Could home tech make visits to the gym a thing of the past – even when you’re allowed to work up a sweat in the presence of others?

G etting smart about getting fit is all about doing the right things at the right time. Even if you’re free of specific movement restrictions and curfews, the way we go about our daily business likely isn’t changing for a while: now would appear to be the perfect time to put that expensive gym subscription on hold and dial up your activity in and around your home. There are a host of devices and apps that will get you moving, with more released in the past year than ever before, but let’s start with those that try to bring that authentic gym experience into your own four walls.

Subscriptions are a big thing now of course, and they’re only getting bigger. Apple, of course, has its own: Apple Fitness+ (£9.99 per month) fired out of the gate with something of a bang at Apple’s previous big event, joining the likes of Apple TV+ in the company’s push to add a whole bunch of content to its growing ecosystem. It’s pretty versatile, with video workouts that let you see your current data on screen (piped there directly from your Apple Watch) as well as customising the music that gets you moving.

Peloton’s instructor-led live class formula (£12.99 per month) is another that’s gained traction, with a host of exercise options on offer beyond the spin classes you might expect, and Ultrahuman (£11.99 per month) has launched itself off the blocks with a top-to-bottom fitness subscription covering overall fitness as well as sleep and mindfulness – something many of us may be lacking at the moment. That’s not to mention the (partially) free trainer-led workout programme of Nike’s Training Club, the personalised workout plans of Fitbit’s premium tier, or the many great yoga apps out there (see ‘Get stretched out’).

Pick your poison

Which service suits you is, honestly, going to be a very personal thing, and that assessment probably won’t be an easy decision based on which one looks nicest. It’s going to be something you decide after drilling a little deeper down into the options. You’ll probably prefer different instructors, different workouts, different ways of going about it.