This post is dedicated to weeding out the good workout websites from the millions upon trillions of bad ones.
You’re welcome.
I have spent countless hours trying to put together the ultimate workout plan to shape, tone, and perfect my bikini body. I may be far from there, but I do know some good workout sites! Here are my favourites:
Katrina and Karena run Tone It Up, a website dedicated to providing workouts and fitness tips for women. (They also have a hit reality show on Bravo – they are seriously that good). Their meal plans come with a fee, but for the most part their workout plans are free. They make everything super easy – they give you a week plan at a time for you to follow. Their plans generally include a morning cardio session and a strength training video in the evening. The morning cardio is generally not that long during the week – 30-40 mins. – and includes a longer run on weekends. The strength training videos are around 20 mins. each, but can be repeated. They aren’t that difficult though, so if you have been including weights in your fitness routine for awhile, these videos probably won’t be enough for you. They are perfect for women who want to be long and lean and don’t know very much about using weights at the gym.
Here is a link to see a sample week workout plan from their Love Your Body series.
Pros: Short and easy to follow along with. Can be done at home very easily. Exercises are good ones that target many muscle groups at once. Their weekly plan is well laid out. Their workouts include yoga, hiit, and strengthening different muscle groups.
Cons: Not difficult enough for those who work out with weights regularly. They do not include any stretching or warm up/cool down. Workouts are geared mainly towards strength and must be supplemented with your own cardio.
Equipment Required: Free weights and a mat.
Cost: Free for the most part. Their meal plan comes with a significant cost.
Difficulty: Beginner to moderate
This site is run by husband and wife Daniel and Kelli, and is free for the most part. If you want monthly workout plans scheduled for you, there is a fee. But if you are just looking for an at home workout this is a great option! Their hiit (see my post on hiit workouts here) workouts are great, and their strength training videos include a good selection of exercises. They are very easy to follow and outline time, level of difficulty, and the approx. number of calories you will burn in the description for each video. My favourite feature? Their 1000 calorie videos – 90 mins. of warm-up, hiit and cardio, strength, abs, and stretches.
Pros: Great instruction and easy to follow. Exercises used are common. Some videos include warm-up and cool down, as well as stretching. They offer a wide variety of workouts (i.e., hiit, cardio, strength, yoga).
Cons: No music with the videos.
Equipment Required: Free weights and a mat.
Cost: Free for the most part. Their 30-day programs and meal plans cost money, but are very affordable ($20 and up).
Difficulty: Ranges. Their targeted workouts are beginner to moderate, and their 1000 calorie workouts are moderate.
Zuzka Light is all about the short, high-intensity interval training style workouts. Her videos are generally between 14 and 20 minutes, but you will be sweating a storm dead on the ground after each and every one – that’s a promise! I mean look at her….clearly she is doing something right. I generally include one of her workouts per week, but they can be easily followed every day. Before she launched this website, she was co-creator of BodyRock.TV with Freddy Light. Some of her older videos (found on YouTube) are my favourites. Check out this 500 rep workout and the It’s So On Right Now Workout.
Pros: Great workout! Really makes you sweat in 20 mins. or less. Great option for those who want to add HIIT into their weekly workouts.
Cons: She has a bit of an accent and can be hard to understand. The movement are sometimes a little more complicated and must be viewed a few times before performing.
Equipment Required: Timer (if performing on own), mat. Sometimes she uses free weights or a ball.
Cost: Free for the most part. Her DVD’s and ZGym program come with a small fee.
Difficulty: Moderate to advanced.
This site is run by Zuzka Light’s ex-husband Freddy (of course it is). Similar idea, but these at-home workouts require more equipment (think weight bar, dip station, ugi ball). That aside, they are intense and short, and bring the heat! They list a workout of the day on their main page, but you can scan through all their videos under the workout tab on their website. Check out their workouts listed here.
Pros: Great workouts, good instruction and demonstration.
Cons: The main instructor’s voice is a little annoying. There is a lot of jumping and moving around so more adequate space is needed.
Equipment Required: A lot – you can modify some workouts without equipment, but for the most part you need a dip station, ugi ball, and weighted bar to do the workouts properly and effectively. Also a timer if you are doing the workouts on your own.
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Moderate to advanced. You can modify and take breaks as needed.
What are some of your favourite workout sites?
Sweet Child In The City 
This is a great list – thanks for putting it together!
I am OBSESSED with Fitness Blender!