Fitness on Demand Services

I've been using Les Mills+ (previously Les Mills on Demand) for about 2 years now. I originally purchased it after doing some of their free Body Combat workouts on YouTube and wanting more. Originally, I only did Body Combat and occasional Body Pump just with the dumbbells that I had at the time. Eventually I bought a reasonably priced (sub $400) spin bike on Amazon and have been VERY happy with The Trip and Sprint (both bike classes). I've since started lifting and dont use it quite as much now (maybe 3x a week rather than 5-6x), and never do Body Pump anymore, but I'm still really happy to have it. They have workout plans, but I never use them, instead I pick and choose based on the amount of time I have and what I "need" for the week.

They don't have like, Set workout programs like Beach Body does - where you decide you're doing P90x and it populates a workout program for you based on that. the workout plans draw from all of their programs and create the plan using a variety of programs. I stick mostly with Body Combat and the bike programs (there are three...I can not say enough good things about The Trip and Sprint....), but they have a flexibility program that I love as well. I have done Body Attack also. There are several I've never even touched - Barre (tried it...but it was so hard...), Sh'bam (dance), another dance program I can't remeber, Yoga, Step, Core etc etc. I like the instructors, they're not cheesy and ridiculous and I like how flexible it is - each program has full length, 30 minute, "short", "remix" etc options. All indoors, and with limited equipment. They have a 30 day free trial right now - it's definitely worth checking out. I'm way happier with this than I was with my library of fitness DVDs, running, youtube workouts, PopSugar, etc.

The downside is it's not compatible on all smart TVs. I have an LG and the app doesn't function with an LG. I run it through a firestick though and all is well and it's no big deal.

I was DEFINITELY a beginner (again...) when I started it. When you use the app, there are training videos and such in each program - in Body Combat it walks you through punches/kicks etc, in the bike programs it walks you through setting your bike, etc. Outside of that, I wouldn't necessarily say there is anything EXPLICITLY for beginners, but for the most part, they give you modifications. I started with Body Combat - so initially, I just did the modifications and stuck to the shorter workouts. For context, when I started doing Body Combat I was 5'5 and close to 230 lbs with bad knees and I was able to make it work for me.

They have workouts running anywhere from 8-60 minutes, depending on the program. If you're interested at all in Body Combat, the Les Mills channel actually has a beginner 14 (or something) day workout on there. It's the same workout, but its cut in different ways/lengths to make it less intense/shorter. I like this - for me, I don't want a "beginner" workout, necessarily...but I do want something that is doable and still challenging regardless of my fitness level and I've found pretty much all of this to be that. Body Combat is reasonably high impact (mixed martial arts based cardio) and is my favorite, but maybe your foot isn't up to that. Barre is really hard for me, but is lower impact. Sh'bam is both lower impact and lower intensity (dance). Core is low impact but kills my abs (and is worth every minute). Pump is low impact, high rep/low weight strength training. Some of the moves there require a step, but I dont have one and just modify the moves to do them without. I started that at probably 220 lbs with 2, 5 and 8 lb dumbbells - totally doable also.

I steer clear from Grit - I'm not ready for that and probably never will be. Attack is like sort of like Body Combat - simple moves, but impact and intensity of your choosing based on how hard you want to work. I really think there is something for everybody, without getting too corny (BeachBody Country Heat, I'm looking at you....).

The bike programs require a bike, but nothing else does. I didn't buy a bike until I paid for my 2nd year, and that was purely out of curiosity because I had been scrolling by those bike programs for a year without being able to check them out. I do really like them though. I still haven't tried the Step program because I don't have a step, but I plan to give that a shot eventually.

Right now they have a 30 day free trial, and like everything else, is cheaper if you pay for a full year. A fill year is about $120 a year. If you pay monthly, its like, $15 a month. I think they have a 3 month for under $40 also. Give the 30 day trial a shot - it's worth trying!

And. You can cast from your phone. I tried it once initially and didn't love it, it seemed to lag a lot for me, but that's probably my internet or something. The firestick worked out a lot better for me (I now use it on a projector in my basement, still through a firestick), but if casting is your jam, it can totally be cast.