10 of the best at-home workouts

Many things have changed over recent months, not least how we work out. With many of us spending more time at home than before, we’ve had to take our exercise regimens in hand and get creative with our workouts. Our homes proved to be versatile as they had to double up as yoga studios and gym floors and now, with many of us settled into our new routines, the gym looks less appealing. Not surprisingly, a survey conducted by online broker TD Ameritrade has concluded that 59% of Americans have no intention of renewing their gym memberships at all. If you too are newly committed to working out from the comfort of your own home, we have rounded up the best classes and programs to keep you motivated and on-track…

It’s the fitness destination that’s become synonymous with being kinder to your body, which is why it’s become a global wellness club that offers more than just a workout (the Bodyism clean and lean shakes and recipes – particularly the pancakes – are well worth recreating at home). Their newly created virtual membership allows you to access all the live classes, from yoga and boxing to HIIT, as well as the infamous Bodyism Blueprint, plus unlimited access to pre-recorded content. bodyism.com

This cheerful Aussie trainer is a permanent fixture on the London Barre scene – and for good reason. Paola’s classes involve moves from many dynamic disciplines, including Pilates, ballet conditioning and HIIT training, all complemented with light weights for resistance. And if you don’t have the kit at home, don’t worry – Paola and her PBB team of trainers give great alternatives to dumbbells, Pilates balls and resistance bands, to ensure your at-home workouts are still as sweat-inducing as ever. Catch her classes on Zoom daily. paolasbodybarre.com

There are good legs and then there are great legs, with lasting, lean definition. How to get them? All it requires are some simple yet strategic changes to your workout. Mary Helen Bowers – founder of workout sensation and A-list favorite Ballet Beautiful – is responsible for defining and finessing some of the world's most famous (and most coveted) limbs. Now you can stream the former prima ballerina’s workouts at home from her archive of 300 (and growing) library of videos and workout programs. balletbeautiful.com

Sweat With Kayla, which combines daily workouts with nutritional advice, has become the most-downloaded fitness app in the world. The app features a photo tracker – Kayla Itsines frequently shares these before-and-after images on Instagram to motivate her millions of followers (aka Kayla’s Army) – as well as nutrition advice and her no-equipment-needed 28-minute, high-intensity workouts, which are short enough to suit busy lives but rigorous enough to deliver results (it’s called “Sweat with…” for a reason). It also links to your Apple watch, allowing you to seamlessly track your steps, do a workout or a foam-roll stretch session with a video on your wrist. Available at kaylaitsines.com, Android, iOS and Apple TV

Boxing without gloves, or even a punchbag, may sound like it shouldn’t work, but this virtual boxing workout, co-founded by Louis Rennocks, a Barry’s Boot Camp trainer, does. The classes marry short, sharp rounds of boxing moves with bodyweight exercises (think burpees, push-ups and squats), followed by a cooldown. It’s fast, furious and very fun. Gloves are not needed, but an exercise band is advised. If you’ve never done boxing before, there is a speedy 60-second technique video that is helpful to watch beforehand – and the handy add-on yoga training videos will help remind you to stretch out and soothe sore, fatigued muscles after each session. Available at theBoxxMethod.com, Android, iOS and Apple TV

This is a favorite with models, influencers and editors for good reason. Much like Pilates, the workout method of slow and controlled sculpting, weighted movements and stances focuses on toning and lengthening unused deep muscle groups such as those in the butt, thighs and abs. In other words, it avoids adding bulk. The streaming platform offers more than 200 workouts, which can be filtered according to duration and body focus. And don’t confuse slow with gentle: if the weights you’re using are sufficiently heavy (5kg or more), the burn is increased but without causing injury to joints. P.volve.com

She’s the woman behind some of the most famous bodies in Hollywood – Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez and Alessandra Ambrósio among them – so it should come as no surprise that Tracy Anderson’s workouts come with a cult-like following, not only in her US studios, but online as well. Be warned, though: these sessions are not for the sweat-shy. The dynamic workouts are based on following and repeating what Anderson is doing. While the high-powered leg movements can be a little complex to master at first, if you persevere you’ll find muscle tone is carved out quickly. Tracyanderson.com

While Psycle may be famed first and foremost for its high-octane spin classes, its fast-paced yoga, sculpting strength work and brilliantly difficult barre workouts have proved just as popular with its gym community. What’s more, its new digital sessions effortlessly bring its vivacious trainers and heart-pumping workouts to the comfort of your own home through the Psycle IGTV channel. We recommend the 30-minute cardio flow with instructor Marion Pearce, and the 15-minute barre burn, which needs no equipment. @psyclelondon

Former dancer Simone De La Rue has gained a global A-list following thanks to her cult fitness studio and high-energy cardio and rebounding classes. Now, her upbeat approach and workouts can also be streamed on her Body By Simone platform to guide you wherever you are. The archive of workouts, along with constant new updates, focuses on specific areas of the body and require little equipment. As a new mother herself, Simone has also introduced a pre- and postnatal series to guide you safely through each trimester and beyond. Bodybysimone.com

Private one-to-one sessions ranging from yoga and physio to circuits and meditation are the premise behind Urban’s new digital service, the Stay at Home Club, which aims to deliver two-way video calls with the practitioner or trainer of your choice. This means you are personally coached in real time, in sessions ranging from 20 to 55 minutes. With self-care more important now than ever, we love how a one-to-one morning meditation or a private fitness class in the evening helps to maintain our wellbeing so effortlessly. Currently available in the UK and France, with more countries following suit soon. Urban.co

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