A guide to staying fit, at home
SINGAPORE (Apr 23): Working out, as they say, is a state of mind. Even though we are finding ourselves in a new environment where gyms are closed and outdoor activities are cancelled, staying fit is all about motivation. With that in mind, we recommend you stay fit at home with these workout apps and streams. You don’t need a fancy studio or even expensive equipment to get a good sweat — just bring yourself and your determination when you keep fit in your room.
Online gym options
UFIT
Singapore’s largest independent fitness UFIT will teach you how to work out from the comforts of your own home via video-conferencing platform Zoom. You can even enjoy some initial facetime with coaches and other fitness enthusiasts before joining the 30-minute sweat session, which you can stream from your living room.
To begin, UFIT will be running Burn, Pilates and Build virtual classes. They will also be doing a free weekly class, which you can register for via https://www.ufit.com.sg/virtual-classes. As for the other daily classes, you would have to purchase credits from the UFIT app or website. After that, go ahead and book your preferred class online. You will then receive an email with a unique Zoom link five minutes before each session is due to start.
Boom
Boxing and functional training gym Boom will be doing two live workouts, two pre-recorded videos in and two carousel posts weekly on workout routines to encourage everyone to get up and sweat. All these are available for free from Boom’s Instagram page (@boomsingapore). The workouts typically last about 30 to 50 minutes and you are encouraged to complete them at your own pace. Definitely a start a way working out during this lockdown period.
Some of the workouts posted will comprise functional movements and high intensity interval training (HIIT), as well as some other hybrid workouts that combine shadow boxing — used mainly to prepare the muscles before the person training engages in stronger physical activity — and HIIT. While Boom will be offering these workout routines for free, they will also be accepting donations of any amount (with half of the proceeds going towards a charity fund of their choosing).
Fitness Apps
You don’t need to belong to any gym to get your daily dose of exercise — just sign up these apps to keep fit while at home.
Nike Training Club
When it decided to release its training app for free, Nike said it did it “because now more than ever, we are all playing as one team.” Download the Nike Training Club (NTC) app from either the Android or Apple stores to get access to expertly designed workouts from world-class Nike master trainers. Perfect for training at home (or anywhere else), the NTC app will give you access to more than 190 free workouts across strength, endurance, yoga and mobility. The sessions range from 15 to 45 minutes each and are designed to help you see and feel results. Sign up now, the training app is free until further notice.
With the NTC app, you can even get access to the Workout Collections that offer a set of recommended workouts and guidance from the master trainers. They are a great way to discover new workouts, try community favourites or simply find the right workout to fit your daily routine.
Down Dog
Down Dog — the highest-rated app for practicing yoga at home — is offering free and total access to all its health and fitness apps till May 1. According to the brand: “Due to the current outbreak, many people are avoiding gathering in large groups, including at yoga studios and other fitness spaces. We believe that stressful times like these are precisely when people need wellness practices the most, and we are committed to doing our part to help out.” We recommend you try their signature Yoga app, which features over 60,000 different configurations of yoga practices like the Vinyasa, Yin and Sun Salutation practices. If nothing else, this is a good chance for you to stretch out your joints after hours of being stuck at home.
FitOn
Workout at home with world-class trainers: The FitOn mobile app — is one of the more popular ones offering a wide variety of workouts for all skill levels — is essentially a full gym in your mobile phone. It comes with personalised fitness plans and hundreds of workout classes to help you reach your goal, whatever it may be. This app is chock full with several types of workouts — including cardio, HIIT, strength, yoga, and even pre- and postnatal workouts.
Best of all, this app is free to download. But if you want more out of the app, you can opt to purchase the FitOn Pro to get premium features. It costs $27.98 a year and is loaded of features — like the ability to sync your workout with premium music from your Apple Music or Spotify playlists, a personalised meal plan, over 500 exclusive and healthy recipes, unlimited offline downloads as well as integrating your app to your Fitbit or Garmin fitness tracker watch so you can track your work out regime.
