Find Great Home Workouts On Your Streaming Service

By Rachelle Dragani

The pandemic hasn’t simply taken working from home to a new level—it’s also sparked a working out from home renaissance. If you’ve taken up powerlifting in your garage or Zumba-ed in your living room, you’re not alone. Sales of home fitness gear skyrocketed during the past year, and according to a survey by Wakefield Research, 9 out of 10 Americans who’ve worked out at home say they’ll continue to make it part of their exercise routine even when gyms fully reopen.

With so many choices online, when you can’t get to the gym, how do you choose a class to stream at home? Thankfully, streaming services you already use offer a wide variety of online exercise classes, from intense crossfit workouts to energetic dance classes to quick flexibility routines.

Amazon Prime workout videos 

When it comes to workout offerings, Prime Video is the clear leader in workout class offerings. Search for “Exercise & Fitness” to find videos that appeal. Here’s a sample:

Complete Yoga for Beginners Series – A great way to integrate something new into your routine.

21 Day Transformation – Jumpstart a new fitness goal in three weeks.

15-Minute HIIT 1.0 Workout – This workout cousin to crossfit gives you a burn without any gym equipment.

Zumba Max – High-energy dance moves right in your living room.

Guided Meditations – Relax and recharge in just 10 minutes.

Cosmic Yoga – Fun, interactive yoga classes for kids ages 3 and up.

Musical PE for You and Me – Keeps kids engaged with music and movement.

YouTube workout videos 

YouTube is also an excellent place to stream workout videos. The site has an incredibly wide variety of videos for every fitness level and interest, many professionally made and targeted to hyper-specific fitness goals or physical needs. 

Here are tips to help you find the best YouTube workout videos: 

Be specific. YouTube is great because it has so much to offer, but this also means it can be overwhelming to find the perfect workout during a quick browse. Think about exactly the kind of workout you want, and be precise when typing it into the search bar. If you can dream it, YouTube probably has it. Search based on the time, intensity level and type of exercise you want, like “15 minute beginner core workouts” or “60 minute intense full body workouts with dumbbells.” Add on qualifiers to make the workout suit you even better, like “no repeats” if you’re a person who gets bored with workouts easily; “Zumba workouts” or “kickboxing workouts” if you’re missing the classes you used to take at the gym; “no equipment” or “resistance band,” depending on the gear you have; or “cardio for stress relief” if you’ve had a long day. 

Go back and get the basics. Before you get too deep into your home fitness routine, check out quick YouTube videos that show you the proper form. Whether you’re trying to master downward dog during your online yoga classes or a dead lift with your new dumbbells, there are quick YouTube videos to help you do it correctly. 

Include qualifiers in your search. If you live in an apartment and have to consider your neighbors or have a small space for working out, you may be limited in the types of workouts you can do. Use search terms like “apartment friendly workout,” “no jumping workout,” “low impact workout,” “no noise workout” or “quiet workout.” You can always add other qualifiers based on your needs, like “30 minute intense cardio apartment friendly” or “full body workouts no jumping.” Some favorites are low-impact, no-jumping workouts from Heather Robertson and apartment-friendly bootcamps from Sydney Cummings.

Workout videos on Netflix, Hulu and Sling

It seems like every day there’s a new movie or series on Netflix to check out, but as of right now, the streaming service isn’t offering streaming workouts. The same goes for other big-name streaming services, including Hulu and Sling. All have offered some fitness offerings in the past (and may again), but for now, you’ll have to turn to other services to work up a sweat.

Why doesn’t Netflix have workout videos? There are likely several reasons, one of which is that the free fitness offerings on services like YouTube are so great. Instead, use Netflix or HBO Max to inspire your workouts. Search for documentaries about world-class athletes that will motivate you to give it your all during a great home sweat session.

Internet for home workouts

Now that you know how to boost your home workout game by getting even more out of your streaming services, make sure your internet service is up for the challenge. If you think it’s been a little slower or spottier than usual, try running an internet speed test. It can help you determine if and where there’s an issue. 

If you find your service isn’t meeting your needs, see if fiber internet is available in your area. It’s faster and more reliable than anything else on the market today—just what you need to make sure your internet can keep up with your new moves.

Program availability may have changed and is subject to change.