Your residents are active, forward-thinking people who love to work out. How do you accommodate cardio, core fitness, Pilates, yoga, and high-intensity interval training into the same space? You may not have room for a large-capacity gym that can fit 50 people, and you might balk at the idea of setting a budget for a rotating series of in-person fitness classes. What's a property owner or community manager to do in this position?
In the past few years, online workout programs have become more popular. But — before you start wondering whether your residents will be interested — know that these programs don't need to be boring, grainy videos riddled with ads pulled from the far reaches of the internet. Several high-quality services offer premium, expert-led workout material that your residents can enjoy in the comfort of their living spaces. You'll be able to offer a wide range of popular residential fitness programs like the following:
1. Active Aging
Did you know that exercise can help stave off chronic conditions related to aging? Studies have shown that older people can reduce their chance of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers with regular exercise. Active Aging courses include a variety of exercises for adults 40 and older.
If your residents include older adults who wish to stay active but find high-impact exercise uncomfortable (or impossible!), they can try Sit and Be Fit. This low-impact curriculum caters to those with arthritis and other mobility issues that make regular exercise programs difficult.
2. Cardio
Everybody's heard that cardio is important, as most experts recommend at least 150 minutes every week of aerobic activity for heart health. However, there will be days when the weather or time of day makes it uncomfortable to walk or jog outside.
From dance to traditional aerobics, we've got your residents covered for cardio workouts in the comfort of their living rooms. They'll have access to POPSUGAR Fitness for fun, empowering workouts that allow the user to move, dance, and break a sweat at home.
3. Core
Many people neglect to build their core and instead favor strengthening arms and legs. However, having a strong core is crucial for good posture, stability, and reducing lower back pain when sitting at a desk.
Try Les Mills' Core workout program for a wide variety of expert-led workouts that include targeted core sessions. Focusing on this area can build muscle in the back and abdomen, and will ultimately improve flexibility, strength, and sleep.
4. Cycling
Many people might enjoy riding a stationary bike for exercise at first, but they end up feeling like they're doing the same thing over and over again. Cycling, even at home, doesn't have to be boring!
For intense, calorie-burning workouts led by coaches, your residents can give REVOLUTION a shot. They'll be motivated by expert instructors who guide them through different types of terrain like hills, beaches, and mountains. These workouts may also be interspersed with periods of high-intensity training.
5. Dance
Dance has the unique ability to make exercise effortless and fun. You likely have residents who have always wanted to join a dance class for exercise but can't fit it into their busy schedules.
With virtual dance classes, your residents can check out a popular mainstay of the fitness world with Zumba® Fitness courses and move to beats from around the world. Nobody has to be a great dancer to break a sweat here. The most important thing is just to move — and have fun while doing it.
6. Elliptical
Elliptical workouts can provide steady, low-impact cardio exercise that can be as intense as a user wants. It's easy on the joints, which is why it's often recommended for people with knee problems or arthritis.
The only problem with elliptical exercises, similar to bike workouts, is that they can leave someone feeling stuck in place. Residents can try Bike-O-Vision, which offers stunning virtual backgrounds for a morning walk, jog, or elliptical session.
7. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)
HIIT courses allow the user to compress lengthier exercises into short, intense bursts of around 10-30 minutes. Researchers think that exercising in this way can help burn calories, increase metabolic rate, gain muscle, and improve blood sugar.
20 Minute Body uses HIIT, among other popular aerobic and strength classes, to turn small pockets of a busy schedule into productive workouts. Customers enjoy the unique exercises that pull from dance, acrobatics, and martial arts.
8. Joint, Stress & Pain Relief
High stress levels can contribute to poor sleep, tension, and chronic pain. People dealing with headaches, less-than-ideal posture, and stress from their work and home lives can benefit from a program that aims to relieve tension and help improve sleep.
The MELT Method utilizes exercise to condition the body's connective tissues (like muscles and ligaments) to help them adapt to stress over time. It's not invasive or intensive, and as the name suggests, it allows people to "melt" into gentle exercise that makes them healthier overall.
9. Kickboxing
Martial arts is perfect for those who prefer a more intense workout that doesn't utilize stationary gym equipment. Students of kickboxing classes coordinate their bodies to gain strength, confidence, and focus.
BODYCOMBAT™ is perfect for those who want to reduce stress through a high-intensity solo workout at home. It caters to those who enjoy martial-arts-themed exercise, but it's intended for people who aren't planning on joining a dojo and ranking up through levels of colorful belts.
10. Meditation/Breath
Though meditation by itself isn't an exercise, learning how to calm the body and utilize breathing in workouts is important. Becoming aware of one's thoughts can help in other areas of life, including personal and professional relationships.
In addition to offering scenic landscapes that can serve as a virtual travel experience for cycling and jogging, Induro provides an array of pretty backdrops to help users clear their minds as they meditate.
11. Rowing
Rowing may seem like a niche activity. However, its popularity, along with the sale of at-home rowing machinery, has increased in the past few years. This exercise activates more than the arms as it helps condition the core, back, and legs. It's also an easier workout for those who don't like putting pressure on their ankle or knee joints.
Residents can try Fitscope to learn how to get the most out of stationary gym equipment, like rowing machines, and meet their fitness goals with some of Los Angeles's most popular fitness instructors.
12. Strength
Because muscle mass decreases as people age, strength training is recommended for everyone. It can help people lose weight and strengthen their muscles and bones, and, especially for older adults, it can help slow signs of aging.
Fitness leader Jillian Michaels offers workout videos that combine strength training and cardio in sessions that can easily fit into a hectic daily schedule. Her classes aim to diversify workouts and keep people interested in their fitness journeys.
13. Stretching
Similar to strength training, a good stretching routine does wonders for the body. Some experts recommend incorporating at least 15 minutes of stretching into everyone's daily routine. Yoga, specifically, is one of the best workouts for lengthening muscles and helping people gain flexibility.
GAIAM contains fitness videos that include yoga, dance, and barre workouts. Fitness students can customize their exercise time in a mix-and-match way until they find something that works perfectly for them.
14. Treadmill
Some people love the consistency and ability to self-pace on a treadmill. Others dislike the monotony of walking in the same place day after day. It's not always possible to walk outside — but that doesn't mean travel isn't possible.
Virtual on-demand settings, provided by Induro or Bike-O-Vision, offer dozens of virtual on-demand classes with destinations that span the globe. It's possible to take a walk in a National Park on Monday and check out a beach in the Caribbean on Tuesday!
15. Yoga/Barre/Pilates
These specialty workouts don't have to be expensive or exclusive. Take advantage of several premium courses from leaders in the yoga, barre, and Pilates industries including Cathe Friedrich and Nadia Narain.
Consider Barre for ballet-inspired workouts that are especially popular for balance, strength, and graceful movement. Despite not using free weights, these movements can strengthen specific muscle groups for overall body toning when practiced frequently enough.
16. Youth
Teens may be able to participate in group fitness made for adults, but younger kids won't want to be left out of the fun! Fortunately, there are a few courses that cater especially to the physical activity needs of your youngest residents.
For younger kids, Yuvi offers "story aerobics" filled with fun graphics and cartoon characters that guide them on their fitness journeys. This can be a great way to integrate active play into screen time or entertain kids on a rainy day.
Start Offering the Best Residential Fitness Programs for Your Community
If your residents want more out of their community, give it to them in the form of high-quality at-home workouts. Fitness On Demand offers the programs listed here and more. Contact us today to schedule your demo!
Author
Luke Miska
Luke Miska is a results-driven business management visionary with a stellar record developing operationalizing strategies, experiences and measurable results that engage teams and customers to lead healthier lives. He leverages his passion for customer-centric strategies and aligns goals between customer needs and organizational priorities, catalyzing business success.
