Focus On: YouTube Fitness
Even though I usually have some kind of gym membership, I really like working out at home. It’s convenient, NBD if nothing in your outfit matches or if you have yet to brush your teeth that morning, and it’s pressure-free if you’re trying something new or different. My Carmen Electra striptease DVD comes to mind… needless to say, I looked like a giant goober, may or may not have fallen off my chair, and only one person was laughing with me 😉
Oh, plus the stink eye from Bell:
She gives me those glares and then expects me to throw her toy for her the entire time I’m in plank pose. So rude 😉
While I’ve always enjoyed workout DVDs and other at-home workout options,
YouTube introduced me to an entire realm of new (and freeeeeee!) workouts.
Here are some of my favorite YouTube workouts and trainers:
Enter “Zumba” in the search bar and hundreds of videos will pop up. The only prob is that Zumba recently urged instructors to remove “Zumba” from their YouTube usernames and dance titles, so it makes the best ones a little more challenging to find. The good news is that there are so many to choose from, and you can get in an entire Zumba class in your living room. Bonus: you can shake like crazy sans any inhibition 😉
To make a full class, search for “Zumba” + the following:
-Warm-up
-Salsa
-Cumbia
-Reggaeton
-Merengue
-Flamenco
-Bellydance
-Quebradita
-Cool Down
My friend Cassey creates and films incredible Pilates workouts to target every muscle group. She’s a total sweetheart and (almost) makes you forget how much pain you’re in while you’re doing them.
Beloved Butt Blaster:
I’ve been a huge fan of Zuzana’s workouts since I started Bodyrockin’ last year. Now, she has her own YouTube channel and posts workouts and recipes.
Ab-inspiration, fo sho.
You may have seen her yoga workouts in Women’s Health- I would love to take one of her classes eventually. In the meantime, here are some amazing YouTube yoga routines:
An incredible source for legit fitness, nutrition and training information:
The Tone It Up girls
I’m a huge fan of the Tone It Up girls (you can read my review of their meal plan here) and they’re always updating their YouTube channel. Expect to find lots of foodie finds, fitness routines and adventures from two gorgeous ladies.
So there ya have it: some of my favorite YouTube fitness options 🙂
Do you use the internet for workout videos? What’s your favorite YouTube channel?
We’re off to get pedicures with the girls -hope you have a wonderful day! <3
xoxo
Gina
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Wow, thanks so much for sharing these Gina! I love Zuzanna’s workouts but hadn’t heard about some of the others. PS- your video of teaching the Zumba class was one of my faves! I don’t normally work out at home, but I’m going to bookmark this and give some of the workouts a try. Thanks!
Thanks for all the online resources!
I do a lot of the Tone It Up videos since I’m on the plan and absolutely LOVE them! I want to try out these other ones though, in particular POP pilates & zumba! Great post and can’t wait to try some of these out!
Wow, great post! I want to try out all of these videos. Thanks for the zumba search tips; what a creative way to put together a workout. I really like the FitSugar 10-minute workout videos – there’s so many which makes it easy to change up the type of workout you’re doing, and if you do a few videos back-to-back you can get in some great exercise at home.
I loved the video on abs by Tone it Up Girls! With spring break coming up I always see girls put abs excercises on pintrest, but this is just more realistic advice on how to get abs in shape.
Thanks Gina! I have never done a YouTube workout video before, but now I plan to!
I never thought of that…thanks for the suggestion!
I love Tone It Up and POP Pilates as well 🙂 Sarah Fit also has some great videos! I really want to try BodyRock but I’m a little terrified…haha they look pretty hardcore
Thanks! I don’t have a gym membership, so I am always looking for new material online. I have been Bodyrocking and enjoying Cassey’s videos for a while now. These are great! I also love Mindy Mylrea’s channel on YouTube. She has some great Tabata workouts.
i love mindy mylrea, too- she’s amazing 🙂
I love the Tone It Up girls too! I’ve used their print out workouts to make up my own routines. I’ve had people come up to me at the gym and tell me they secretly have started using my routine, and I always direct them to ToneItUp.com 🙂
I am so happy that you posted this as I am looking for at home options. Do you have a yoga DVD that you can recommend in addition to these? I do love the idea of YouTube :)!
i love the yogalosophy dvd (a little non-traditional but a great workout) and the shiva rea dvds
Great and helpful post! I love a group atmosphere, but I’m definitely on a tight budget. So free workouts at home are what I usually turn to. Normally they’re from blog posts, but now I know where to look on YouTube as well 🙂
Thanks for sharing these! Working out at home is my favorite way to work out. I have to try some of those Zumba videos
GREAT post!!! I do not have a gym membership so I love to find Youtube workouts. I love the idea of putting together a zumba workout! I have the Wii game but this can add some variety as well. I love PopPilates as well as Zuzana. I love her even more now that she has her own channel. 🙂
such a great resource, thanks for sharing Gina!
I never thought of youtube for workouts! I have workout tv on demand and I used to use that for various videos, I really liked the Jackie Warner ones.
I also have a bunch of Jillian Michael’s videos.
Right now I’m going through P90X. I’ve actually never really worked out at a gym.
I have a lot of different options close by, but I just can’t justify the monthly cost for hubby and I when were able to get a good workout at home. Plus the convenience is a awesome.
Enjoy your pedicure with the girls. You deserve it! Some pampering and time with adult women where you can talk, relax, and laugh…is so important! HAVE FUN!
Thanks Gina, I love it… some new at home options !!
why haven’t I thought about looking this up on youtube… Great post
This is a FANTASTIC post! Thank you so much for putting it together, now there are no excuses not to move! There’s lots of new things to try, and I can’t wait to get home and make a fun mix of them!
Yes, I just found Zuksana’s youtube channel and did one of the workouts of the week last week and it was a killer. Love that her workouts are short, but bring on the hurt. 😉
love finding workouts on youtube. bodyrock and zuzana are my favorite-so hard core!
This is such a perfect post for me right now! I recently had to let my gym membership go and have been looking into more at-home workout options! But I had a hard time knowing which ones were legit on youtube- for example, I found a video that I thought seemed good and promised no back pain and resulted in more back pain than I’ve ever had before! It would be nice to do classes from people that you’ve vetted though so I’m going to try these out!
Thank you! I’ve lost a lot of weight but am still not ready (comfortable enough) to workout in a gym. This will be a great way to get started at home.
Thanks for all of the excellent suggestions. Lately, I haven’t been wanting to hit the gym for group classes, and these look like great options.
Thanks for the great You Tube suggestions! I’ve been using You Tube to try different prenatal yoga sessions lately. Love the video of you teaching Zumba with your preggo belly, so cute!!!!
I have been taking full advantage of at home workouts lately so this post is right up my alley! I love poppilates! Can’t wait to go look up some of these other people I haven’t heard of yet!
I <3 Zwows! 🙂 But I hadn't seen some of the others. I liked the list for a full zumba set-up! Nice!
I’ve been youtubing snippets of the tracy anderson workouts. Youtube was banned in Turkey for 3 years, prior to me moving here, so thank god it’s back up or else I don’t know how long I’d last!
This post is incredibly valueable! I know there are a lot of workouts out there on youtube, but this really cleared up where to find the best ones. The other day I got up early and suited up for a chilly, early morning run before work. I took one step out and realized the sidewalks were pure ice. Not exactly suitable for running OR driving to the gym. I was so bummed. I just wanted to get my heart pumping before work, I’m in such a better mindset when I start my days out like that! I’m bookmarking this post for mornings like this in the future. Thanks so much!
-Avery
Love Zuzanna and the Tone It Up girls too but thanks for the structure of a full Zumba workout in my living room – that’s such a great idea! Usually I just search and search and put together randomly but I love the way you structured it to give a full workout. Thank you!
Any idea why Zumba encouraged the teachers to remove the word Zumba from their name?
My list is the exact same as yours! I use youtube fitness a lot (if for nothing else, to get new ideas!). I also like some of Jennifer Nicole Lee’s workouts. I’m always searching for new fitness and foodie videos – this week I’ve been watching a lot of videos based on clean eating habits and clean eating refrigerator tours. 🙂
I love Zuzana! I’m not a big gym fan but I do love YouTube workout videos! Thanks for sharing all these!
This is great, Gina! I am always looking for ways to work out at home to mix things up!
There is so much to do with fitness at home it is crazy! I haven’t taken enough advantage of all the options there are! I used to do a lot of DVDs but then I got in a phase of wanting to workout out of the house. I guess it doesn’t matter as long as fitness is making it into the day. Great post with lots of inspiration. Thank you!
Thanks so much for posting this! I don’t have a gym membership right now so I’m always looking for new moves to try at home… or work in my case! I recently wrote (http://funnygirltales.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/keeping-promises/) about these crazy work outs I do in my office after work. I work in our state capitol building which is gorgeous and has tons of stairs. So I stay after work a few days a week and walk/run the stairs while listening to audio books or music. I also have some free weights and a yoga mat that I use for strengthening exercises and abs. Anyone who sees me probably thinks I have a few screws loose but I really enjoy it! I get to work out in a beautiful, historic building for free. Whatever works, right?
I’m going to try out some of your links tonight!
🙂
Love this post! I love Zuzana… miss seeing her on bodyrock! You look adorable shakin it when you were preggs!
Thanks for the ideas on non-Zumba workouts. I have to say, Zumba kind of creeps me out; workouts look like uncontrollable shaking which isn’t appealing to me. The fact that I don’t like to dance might have something to do with it too :-D.
or everything to do with it, haha 😉
So awesome!! I was all ready and in my workout gear when I was just reading my blogs for the day hahaha perfect timing, my butt already hurts from the pilates one 🙂
Hi Gina! 🙂
I’m a recently converted fitnessista reader, and I absolutely LOVE everything about it so far. I noticed that you eat very healthy but also allow yourself to enjoy dining out, which seems like the perfect balance. I’m slowly but surely figuring out the healthy eating thing but it seems soooo hard to know what to order when I eat out! Any tips?
Thanks for this post Gina! You have led me to my current fave at-home options – yogadownload.com and of course Turbo Fiyahhhh. I’m excited to try these out too – I haven’t been brave enough for BodyRock or Zuzanna quite yet. You never cease to create great content and haven’t missed a beat since Miss Livi came into the picture. Bravo, mama!
I have that Carmen Electra DVD but haven’t tried it yet. Funny you should post about this today because I was just perusing Zumba videos on Pinterest and planned to hit up Youtube later, but I thought I’d check here first, and you posted about it today. I will definitely have to put in those terms and see if I can pull together a couple “classes” for myself before I venture out to one in person. Thanks 🙂
i love Kinect zumba and dance central!! LOVE!!!! we built a gym in the basement and I keep the xbox there since my husband doesn’t game. i also do tv yoga down there. i can absolutely not take a yoga/pilates class with guys. they irk me so bad. especially the old shirtless dudes. i don’t mind them in Zumba go figure.
I’ve actually never done an online workout video before! Videos normally aren’t really my thing. But I’ve been wanting to work on my abs more lately, and some of these videos look like exactly what I need! Thanks for posting this. 😀
Great post – thanks!!
i LOVE tone it up!! I’m actually thinking about purchasing their meal plan and have read your review many times! I’m so excited to check out the rest of these YouTube vids tho!
You are so incredible for dancing like that while that pregnant. Holy crap.
Great post. I have to say I LOVE the girl in the Superwoman costume in your video. My 8yr old has the exact same Halloween costume, if only it fit me. =)
This post was very informative and TIMELY ! I was in a rut because…
#1 – I didn’t want to pay for a gym membership until I proved to myself that I was committed to this healthy new life style.
#2 – I’ve gotten bored from my 3 workout dvd’s.
#3 – I’ve tired of the limited Netflix workouts.
#4 – Lately, its been too cold to run outside due to my asthma.
#5 – I started in January and just got plain burned out.
Now, after a rest week, I feel inspired and have found some really great workouts! THANKS!
love your video! makes me wish i could move like that, i am horrible dancer
many of my favs!!! never heard of Tara, excited to try her yoga thanks!
Love this post!!! Great motivation and healthy tips.