FitnessGlo: Online Fitness Program Review

I ditched my gym membership about a year ago in favor of home-based workouts. While I write and follow my own workouts on a regular basis, I'll be the first one to admit that it's nice to take the thinking out of training now and then and follow someone else's routine. And while I'm no stranger to fitness DVDs, I've developed a deep appreciation for online fitness programs.

Unlike DVDs, online programs are usually subscription or membership-based, have lots of workouts to choose from, and in some cases, lots of instructors as well. So instead of being stuck with a single DVD for $10, you have access to hundreds of workouts for roughly the same price.

That said, the world of online fitness is still growing and developing, and services haven't yet been perfected. My latest foray into the online world was with FitnessGlo, and while I have lots of great things to say about the service, there are a few things I'd love to see from the company going forward.

FitnessGlo: The Basics

FitnessGlo is a full-service online fitness solution that offers a wide range of classes and programs within an easy-to-manage interface. For just $12 a month you get access to all of the programs and workouts, with no hidden fees or additional costs.

One of the best features of FitnessGlo is the vast array of workouts available. You can sort workouts by length, level, style, or instructor, then further dial down by equipment type. Whether you love dance workouts, HIIT training, yoga fusion, or barre, there is literally something for everyone.

Scheduling Classes and Managing Goals 

One of the features that sets FitnessGlo apart from other online fitness services is how easy it is to pre-plan your workout schedule, set goals, and manage your routine. You can quickly add workouts to a weekly schedule by:

• Sorting workouts and selecting the ones you want to do based on length, level, style, or instructor
• Setting the date and time you want to do the workout
• Creating an email reminder to alert you when your workout time arrives

This scheduling couldn't be easier - it literally took me less than 10 minutes to find, select, and add five weekly workouts to my schedule, and the only reason it took that long was because I couldn't decide which workouts I wanted to do - so many of them looked good!

You can also manage your goals based on the amount of time you want to exercise each week and the types of workouts you want to follow. The system tracks your workout time on your personal dashboard, and you can always add workout time for routines you performed off-line.

Program Options

FitnessGlo also has a wide range of 8-week programs you can elect to follow. These programs include:

• No equipment
• Peak 10
• Busy Bride
• 8-Week Beginner
• 8-Week Intermediate
• 8-Week Advanced

While I prefer to pick and choose my workouts as I go, if you prefer to follow a set schedule that takes the guesswork out of which workout to follow, these programs are for you.

Classes, Instructors, and Equipment

Because there is such a vast array of classes to choose from (more than 500, with 3 new classes filmed and added each week), and eight different instructors to follow, you'll never get bored. While the sheer number of options can make it more difficult to pick and choose between classes (especially if you're indecisive like me), you can always start a class, try it, and decide to switch instructors or styles a few minutes in if you deem you don't like it.

It's also important to note that while some classes do require equipment, the equipment used is minimal and inexpensive. Items like hand weights, chairs, steps, and medicine balls are used, all of which are nice to have on hand for home-based workouts. It's not like they require more unusual equipment, such as suspension trainers or combat ropes, to participate.

Accessing Programs

There are a couple of different ways you can access FitnessGlo programs:

• Online through a computer, laptop, or mobile device
• Through your Roku after connecting your device
• Through a Samsung Smart TV after linking your device

This is where I was a little bummed. I'm still a sucker for fitness programs I can access on my big screen, and I don't have a Roku or a Samsung Smart TV. What I do have are Amazon Fire TV and a Vizio Smart TV... neither of which are supported. This means I have to access programs through my laptop or phone when I want to follow along. While it's not a deal-breaker, I'll be much more excited to test out all the workouts when they upgrade their service to work with the devices I have.

Where's the Yoga? 

FitnessGlo seems to offer just about every type of fitness class known to man... except traditional yoga. Don't get me wrong, there are yoga fusion classes on the site, but if you're looking for a serious yoga session, you'll be disappointed. To access a full range of yoga classes, you'll need to sign up for FitnessGlo's sister site, Glo (formerly YogaGlo), which has more than 4,000 full-length classes available for $18 per month.