A gym membership may seem like the first step in any resolution to be healthier, but usage statistics suggest they may not, in fact, be that great of an investment.
The average gym membership costs just under $60 per month, and 67% of memberships go unused. Meanwhile, memberships to specialized workouts like Crossfit have the fit-minded shelling out hundreds per month.
The number of at-home alternatives is growing, though, thanks to apps, streaming videos, online communities and more. These options tend to be more affordable and offer added value in their convenience and accessibility.
KatNap Fitness, for instance, is a recently launched online fitness program that's like Netflix for workout videos. For $9.95 a month, members get access to the entire KatNap fitness library, plus three new workouts every few weeks. Videos clock in at just 30 minutes and require minimal equipment.
While KatNap hangs its hat on cost and convenience, the program is also meant to be fun and comfortable. Founder Kat Napolitano taught fitness classes professionally for years, then found herself in less than tip-top shape after starting a family and shifting her job. She hopes her relatable figure and approach makes exercise more accessible to "normal, average people."
Health researcher Dan Pardi is behind nutrition and fitness platform humanOS, which is set to launch in the coming months. Pardi acknowledged gym, Crossfit and other memberships can have benefits but added that their "engrained culture ... creates a distorted view of what’s necessary to be healthy." His diet and exercise program starts at just $5 per month and emphasizes working health into your day-to-day routine.
One perk of the gym, Pardi noted, is the motivation that comes from having a workout community, but online forums and social media have baked that into home workouts, too. Erin Motz is the founder of Bad Yogi, which offers free and paid yoga courses, plus a forum. She said Bad Yogi's online community (now about 100,000 strong) helps re-create the shared experience many people initially go to a gym or studio for — and at a fraction of the cost.
Between the price point and added perks, home workouts can be an appealing option for folks seeking a better, lasting return on their fitness investment.
5 Free Home Workouts to Try Today
- Bad Yogi: Join the club via email and get a free new yoga class every Monday. badyogiofficial.com/bad-yogi-club/
- FitBreak by Weight Watchers: Download the free app and get more than 70 easy ways to move throughout the day.
- BODY: Try the free intro class for this Web app, which sets itself apart with live online workouts. If you’re a fan, you can get unlimited classes for $30 a month. www.getbodyapp.com/
- FitStar Personal Trainer: Enter your preferences and progress and you’ll get custom workouts from this free app.
- Daily Burn: Membership to this website, which has new videos every day, costs $12.95 per month, but you can try the first 30 days free. dailyburn.com/?s1#affordability
