#Tired of Your Exercise Routine? Try These 12 Unique Apps

Bored with your at-home exercise routine? If just lifting weights or running on the treadmill has you feeling like you’re in a fitness rut, these 12 apps will help you take your routine to the next level.

People are working out at home than ever before, and this trend might continue post-pandemic. Many folks have discovered they can work out just as well from the comfort of their own homes and for far less money than they can at the gym.

But the key to keeping working out at home interesting is switching things up. The 12 fitness apps below can help you do that. They’re fun, unique, and will make your workout seem like less of a chore.

Best Boxing: Rumble TV

Rumble is a popular boxing workout studio in New York that’s trendy among influencers and celebrities alike. With Rumble TV, you can get the experience of these awesome strength and cardio workouts at home, no equipment or boxing experience required.

The new platform offers four different class types: boxing with no bag required, HIIT, strength, and running. One of the things the Rumble studio is known for is the music that creates an atmosphere full of energy, and you’ll get that music with Rumble TV as well.

You can train virtually, get live and on-demand classes, and have a lot of fun with these boxing-based workouts that are different than just lifting weights.

A subscription gets you unlimited access for $29 per month or $249 annually. It’s all web-based, so you can stream them onto your television or access them on your computer, phone, or tablet.

Best Personal Training: Future

Many people find that one of the advantages of a gym membership is the option to work out with a personal trainer. Private personal trainers at home can be a lot more money, but an app like Future makes it more accessible.

Future works with an Apple Watch to connect you with a personal trainer remotely. Once you connect with your coach, you’ll get daily guidance, motivation, and support, and you’ll have an on-demand connection to them.

You’ll get a welcome kit (which includes an Apple Watch), then they’ll put together a fitness routine for you personally, whether you work out in a gym or at home (or on the go).

They’ll give detailed audio and video guidance, have access to your Apple Watch stats to help hold you accountable, and will work with you every step of the way. Even if you don’t meet this person face-to-face, you’ll love the connection and personal feel.

Best Dance Cardio: The Sculpt Society

Cardio definitely doesn’t have to be boring (there are so many options!), but it often gets that way. Try dance cardio for a switch-up, specifically with The Sculpt Society. Created by popular celebrity trainer, Megan Roup, The Sculpt Society offers dance-based cardio workouts with strength training. They’re so fun, it doesn’t even feel like exercise.

The workouts focus on simplified dance moves that you can do even if you can’t dance (I am proof of this), and they’re easy to follow and fun to master. The program also offers sculpting classes that focus more on body weight and light resistance, using lighter weights, sliders, ankle weights, and smaller movements for a more low-resistance workout that is still very effective.

The Sculpt Society also offers pre- and post-natal workouts for expecting moms, which is a nice plus—and Roup really knows what she’s doing, as, at this writing, she’s pregnant herself.

You can pay $14.99 monthly, or $119 annually, making this an affordable option.

Best Quick Workouts: Seven

It might sound too good to be true, but research shows that you really only need to get in seven minutes of high-intensity training each day to fulfill your exercise needs. That’s what the app Seven is all about—quick, effective seven-minute workouts.

Seven’s workouts are based on scientific studies that show how to get the most out of the shortest amount of time possible. The app offers personalized workout plans depending on if you want to “Get Fit, Lose Weight, or Get Strong,” and no equipment is needed.

You can compete with friends, earn achievements, and create your own workouts. The app is free, but if you pay to join the 7 Club, you can get personal workout plans for your fitness level, and access to all the workouts and over 200 exercises. This is easily the best app for fast workouts for those who are too busy for anything else.

You can download it from the App Store or Google Play.

Best Running: Zombies, Run!

Running is a great no-gym-required workout. You don’t need any equipment, you can do it inside on a machine or outside on your own, and it’s a great cardio routine. But running alone, even with good music, can get a bit stale after a while.

Zombies, Run! (created by the same company as Seven) makes running a lot more exciting. The idea is you’re one of the few remaining humans after a zombie apocalypse, and you’re en-route to one of humanity’s last outposts. You’re on a mission to save people, get supplies, and do some mystery tasks as well.

The app allows you to hear your mission and music as you’re running, and every once in a while you’ll be prompted to speed up to escape the zombies. At the end, you complete your mission. There are over 200 missions, and there’s lots of versatility. You can create your own missions, it’s fun, and even better, it’s free!

You can download it from the App Store or Google Play.

Best Low-Impact: P.volve

High-impact workouts (like HIIT) can be great, but for those who are more into (or can only do) low-impact, there’s P.volve. It’s meant to be an accessible workout that connects your mind to your body for an overall sense of well-being.

P.volve uses a resistance-based, high-intensity, low-impact method that consists of movements that strengthen, sculpt, and energize the body. The goal isn’t to leave you in pain the next day, but to exercise progressively for continuous results, while also emphasizing mindfulness. These are full-body workouts with streaming classes, or even one-on-one personal trainer sessions available.

The P.volve app has over 200 exercises to choose from, but you do have to purchase the proper equipment, which can drive up the price a bit.

A digital membership starts at $14.99 per month if you pay annually, and includes Live Studio Access.

Best Audio-Based: Aaptiv

If you don’t want to be tied to one type of workout, download Aaptiv. It has a huge library of audio-based fitness classes led by certified personal trainers that will help you make the most of your at-home workouts.

There are over 2,500 workouts to choose from, in categories like running, elliptical, strength training, stretching, yoga, and more. Over 30 new classes are added every week, so you definitely won’t get bored. Plus, there’s always something for your fitness level. You can get anything from a seven-minute workout or long HIIT class to a marathon training program.

These audio-based classes instantly make your workouts more exciting without introducing complicated new concepts or routines.

The app is free with in-app purchases. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play.

Best for a Bit of Everything: 8Fit

Maybe you’re trying to eat better and make exercise more fun. If so, 8Fit is a comprehensive app that helps you through every step on your wellness journey. The app offers workouts, customized meal plans, and self-care guidance, so you can feel good inside and out.

There’s a large variety of workouts with new classes all the time, so you can choose something like yoga or running, or something completely different, like kickboxing. You can also personalize your meal plans based on your dietary preferences and get self-care guidance on meditation and more.

There’s a lot to choose from here, making this a great app if you’re ready to transform your body and mind.

The app is free to download with in-app purchases. You can download it from The App Store or Google Play.

Best Barre Workout: Pure Barre

Barre is another option if you want something low-impact (it’s also a great pre- or post-natal workout). You don’t have to head to a studio to do it anymore, either—Pure Barre now allows you to take the in-studio classes at home.

With a Pure Barre Go membership, you get instant access to the library of low-impact, total-body workouts that range from 5 to 60 minutes, depending on what you’re looking for. Classes are easy to follow, and, don’t worry—they’re designed assuming you don’t have a ballet barre in your living room.

The workouts are fun and different, based on a lot of stretching, and low-impact and high-intensity movements that improve strength, agility, and flexibility. The movements are small and controlled to isolate and target specific muscle groups. It might look easy, but it’s not.

A membership is $29.99 per month.

Best Structured Programs: Beachbody On Demand

If you prefer a more structured program, rather than just picking random workouts (although, you can do that, too), you’ll love Beachbody On Demand. It tells you exactly which workout video to do each day for a few weeks and really motivates you to keep up.

A membership gets you access to all of the most popular workout programs, and there’s a wide variety, including PiYo, 21-Day Fix, 80-Day Obsession, and Insanity. There’s something for everyone, including an eight-week Ballet Barre program for those looking for something more low-impact.

You can follow along with a program or just pick the videos you want to do. The trainers are motivational and professional, and following the classes makes you feel like you’re not in this alone. There are even nutrition plans included if you’re interested.

Beachbody starts at $99 for an annual plan.

Best for Cycling and More: Peloton

At this point, it’s kind of hard to say that cycling is a unique workout. More people seem to be interested in fancy stationary bike workouts than ever, and for good reason: They work! As recent Peloton converts, we can confirm that the Peloton app makes cycling a lot more fun than you ever thought it could be.

Forget about the extremely trendy bike for a moment, though. The Peloton app also has hundreds of workouts you can follow to make your cycling experience more exciting. There are Artist Series classes that focus on music from just one artist, high- and low-impact options, and tons of different themes, from pop-punk from the early 2000s to the latest tunes on Spotify.

The instructors are fun, and there are classes for all fitness levels. You can do anything from 10-45 minutes. Plus, you don’t even need a Peloton bike to follow the cycling classes—any comparable stationary bike will work.

Even if you’re not interested in cycling, the Peloton app offers a wide variety of other exercise options, including strength training, yoga, meditation, treadmill workouts, and more.

The app is free and membership starts at $12.99 per month.

You can download the app on the App Store or Google Play.

Best Cathartic: The Class

Exercise shouldn’t only be about losing weight or getting toned. It should benefit you mentally, as well as physically. The Class by Taryn Toomey is meant to be a cathartic experience that strengthens your body and restores your mind.

This method of exercise is definitely different. During a carefully curated music selection, you repeat one move per song while listening to guided instructions meant to promote thought and emotion for a physical and emotional release.

The website describes it as, “a music-driven workout experience that borrows from yoga in its spirit, a rock concert in its energy, and bootcamp in its grit.”

The Class was originally done in a studio, but due to the pandemic, a digital subscription was made available, so you can stream live classes or choose from a library of videos on-demand. For every month you purchase, you also give a month as a scholarship to someone who could benefit from it.

Basically, if you want to cry while doing squats (but in a good way), then try The Class. It’s different, energetic, effective, and will put you in touch with your feelings.

It’s $40 per month, or $400 per year.