We may earn a commission from the companies mentioned in this post.
Personal fitness has not always been all that accessible to most of us (unless you’re Kim Kardashian). As such, most people have had to result to relying on digital offerings or boutique fitness classes to work up a sweat.
However, in the last few years, at-home workouts have increasingly blurred the lines between accessibility and boutique-level quality fitness, and we can expect that streaming services will do the same for personal training.
This is quite welcome considering the current situation where gyms are closed throughout the country, and people are being forced to work out from home. In fact, many digital fitness offerings have sprung up to help make sure that people can continue with their fitness journey while practicing social distancing.
One company on the frontline for this is Openfit.
As a digital fitness app, Openfit is looking to democratize access to personal trainers and fitness experts. With its streaming service, workouts are conducted and led by an instructor who gives you everything that a real-life personal trainer would – everything from motivation, form, adjustments, and more.
Many reviewers have expressed their love for how easy and discreet that whole process is, as they can do everything from the comfort of their home.
But just how good is it?
Well, if you’re looking for a detailed Openfit review, you’re on the right page. In this Openfit review, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the app.
What is Openfit?
Openfit is basically digital subscription based streaming workout and nutrition platform. Think of it as the Netflix of workouts; instead of movies and shows, it has individual workouts that you can do in front of your couch.
The platform features over 160 workouts that users can stream online via the app or online. The app is available on both Android and iOS, as well as a channel on Roku, and comes with a 14-day free trial.
You can use Openfit in one of three main ways:
- A la carte on demand classes
- On demand classes accessed with a pre-determined plan
- Live classes
The on demand classes are categorized into five disciplines:
- Barre
- Yoga
- Tough Muddler (total body workouts)
- Rough around the edges (dance or cardio workouts designed by female stunt women)
- 600 seconds (10-minute-long workouts largely focused on strength and cardio)
The live classes are a bit of everything – cardio, stretching, yoga, and strength, with some courses designed to be used for running on the treadmill or outside.
The app also features meal plan and nutrition menus.
Here’s a video preview:
Ready to start your Openfit journey?
How Does it Work?
Openfit is designed to cater for a broad audience. The platform comes with customizable options in case you want specific programs and workouts to suit your preferences, personality, and goals.
Most of the workouts can be done in less than 30 minutes, and include routines that target aerobic endurance, strength, power, fat loss, mobility, and stamina.
The app will be especially helpful in such times when getting to the gym is not an option, considering that all of the workouts can be done at home with little or no equipment.
Openfit was actually designed with people who have a busy schedule, have young children, can’t afford a gym membership, live far away from the gym, don’t feel comfortable in a gym environment, or travel a lot in mind.
As such, we believe that you’re going to like Openfit’s flexibility and convenience.
We know from research that physical activity combined with a healthier nutrition is more effective for fitness and weight loss than either of them alone.
As such, the fact that Openfit provides you with both at an affordable price is quite promising, considering that it takes a lot of the guesswork from the users. All you need to do is commit to their programs.
There’s also a thriving community in their social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, where you can get support.
Navigating the App
Once you download the Openfit app, there a number of ways to access classes. From the main screen, you can search for upcoming live classes by checking the “Class Schedule”. Live classes ideally run throughout the day (from 5.am to 8 pm).
You can review the on demand classes within each discipline, such as a barre or yoga class.
You can even review all the workouts from the complete class menu. Within the menu, classes are broken down by discipline (cardio, strength), and by time (30 minutes, 15 to 30 minutes, 10 to 15 minutes, and under 10 minutes). Any live classes coming up in the next few days are included in this menu.
Available Live & On Demand Workouts
Xtend Barre
You might be familiar with this from all the commercials. It’s basically a barre class with a fat-burning twist as it includes a mix of Pilates, ballet fundamentals and cardio workouts.
The program is led by professional trainer by the name Andrea Rogers. It comes with three different plans, where two are 30 day plans focused on fitness level and 7 days onramp.
What we liked:
- All the workouts are 30 minutes or less
- It’s an all-round fun workout that will help you build strength and tone your muscles while burning fat
- It has beginner and more advanced options
- It’s a more feminine workout routine, though it’s still challenging
Rough Around the Edges
These are workouts led by a bunch of Hollywood stun women and martial artists, who are to be honest, a bit intimidating. Again, this is a program aimed at burning fat, though the main emphasis is on kickboxing. So, if this sounds like something you’d like, you’ll love the program.
What we liked:
- Each class is about 30 to 45 minutes long
- There are 17 different workouts in the program
- The program has a mixture of cardio, kickboxing, dance, and core
- You will need hand weights for some of the classes
Tough Mudder T-30
For the people who train for the tough mudder events, this program will impress you, though you can still get something out of it even if you don’t. It’s led by Hunter McIntyre, a 4-time Tough Mudder champion.
The program is aimed at improving the overall fitness by mimicking the moves associated with tough mudders, meaning you will get a workout that will help you with agility and speed. It can also help you prepare for events such as a 5k or an obstacle course race.
What we liked:
- The program is a mix of cardio and strength workouts
- The workouts are 30 minutes or less
- No hand weights required
- 27 different workouts
Yoga52™
This program ideally provides weekly yoga routines conducted by Brent Laffoon, Odette Hughes, Micki Duran, Marie Grujicic, and David Regelin, who are all certified yoga instructors.
The program has paths for beginners, intermediate, and advanced yogis, with lots of different time lengths, from 30 to 45 minutes. The classes also range from yin and vinyasa to power and core flows.
What we liked:
- A variety of instructors, workouts (52), and styles
- Short, effective flow classes
- Very chill and instructors won’t over talk
- Caters for different skill levels
600 seconds
This program encompasses 10-minute high intensity workouts led by functional movement specialist and certified personal trainer, Devin Wiggins. It’s ideal for people who want fast workouts.
The workouts are categorized by problem, so if you’re looking to increase your strength and cardio performance, there’s a path for you, and a different path if you’re looking to lose weight.
What we liked:
- The workouts are 30 minutes or less
- Has a mix of cardio and strength workouts
- 27 different workouts on the plan
- No hand weights required
See all Openfit workouts at their website.
Openfit Pros and Cons
Our Openfit review would be incomplete without a list of pros and cons about the app.
Pros
- Workouts can be done at home
- Competitive pricing compared to similar digital workout programs
- Hundreds of workouts to cater for different goals and lifestyles
- Workouts can be streamed from a variety of devices including tablets, phones, TVs, and desktops
- Customer reviews say technical difficulties are rare
- You can cancel your subscription any time with no calls needed
- They can a thriving community and blogs
Cons
- Membership is auto-renewed based on the plan you signed up for. So, should you decide the app isn’t for you, you should cancel the membership before the next recurring payment
- Some reviewers have expressed concerns about the form and technique used in some videos. Some workouts are also not ideal for nursing or pregnant women
- No contact phone number available. To get in touch, you have to send an email
- You need internet access to access most of their programs
How Much Does Openfit Cost?
Currently, you can choose three different subscription plans, all of which have introductory offers:
- A free 14-day trial, then $39 every three months
- 12-month plan for $89 (from $156)
- 6-month plan for $59 (from $78)
Regardless of your plan, it will get you access to a wide range of programs, including the 160 recently added workouts.
Review Summary: Where to Join
Openfit has a wide library of workout and nutrition plans aimed at specific goals, which can certainly help you achieve your results.
It’s much more affordable than many other digital subscription fitness programs, with the added advantage of being able to test the programs first with a free trial. The risk of signing up is relatively low, since you can also cancel at any time.
So, if price, convenience, and variability of programs is important to you, be sure to check Openfit out.
