’t have to worry about setting up a playlist to run with your workout. Workouts are categorized by exercise type (eg, strength training and stretching) and include estimated length and difficulty levels, as well as ratings from other users. After a free trial period, you will have to pay a monthly fee (about $15/month).
Availability: Google Play, Apple Store
Cost: Free option available, otherwise $9.99/month
Level: All levels
Although it’s from Fitbit, this app requires no Fitbit device and offers clear video instructions from your choice of professional, enthusiastic instructors. The Fitbit Coach app is free. If you choose to upgrade to Fitbit Coach Premium, however, you’ll have access to more bodyweight, running, and walking workout programs and personalized plans, audio coaching, a wider choice of trainers, and several music stations. But, these features will cost you $9.99/month.
Availability: Google Play, Apple Store
Cost: $11.95/month or $8.25/month for 1 year subscription ($99 billed annually)
Level: All levels
For yoga buffs, Gaia makes yoga accessible and encourages healthier habits. Pluses include a wide choice of workouts from which you can create personalized daily plans. Workouts include those that focus on core, cardio, and detox, for everyone from beginners to athletes. Mindfulness exercises, breathing, and relaxation techniques are also included.You can choose varied programs, from 15 minutes in length to 2 hours.
Availability: Google Play, Apple Store
Cost: Free
Level: All levels
TRX is one of the top-rated pilates apps, and offers a wealth of unique workouts like running, functional training, yoga, cycling, and many others. Customize each workout, and listen to world-class coaches to keep you motivated. Workouts are available for all body types and performance levels, and each adapts to you and pushes you to work progressively harder.
Availability: Google Play, Apple Store
Cost: one time fee of $4.99; other in-app purchases
Level: All levels
You Are Your Own Gym offers complete bodyweight exercise plans from fitness instructor and author Mark Lauren. The app includes both push and pull exercise, targeting core, legs, and even includes whole body exercises. You can choose programs as short as 2-minute to as long as 36 minutes. The app comes complete with a comprehensive photo library of over 200 different bodyweight exercises. Designed to get you in shape in as little as 30 minutes.
YouTube fitness channels
And for instructional/motivational videos you can follow along to from your computer or TV, check out YouTube. There’s a host of fitness instructors to follow, for all your workout needs. With all these great options bringing you workouts to do right in your own home and provide you—essentially—with your own fitness trainer, you may never have to go back to the gym again. Here’s a smattering of some of the offerings you’ll find on YouTube:
With almost 5 million subscribers Bodybuilding.com has to be doing something right. With hundreds of workout videos focused on bodybuilding and healthy recipes, this YouTube channel is like having a personal trainer, a nutritionist, a supplement expert, a lifting partner, and a support group all rolled into one. There’s a huge mix of workouts presented by motivational athletes and fitness influencers. Bodybuilding.com also offers podcasts focused on strength, nutrition, and motivation. There’s also a full playlist of recipes to keep you eating healthy.
For hardcore fitness buffs, BodyRock might be the perfect fit. This 24-hour fitness channel provides you with free, daily, HIIT exercises. There’s lots of variations on traditional exercises, plus tutorials to help you keep up. This channel is for serious, hardcore HIIT devotees, who want variety and challenge.
Offering routines for all fitness levels, HASfit has thousands of fitness programs. From a short and sweet 12-minute oblique workout, for example, to a 30-day ab challenge—there’s something for everyone at every fitness level.
For a wide range of workout videos from top trainers like Jillian Michaels, Billy Blanks, Jane Fonda, Scott Herman, and others, BeFiT is the channel to go to when you’re looking for anything workout-related. With everything from a 5-minute recovery tutorial to 6-week fitness programs, BeFiT offers its nearly 3 million subscribers plenty of variety. From cardio, fat burning, and running workouts, to weigh training and stretching, BeFiT has something for everyone at any level. In fact, it’s like a clearinghouse of high-quality workouts to reshape and tone your body from head to toe—all from the comfort of your house.
With over 400 videos and over 6 million subscribers, Adrienne Mishler may just be the queen of YouTube yoga. She covers a wide range of yoga applications, from meditations, to yoga for pain, for bedtime, under 10-minute-yoga sessions. All levels of yogis are welcome.
Sansone incorporates interval training and constant walking for a full workout with zero equipment. These workouts are for all levels, but are also perfect for those with physical limitations or those who just want an alternative to classic cardio options.