Who says you have to go to a gym to get exercise? Or even venture outside the house? From virtual training to live streaming, luxury at-home fitness is on the rise.
STATE-OF-THE-ART HOME GYMS
Health-minded homeowners are converting basements and garages, and allocating square footage in their houses to state-of-the-art workout space. And for equipment choices, the options are endless.
Fitness enthusiasts furnish home gyms with NordicTrack equipment, as well as free weights, benches, yoga mats, jumping ropes, and punching bags, among other accessories. Matrix Fitness features a portfolio of gym-quality cardio and strength equipment including ascent trainers and treadmills.
But things have gotten significantly more high-tech—and interactive, too. Cycling devotees work up a sweat on Peloton bikes, which offer live streaming and prerecorded classes, as well as instructions from meditation to toning. And there’s a new game in town, as the at-home bike from SoulCycle was released in March.
ALL-IN-ONE FITNESS SYSTEMS
For compact spaces, brands like Bowflex manufacture compact multigyms— machines for all muscle groups—but Jennifer Cohen, a fitness authority based in Los Angeles, swears by Tonal, a wall-hung screen with adjustable arms, enabling a full-body workout. It is “by far the only piece of fitness equipment you will ever need,” she says. “Tonal uses AI technology [artificial intelligence] that customizes your workouts and resistance level based on your level of strength and fitness.”
Similarly, the interactive Mirror touts itself as “the nearly invisible home gym,” providing every exercise session imaginable while occupying little space. Users hang or prop the streamlined mirror against a wall and have access to more than 10,000 on-demand classes.
LIVE STREAMING
Top studios around the world now live stream everything from Pilates and spin classes, to yoga and prenatal workouts.
Users can partake in the most exclusive boutique classes in New York and other cities through JetSweat, an iOS app and web-based platform offering premium fitness sessions from Hit House, The Dailey Method, and other studios. Content is refreshed weekly, with dozens of classes added each month. You’ll get personalized programs and real-time progress tracking. People can stream from the app to their phone or computer, or connect it to a TV through Airplay or Chromecast.
VIRTUAL ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING
According to Meg Julian, a Boston-based Precision Nutrition Certified Personal Trainer, a trend that has been growing in popularity is online personal training. Services run the gamut, “from individualized workout programs and semiweekly or daily accountability check-ins, and nutritional help to full Zoom sessions,” she says.
Julian explains that online personal training offers “progressive programs, not just workouts to burn calories, but ways to actually improve and see results.” To find a trainer, she suggests searching Instagram for hashtags such as #onlinepersonaltraining and #onlinefitnesscoach and visiting sites such as joinladder.com and nerdfitness.com.
YOGA AND MEDITATION ROOMS
Intense exercise works for some, but other fitness buffs prefer a more laid-back approach. Yoga and meditation rooms are an excellent way to decompress while staying physically fit.
These Zenlike spaces can be a dedicated place in the home or even a corner carved out of a bedroom. Whatever section of the house you choose, it should be uncluttered, with plenty of fresh air and natural light to help clear the mind. Introduce live greenery, earthy textiles, soft music, and a pleasant scent or aromatherapy.
With the plethora of apps available, at-home yoga and meditation sessions have never been easier. Both Apple Health and GoogleFit supported, Daily Yoga features more than 100 yoga and meditation classes for yogis at all levels. Apps like Calm, praised for its soothing background music, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques, and Aura, which provides three-minute meditations—ideal post-yoga—and life-coaching sessions, can enhance the at-home yoga and meditation experience.