Because it's the next best thing to being there
YouTube workouts are all well and good, but on the third time of doing the same routine they can start to get tedious – especially when you know at exactly what point the trainer is going to hit you with cheesy words of encouragement.
With gyms and studios temporarily closing due to coronavirus, lots of classes are being taken online for live workouts giving the chance to live stream your favourite class or even try a class you’ve always been fearful of actually attending – Barry’s Bootcamp, we’re looking at you!
Read on for the studios and brands offering live stream classes to help you feel a part of a community even when you’re self-isolating.
Triyoga
Online yoga and pilates classes and therapies
Triyoga is offering classes via Zoom to help create the feeling of an actual class; a variety of different teachers are taking classes including vinyasa to restorative, yin to ashtanga, yoga for cancer to pregnancy as well as pilates and some special classes to de-stress, to sleep and to keep kids entertained while they're being home-schooled.
Pyscle
Barre, strength and yoga classes from the iconic spin studio
I don't know many people who have a spin bike at home, so I'm thankful to see that spin studio Psycle has put together a schedule of live stream classes including barre, yoga and strength training, so we can continue to get our hit of Psycle. So far I've tried the Booty Blast class (agony, but in the best way), Yoga Revival (challenging but great to wake you up in the morning) and Soulful Flow which was also tricky, but I didn't find my muscles shaking quite as much as in the other two. Don't worry if you miss the class on Instagram Live, as they are all saved on the Psycle IGTV channel. The classes are free, but there is a page you can use to donate to support the studio .
Hotpod Yoga
Online classes - without the pod
Obviously the appeal of Hotpod Yoga is the hot pod (nothing quite compares to the warmth and relaxing vibe of that blow up pod), but the yoga teachers are top notch too and now you can stream them directly into your home. To join a class, simply book via the website or app like normal, then you'll be asked to donate - either £0, £2, £5 or £10. The money will go towards supporting the team in these tricky times
Fly LDN
Barre, pilates and yoga from one of London's coolest studios
Fly LDN offers fitness and yoga classes for non-yogis with a timetable comprising pilates, yoga and barre, often with a twist (think hip hop candlelit yoga). In these trying times the studio is offering three classes a day on Instagram Live. Tune in and zone out from the world. Over the weekend I tried both Slow Flow and Chill - chill was a slow paced yin practice, holding positions for longer periods of time and the session flew by.
Digme
Themed daily work out schedules
I try to attend Tally Rye 's classes at Digme every week, so was definitely missing her energy during self-isolation. Luckily Digme has put together daily schedules to keep me going until the studio doors are open again. There are several work outs each day and they seem to be themed - Sunday was all chill with yoga classes and stretching, while Monday was about kick starting the week. I did the 30 minute Sunday Unwind Yoga and loved it - I'll be keeping an eye out for it on their online schedule to see when I can do it again.
Soul Cycle
Daily Instagram Lives offering work outs and inspirational talks
Spinning at Soul Cycle is one of the most upbeat and inspiring work outs going, so it's very on-brand that rather just simply host live stream work outs, the studio is also offering inspirational talks for people to tune into - exactly what we need in these trying times.
Sweat It
Challenging HIIT workouts for all areas of the body
When I really, really want to push myself in a workout, I book into a class at Sweat It - it comprises treadmill sprints with HIIT on the floor and I always leave soaked in sweat. After a long and lonely day working at home, with little movement other than between my desk and the kitchen, a livestream of one of their challenging workouts is exactly what I need - the London studio has put together a timetable of livestream work outs for people to tune into, and the best news? Nobody will see how ridiculously sweaty you are afterwards.
Ciara London
Instagram Live workouts with one of social media's most sought after trainers
Personal trainer Ciara Madden (AKA Ciara London) trains editors and influencers, as well as leading the Sculpt programme at boutique gym Boxr in North London. Luckily for us she's taking to Instagram Live during the pandemic with a number of different classes including HIIT Tabata, resistance band training and full-body weights workouts.
Re:Mind
Meditation and crystal sound bowl sessions from the comfort of your home
Re:Mind studio is a peaceful space in central London that offers workshops in yoga, breathwork, meditation and tea ceremonies – we’ve been known to frequent the crystal sound bowls classes on particularly hard-going weeks. Sadly the studio has closed temporarily due to the pandemic, but they’ve taken their classes online. Live sessions can be booked through the website , then you just download conference calling service Zoom (free) and click a link to join the class. The online classes are capped at 14 people to keep the sessions intimate.
Barry’s Bootcamp
Hardcore HIIT without leaving the house
Barry’s Bootcamp is holding regular Instagram Lives for people to workout along to. People don't need anything to work out, just bodyweight – ideal if you’re not normally a work-out-at-home kind of person so don't have a cupboard full of equipment.
Yogaloft
At home vinyasa flow, ashtanga and mummy and baby yoga
You normally need to head to one of Yogaloft's London studios for a slice of the action, but they're livestreaming their classes while the studios are temporarily shut, with around eight classes per day available to join in online. Book here .
Rebecca Louise Fitness
Bodyweight workouts for beginners to pros
I’ve been following fitness influencer Rebecca Louise on YouTube since 2014 and always love her workouts. She does live workouts too which are normally behind a paywall but with all that is going on at the moment she’s regularly doing live workouts for free - keep an eye on her Instagram for times and dates.
Beeja Meditation
Daily meditation sessions to soothe anxiety
London meditation centre Beeja Meditation is best known for hosting meditation courses, but during the Coronavirus outbreak, they’ll be hosting a daily live meditation session at 12 midday with founder Will Williams on Instagram. The sessions are designed to reduce anxiety and stress levels – ideal for anyone who is finding their anxiety heightened at the current time.
Cirq
Super-fast micro-HIIT sessions
London circuits studio Cirq is offering bodyweight micro-HIIT sessions at ten to 15 minutes long, live on Instagram from Thursday 19th at 8am, 8.20am, 8.40am, as well as 6pm, 6.20pm, 6.40pm
Results Wellness Lifestyle
Legs, bums and tums and kettlebell sessions
Formerly known as Results With Lucy, this online workout programme offers weekly live classes – coronavirus or no coronavirus - but has upped this to one per day for the next few weeks. You can work out alongside the rest of the community on Instagram live, and the live classes are uploaded to YouTube too, so it’s not an issue if you’re busy when the live class takes place.
Shona Vertue live workouts
Yoga and bodyweight classes with David Beckham's trainer
Shona Vertue is a personal trainer and yoga teacher with over 400k on Instagram – she’s even trained David Beckham – so we were excited to see she’s put together a whole programme of live Insta workouts from yoga to bodyweight classes – keep an eye on who’s joining the class, you might see Becks’ name pop up…
Centr
Work out with Chris Hemsworth's team
Chris Hemsworth’s health and fitness app Centr offers HIIT workouts for people of all fitness levels with little to no gym equipment needed. At the moment the app is offering a bi-weekly Instagram live work out with Chris' PT Luke Zocchi, kicking off at 8pm on March 18. If we end up even half as sculpted as Chris, we're in.
What other gyms are doing
If you're getting cabin fever and feel confident to brave the great outdoors, Chelsea studio Flex has, who have chosen to close temporarily to protect clients, is offering workouts in the park for maximum six people per session in Eel Brook Common (near the studio) The classes will be £15 each - DM @flexchelsea or go online to the timetable to book .
Rather than letting their bikes get dusty while they're not being used, London cycle studio Static Flow delivered their bikes to their members and NHS workers to use while the studio is closed. Shoes were delivered too and playlists and workouts are in progress.
For those who prefer a pre-recorded workout, or can't join Instagram Lives as and when they happen (conference calls are a thing, after all), bouji London studio Core Collective is offering a new on-demand fitness video service, named CCTV. It will encompass the entire Core Collective offering including Sweat, Train, Strength, Pilates, and Yoga, and will be available from Monday 23 March. Each session will be taught by one of Core Collective’s expert trainers and will have two participants in each video to demonstrate for beginners through to advanced gym-users.
All videos have been filmed in Core Collective’s swish studios and the service will be available as a pay-as-you-go monthly subscription of £12.99 with the classes between five and 45 minutes long.
Rumble Gym in Dalston is one studio that really piqued our interest this year thanks to the space being fitted with sound frequencies that are below hearing level, but enhance your class. The gym will be releasing one class a day at 9am with different instructors over the next few day for people to tune into. These videos will be available on their social channels and on their website.