Obé Fitness Kicked My Butt, & I'd Do It Again In A Heartbeat

The world of virtual workouts is vast. You can choose from countless platforms to sweat to, from yoga on YouTube to digital versions of top boutique fitness studios. To help you figure out which one’s the best for your home workouts, Bustle is reviewing Obé Fitness, one of the most popular apps out there.

Obé, short for “our body electric,” offers a vast catalogue of classes — both on-demand and live — that span everything from gentle foam rolling sessions to rebounding and even Euphoria-themed aerobics, all of which are set in a neon-colored studio (it gives off major ‘80s aerobics vibes). Subscriptions are $27/month, $65/quarter, or $199/year, which gives you access to over 5,000 on-demand workouts and 22 daily live sessions that you can stream from your phone, computer, or TV.

To make your home workout regimen even more seamless, Obé tracks your classes and syncs with your calendar so you can pre-schedule your sweat sesh. If you’re a social exerciser, you can also invite your friends to virtually join your on-demand class using the platform’s “workout party” feature.

Curious about what the platform’s workouts are really like? Read on for my review of the Obé Fitness app to see if it’s worth trying.

What Obé Workouts Are Like

Obé really has something for everyone. The app offers 14 different workout categories: sculpt, dance, power (think plyometrics and weights), vinyasa yoga, HIIT, barre, yoga sculpt (amped-up flows that incorporate light dumbbells), Pilates, cardio boxing, dance HIIT, meditation, and bounce (trampoline-based exercises), plus prenatal and postnatal as well as kid-friendly classes. And you can pick your session based on exactly what you’re looking for at the moment, including your workout length (there are 10-minute all the way up to hour-long classes), fitness level, body focus, and equipment used.

Here’s my take on the different workouts on Obé has to choose from.

HIIT

I decided to start off with a bang with a 27-minute bodyweight HIIT session coached by Obé trainer Melody D., and I was sweating and breathless in minutes. The class alternated 30 seconds of low-impact exercises with 30 seconds of higher-impact moves like bear crawls and burpees. It was fast-paced — the breaks were minimal, and the efforts were maximum. While that left precious few seconds for rest, it did help the class fly by, and the half-hour length was perfect for squeezing in a solid workout.

My overall opinion of the class? Though I was struggling, I felt amazing afterwards. This was one of the toughest HIIT sessions I’ve ever done, and you don’t even need gym equipment to do it. Though I was reduced to a sweaty and sore (but smiling) puddle by the end of class, I never felt like the exercises were inaccessible thanks to Melody’s clear coaching and modifications. Side note: I was awed that she did all the exercises while talking when I could barely catch my breath.

Cardio Boxing

If HIIT isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other cardio-based workouts options to pick from. I tried a 27-minute equipment-free cardio boxing session taught by Alex S. The class combined basic punches like jabs, crosses, and hooks along with heart-pumping moves like knee drives and jumping jacks. Sometimes the boxing itself became the cardio with short intervals of rapid-fire jab-crosses or rolling uppercuts. I was active the entire time without feeling as breathless as the HIIT session (think jogging versus sprints), so this workout is a great option for someone who wants their cardio dose but isn’t a fan of completely exhilarating intervals.

While I prefer a more traditional boxing class where you learn punching combos and refine your technique, that wasn’t the intention of this class. But the workout did get my heart rate up by throwing punches. The music was great, Alex’s energy was fun, and it can’t hurt that wielding my fists helped relieve stress and boost my mood.

Strength

Obé has plenty of mini strength training sessions, like the 10-minute bodyweight strength abs class taught by Ana C. I tacked it on after cardio boxing so I could finish with a burst of resistance training. And it delivered — the length makes it easy to pair with more cardio-based workouts (or any other exercise you’re into) and also serves as a perfect way to re-energize your body and mind with movement during the workday.

The class included a quick circuit of simple but challenging exercises targeting the core, like planks, V-sits, and dead bug holds. But don’t be fooled by the length — Ana targets the entirety of the upper, lower, and side abs so that my core was burning by the end. If you want more than 10 minutes, you can choose up to hour-long strength workouts.

Yoga

Obé also offers a wide selection of low-impact ways to get your sweat on, like the 50-minute vinyasa yoga led by Francesca V. The class was a series of breath-to-movement flows punctuated with stretches like lizard pose, plank work, heart-openers like supported fish pose, and the opportunity to try something more advanced like a headstand. The sequence concluded with meditative breathing, gentle stretching, and, of course, savasana.

If you’re in the mood for challenging power yoga, then this more beginner-friendly flow might be too mild for you. But it was a great midday movement break — it left me refreshed and feeling more open, but not so sweaty that I had to shower and change.

Stretching

Whether you want to warm up or wind down after a workout or are just in the mood for a stretch break, Obé has got you covered. I cooled down after a HIIT sesh with a 10-minute full-body stretch coached by Marcia M. This was the perfect way to unwind my muscles after the intervals, and I appreciated that the entire sequence was on the floor so I didn’t have to stand on my wobbly legs. Marcia guided me through simple moves like seated forward fold, belly-down quad stretch, and more to lengthen and relax muscles throughout my body.

I usually stick to the same stretching routine after exercising, so I enjoyed the guided poses — so much that I dabbled in a few other short sessions throughout the day for body-opening TLC. I recommend Beth’s 10-minute upper-body stretch to ease WFH neck and back pain and Lulu’s hip release stretch to alleviate post-workout tension.

Should You Try It?

If you need options with your workouts, Obé has you covered. The wide collection of live and on-demand class types and lengths makes it easy to try a new kind of exercise every day, so you’re not getting just one fitness modality like you do with many other exercise apps like Asana Rebel for yoga or RunKeeper for jogging. You can also sign up for one of Obé’s training programs that pre-selects your workouts for you in the longer-term, like their month-long endorphin-boosting series or two week-long yoga deep dive. Between the energized coaches and consistent aesthetic, Obé truly feels like a fitness studio in your living room — and I, for one, am keeping it in my fold for home workouts.