LIFELONG LEARNING

Top Online Fitness Sites And Apps For Older Adults

The days of having to drive to a gym to stay healthy are over. A traditional gym membership is still great for those who have the time and access necessary to keep up with a routine, but adults around the globe have now been given the gift of online fitness. Thanks to websites, streaming services and apps, anyone can now work out from their own home on their own schedule and can even handpick the classes and instructors to fit their style!

Empathy is: ‘Look, I get it. It’s hard, it’s not easy, but you can do it, and you want to do it, so let’s do it. So, put up or shut up. Let’s go.’

JILLIAN MICHAELS

According to a recent study by RunRepeat, the global online fitness industry is now worth over $10 billion dollars, having grown over 77% in the last three years alone. In order to extend our lifespan and maximize the number of healthy years ahead, it’s vital that older adults exercise and stay active as they age. Here are a few of our favorite online fitness sites and apps to try out:

Balanced

An at-home digital fitness platform, Balanced is specifically designed for healthy aging. As a member, you’ll get access to expert trainers, evidence-based workouts, and even a personalized program based upon your own unique wellness goals. You can try it out for a free two-week trial, before switching to a $20/month subscription to access live and on-demand classes.

Silver Sneakers On-Demand

This digital platform offers a large library of videos specifically designed for adults over the age of 65, with workouts on flexibility, mobility, balance, cardio, strength and more! Their website also contains nutritional and dietary advice. Silver Sneakers is a benefit offered by some Medicare plans (such as Florida Blue Medicare for our friends in the sunshine state!), so check with your provider if you qualify for use of this program that has helped millions take charge of their health in their later years.

Peloton

Don’t be fooled by the stereotype that only younger adults are using stationary bikes like the ones made by Peloton. The community of Peloton users continues to grow every year, as they offer benefits for adults of all ages to work on strength, cardiorespiratory functions and joint mobility. You can watch live and on-demand classes right from the screen on your bike, ranging from five to 60 minutes long for beginners, advanced users and everything in between. For those who want more than just biking, they offer stretching classes, weight classes and more that you can stream on your TV or phone with a monthly subscription.

FitFusion

Created by celebrity fitness instructor and TV show host Jillian Michaels, FitFusion classes can be streamed anytime to your TV, computer, tablet or phone! In a recent interview with Growing Bolder, Michaels said that her app maintains the “community feeling” of a gym thanks to message boards, forums and social media connections. But don’t expect her classes to take it easy on you, because she believes we can all defy expectations and push our limits as we age.

“My approach isn’t sympathetic. I find sympathy to be a very dangerousmessage of falselethargy,” Michaels told Growing Bolder.“Sympathy is,‘Poor you, you just take the stairs. That’s all you need to do today.’I think what that tells somebody is,‘Oh, you’re so weak and you’re so incapable. You’re only capable of the bare minimum.’And that to me isa very dangerousthing. Empathy is:'Look, I get it.It’shard,it’snot easy, but you can do it,and you want to do it,solet’sdo it. So, put up or shut up.Let’sgo. '”

Twitch & YouTube Channels

There are countless videos available for free streaming 24/7 on two of the most popular sites for lifelong learning of all kinds: Twitch and YouTube. Thanks to the digital age, anyone with a phone can now stream content around the globe for free. For those looking for an interactive experience, head to Twitch and check out the “Fitness & Health” category, where over 280,000 followers are already watching live workouts and chatting with their instructor (and other viewers) in real time! If live-streaming isn’t your thing, then head on over to YouTube and find the instructor that fits you best, where you can watch hours upon hours of fitness and nutritional videos made specifically for seniors from teachers like Senior Fitness with Meredith, or Curtis Adams.