With the stress of COVID-19 rolling across the globe and people either quarantining or choosing to stay inside more I thought it was the perfect time to share some of my favorite at home workouts with you guys. That and Robin Long of The Balanced Life is releasing another free challenge, starting on March 9th, that’s geared specifically for strength and stress relief and I didn’t want you to miss it!

The Balanced Life Pilates with Robin Long

My absolute favorite at home workout is Pilates through The Balanced Life; I’ve actually posted about her before. Robin is amazing and knows just what you need to hear. She offers a selection of her videos for free through her YouTube channel including a prenatal Pilates series that’s good for all three trimesters. (I came across her after Zoey was born so I haven’t looked too closely at her prenatal series, but I hear good things) and a Pilates for Pelvic Floor video. Most videos only need a yoga mat though when I started I got by with using the kids car mat on the rug. Some other extras you might eventually want if doing all her workouts are:

• a chair or accessible countertop for any barre workouts so you have something to hold onto
• light hand weights (1-3 lbs) if doing a weighted workout although I started out using two cans of beans (most important is that they’re the same weight)
• a couple sisterhood workouts (below) use a small blown up ball or Pilates ball, a Pilates ring, or a full sized foam roller

Although not free I had to share the paid aspect of The Balanced Life as I really believe in it. Her website The Balanced Life Online offers a subscription service giving you access to The Balanced Life Sisterhood that includes many more workout videos, a recipe central featuring healthy balanced meals and desserts, and access to an amazing community on her Facebook group. I joined the Sisterhood back in June of 2018 and I’ve been so grateful I came across her challenge and chose to join. The Sisterhood is amazing if you have any questions pertaining to a balanced life and really amplifies Robin’s ‘Grace over Guilt’. There’s a video library on the website, for the Sisterhood, that’s updated monthly along with an easy to follow five day a week schedule. If you aren’t interested in a subscription and prefer a one time purchase she also offers a set of programs. I’ve purchased both her Reset and Summer Sculpt programs (available only at specific times in the year) that come with a meal plan and workout videos. They really helped me start eating a more balanced diet and I noticed a big difference in my sleep quality and overall feeling whenever I was on them. The Sisterhood is only opened to join at the end of each challenge so, I’m guessing, it should be opening after the Pilates Strength and Stress Relief Challenge finishes but if you’re interested and are reading this later my code should get you in without the waitlist (and if you join I get $20 added to my account for the next time my membership renews).

If you’re interested in her free Pilates Strength and Stress Relief Challenge it starts on March 9th, 2020. If you’re reading this before or during the week of March 9th you can easily sign up through the banner at the top of her website or through the link on her Instagram page. I came across Robin through her Mind Body Pilates Challenge she put on and I’m so glad I did. My favorite part of Robin’s workout videos are the positive messages, or lack of negative messages, she has in each video. I never worry about what my kids might be hearing in the workouts and, lately, Ada been asking to do mommy workout videos and I feel great turning on one of Robin’s stretch workouts for her. We both love it. Over the years I’ve been asked about Robin’s location, why she’s doing what she’s doing, people or animals in the background, and many other questions as I do my workouts.

Sarah Beth Yoga

I came across Sarah Beth through The Balanced Life Sisterhood Facebook group when another member recommended her and I love her yoga videos. I find with yoga I go through seasons where I enjoy it and then there are other seasons where I look for something a little more intense. Either way she has a wide selection of amazing videos for free through her YouTube account although she has also started a membership app subscription. A while back, after I got sick, I somehow hurt my neck and it hurt even to shoulder check while driving. I chose to search through her videos and found a neck and shoulder routine which really helped. I find she has a wide range of videos from being sick (using a bolster or pillow to stretch and relax) or yoga in bed to fall asleep all the way to a great power yoga workout when you want a challenge.

FitOn

I found this app a while back on my iPhone, looking back at the reviews it seemed like you used to have to pay for the app access although now it was free, and I went on to use it a couple times before setting it aside and forgetting about it. Four to six months ago I came across it again when I was looking for higher paced workouts and I now love it. It’s the perfect way to change up my Pilates (though Pilates is still the default) with high quality workout videos without having to pay extra so there’s no guilt if I don’t use it for a bit. Looking quickly online I see the app is also available through the Google Play store, they have a website, and they also have a YouTube channel although it looks like the channel only offers quick under one minute video blurbs. When January hit (January 1st, 2020) they started offering a premium service that I’ve ignored which looks like it includes a meal plan and premium music. The app also has some workout videos at set times if you want to workout with other people but as they’re also offered in the library I’ve never tried the live group ones.

POPSUGAR Fitness

When I really want a change from the above workouts I occasionally pop onto YouTube and browse through the many videos POPSUGAR Fitness offers. I feel like I came across them years ago and keep forgetting and refinding them. The most recent video I followed was a 30 minute workout guest starring STRONG by Zumba® and a 30-Minute No-Equipment Cardio Kickboxing Workout that certainly changed my routine up.

When trying out new videos on YouTube I usually wait until the kids are out of the house with Matt before I break into them as I never know whats going to be said whether it’s a negative body image (for example getting bikini ready) or the words in the song you dance to. A while back, when I was looking for cardio workouts, I came across The Fitness Marshall but with the kids in the office with Matt and me wearing headphones I still worried about them coming into the living room and what they’d see. I haven’t tried his workout videos since although I could see them being a great cardio workout especially if I’m home alone although more recently the promise of POPSUGAR Fitness sounded better than trying The Fitness Marshall again.

MadFit

Updated April 10th, 2020: I wanted to add MadFit to this list. She has awesome at-home workouts on YouTube that I’ve been going to more frequently than many of the others. If you’re looking for a break in your daily schedule she also has a playlist that consists entirely of single song workouts.

I wanted to share the Pilates Strength and Stress Relief Challenge offered through The Balanced Life before it started on March 9th and with the COVID-19 stress amplifying life around the globe right now I figured this was a perfect time to share both the free challenge and my favorite, mostly, free workout sources. I hope this helps you find a new favorite to workout with and feel a bit better. I’d love to have a more diverse range of workout sources for myself so if you have any I’d love to hear about them. If you share in the comments below anyone looking for a free fun workout will be able to find yours too. You can also share on my Facebook page or through Instagram if you’d prefer. I hope this helps you have a slightly less stressful day, week, month, or year.