What is Fitnessblender?
Fitnessblender is a workout video website, with a youtube channel and an app. The company was founded by Joe Wicks, who has had great success with his popular cook book Lean In 15.
How did I find Fitnessblender?
I heard about this website from my sister, who has done the ‘Youtube inspired’ workouts for a few months now. I wanted to see the concept for myself and compare it to my favourite fitness website, that’s MFP.
How does it work?
Fitnessblender is an online service where you can burn fat with fun and effective 15 minute daily HIIT workouts. Each workout is between 3-15 minutes in length, so that they are easy to fit into anyone’s schedule. They are designed to be done at home, with no equipment needed and can be done in a room of any size.
Fitnessblender is funded on a monthly membership of £9.99 per month or $9.99 per month for US residents. The service offers videos and workouts from two different categories: Starter Routines and Premium Routines, both of which are offered for free as previews to try the service but are otherwise only purchasable through the monthly membership fee (via Apple iTunes Store or Mac App Store).
Use:
For the lower intensity workouts, I did find that if you want to use the app or youtube videos you have to follow along with it otherwise you won’t know what is coming up next. They are very easy to follow and relatively short – perfect for having a quick workout when you can’t leave the house (or are injured).
Quality:
The quality was just as high as MFP, maybe even better because it seemed more realistic. The workouts don’t look like they were made specifically for camera, which I like. The quality of the videos themselves is great and Joe Wicks does a great job of leading them so that anyone can follow them. In my opinion, the videos were just as good quality as MFP. The only issue with the quality of the videos is that they are available for free on YouTube. I feel like you should be paying for them rather than getting free quality workouts.
Aside from that, I think the workouts are great and very effective and I would definitely recommend them to anyone who wants a quick workout that is in general very easy to follow and doesn’t take too long to do. It would also be good for people with injuries or chronic pain.
Cost:
The cost is very reasonable at £9.99 per month and it could be used by anyone with an internet connection and a device that can play videos in the format they are in (so any device really). The only drawback I can see is that it is not working on console games.
Such as Xbox Kinect and Playstation Move, which would otherwise make them suitable for people who are unable to exercise or people who want to supplement their fitness but their schedule doesn’t allow for it. It would also be good for people who live in the countryside and have no gym facilities. I’m not sure what the price is for US residents, as I’m not one, but I assume it is around $9.99 (and not $9.99 plus tax like in the UK).
I think if you’re looking for a workout that you can do at home with fairly simple equipment, then I would certainly give it a try. If you’re used to doing MFP and want to continue with that, then Fitnessblender is definitely worth a shot as it could be a great option for someone who wants to get fit but has no gym or equipment.
I think the price is reasonable, both in the UK and in the US. The workouts are very easy to follow and are just as effective. The quality of the videos they offer is great. I would recommend them as a cheaper alternative to MFP as they cost less and have little drawbacks compared to what MFP offers.
Features:
I don’t think it is possible to change the settings for how hard you want to work, as you have to do each workout at the same level. You can change times and repetitions but there are only low and high levels. This is great if you want a quick workout but could be annoying if you want to do something specific. The workouts are also pre-planned so they won’t be suitable for people who want their own custom workout.
Verdict:
Overall, I like this website a lot and would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick home workout rather than visiting the gym or doing something else on youtube. I think it’s very good for people who don’t have gym facilities or for those that only want a simple workout, as a lot of the workouts are very easy to follow. I feel like you can do all of the workouts in your own home and don’t need any equipment or any particular skills to do them.
Fitnessblender is quite similar to MFP in what they offer, but with a reasonable amount of drawbacks compared to MFP. Being slightly more affordable, it would be good for those who are intimidated by gym equipment and want something quick at home that doesn’t cost much.
