High Vibe Workouts That Transform So Much More Than Your Body

I’ll just say it. Working out can be HARD. I want to be one of those people who can lay out their workout clothes the night before and go for a 5 mile run but in radical acceptance, that just ain’t me. I love how I feel after a workout, but getting there can feel like a 5 mile run in itself. Luckily, I’ve found a few workouts that make me feel really great. They’re high vibe — which in non woo-woo means they make you feel good while doing them and like a weight has been lifted after. They’re effective without causing over-exertion, which has been really important for me as I try to manage my PCOS. There’s no screaming or competition or intensity which has never been my workout vibe. And they drive results- most importantly to me mentally, but also physically too.

I’ve compiled a list of my favorites below and while I’m not subscribed to ALL of these, I’ve experienced them in one way or another and can highly recommend them for anyone looking for a workout to actually make you feel good in all aspects.

Melissa Wood Health

How I Found It: I love pilates. Pre-pandemic I was going to Lagree Fitness and sweating it out at least once a week on the reformer. Once lockdown started, I subscribed to MWH and was instantly hooked.

What It Is: Melissa Wood’s workouts are a combo between yoga, pilates, stretching and dance. They’re designed to be super accessible and make you feel incredible in your body. She has a host of other instructors too for dance, pre and post natal, and full yoga flows.

Why I Love It: The biggest benefit? Melissa’s workouts are designed with a focus on mindfulness and the peace and calm I feel after a little bit of movement with Melissa is unrivaled by any other workout and why she will always be my favorite. The abs I’ve gotten from working out with her are an added bonus too. From 5 minute standing series you can do on a park bench to 10 minute meditations and 45 minute longer flows, you can choose where and how you want to move with her (I’ve even done her workouts in a moving RV) and feel more connected to your body and mind.

How To Try It: Melissa offers a 7 day free trial and you can also get a sense of her workouts with this 15 minute session of hers on Goop. But, at only $10 a month for her subscription you might as well just buy it, you won’t regret it!

Peleton

How I Found It: Yes, I know. Everyone loves Peleton. But there’s a reason! After my sister raving about hers I finally bought one and was hooked on the high vibe workouts are designed around community, music, and becoming the best version of yourself.

What It Is: Peleton is a spin class on a customized bike where you can adjust the speed and resistance. It is guided by a variety of instructors who have different length and theme rides so you can choose who make you feel the best. Peleton also has a host of other workouts you’ll get if you buy the bike from tabata to pilates taught by many of the same spin instructors.

Why I Love It: Sure, if you want to try and beat the leader board or compete with yourself or go all out till your in pain the next day you can, but that’s not the path that makes me feel best on the bike. I love instructors like Ally Love or Robin Arzon that focus on self love during their low impact rides or to sing my heart out on The Greatest Showman Ride and feel like I’m on my own Broadway stage. I don’t really pay attention to how fast I should be cycling or how much weight I should be putting on, I just listen intuitively to what my body wants to do and the music.

How To Try It: While the bike is quite pricey, if you want the Peleton workouts which range from running to pilates to tabata, there’s a 2 month free trial on their site after which is $12.99 a month. The bike offers a trial period as well (and now rentals!) and is $1,445 to purchase.

Kinrgy

How I Found It: I found Kinrgy through YouTube when I was looking to dance but didn’t want to follow a full choreographed class.

What It Is: Kinrgy is a movement class designed by Julianne Hough (of Dancing With the Stars fame) that combines movement, breathwork, and expression. It’s a cross between interpretive dance, bootcamp class, and a therapy session that makes you feel like you’re releasing years of pent up stress in one session. I don’t really know how or why it works, but I slept better the night after I took my first Kinrgy class than I had in years. They offer four types of classes: Kinrgy X (full body workout), Kinrgy Carve (sculpting), Kinrgy Connect (meditation) and Kinrgy Express (dance movement).

Why I Love It: I know Julianne Hough has had her fair share of bad press but everyone deserves second chances right? What Julianne is doing in Kinrgy is somatic releasing that really allows emotions to move through and out of the body. That somatic processing is something I haven’t seen from any other type of workout and it’s so energizing.

How To Try It: If you want to try a class you can do so on their Youtube page. Subscriptions are $30 a month.

The Underbelly

How I Found It: This is for all my yogis out there. I saw Jessamyn speak at an event for school about inclusive wellness and was so inspired by her down to earth vibe and welcoming message. I am not a yogi but even I enjoy a little stretching with Jessamyn.

What It Is: The whole point of The Underbelly is to make wellness accessible for everyone and provides a complete workout to help you achieve physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness in one session. Jessamyn specifically focuses on using yoga to help those in marginalized communities take up more space and empowers her community to take back the term wellness.

Why I Love It: Jessamyn has a beautiful soul and her workouts are like a balm to the wounds of the world, a gentle place to escape and reconnect with yourself.

How To Try It: The Underbelly has a free 2 week trial. After which is $118 a year paid annually or $20 a month.

The Pilates Class

How I Found It: If you want a little more cardio/HIIT than Melissa Wood Health, say hello to what might as well be her Australian cousin Jacqui Kingswell. I’m pretty sure I was targeted on Instagram by her and after her free trial I just kept going.

What It Is: Jacqui’s pilates workouts have exploded over the past year, gaining fans worldwide and for good reason. Jacqui is all about self love, showing up and meeting yourself where you are, and small progress for big results. Her workouts are split into three categories: chill, satisfying, and intense so you can decide what works best for you on any day. Her meditations are also fab and she’s got a great positive energy about her.

Why I Love It: Jacqui’s classes feel like taking a little Australian vacation - they’re just the right amount of challenging and often in beautiful locales. My abs burned for days after her workouts and I truly feel I stand stronger and more confidently when I’m working out with her.

How To Try It: She offers a free trial so you can test her out an awesome period stretch session here. A subscription is $139 a year or $29 a month.

Dance Church

How I Found It: As a Jew, this is the only church I want to go to. My older sister introduced me to Dance Church and it is the most freeing, feel good hour of dance.

What It Is: Dance church is all about fun movement and great music, yes there is some choreography but mostly the deal is you just move how you want to and let your body release whatever it needs to through music. More than that, Dance Church is committed to inclusivity and founded upon the principle that whatever shape, size, color or ability you are, you can find a release through movement together with others.

Why I Love It: Dance Church is a place you can show up and just be you. Follow the choreography or don’t. Sing your heart out or be really quiet. It’s a come as you are, dance as you must kind of place that feels like a great sweaty workout with a dose of hippie on the side (my favorite).

How To Try It: They have in person and on demand options so you can attend dance church wherever you are. Monthly subscriptions are $19 and well worth it- you can sign up here and get a sense for the type of workout on Instagram.

Soto Method

How I Found It: As a fairly newcomer onto the scene, Hillary Hoffman’s Soto Method put out a deal for Parsley Health members I took advantage of and got one month free of her workouts. I was sold after I woke up sore for the second day in a row after only 4 minutes and 50 seconds with her.

What It Is: Soto method is a mix of cardio and sculpting movements designed to deliver a full body workout in a short period of time. Every class begins with a sixty second isometric hold followed by ten exercises for 20 seconds each. You can do a full class or isolate arms, legs, etc. if you’re short on time.

Why I Love It: Hillary is probably the most typical instructor I have on here but she’s done something life changing for me. I hate long workouts and being able to feel the burn in less than five minutes makes her workouts so attainable and accessible to me. Even if I’m not feeling my best I can always muster up five minutes and it’s that short period of time that makes me feel great during the rest of the day. She’s also gently motivating and offers excellent modifications for injuries and sensitivities.

How To Try It: Soto method is a little pricey at $40 a month but I think worth it. Hillary offers a one week free trial to see how you like it before signing up.

The Be.come Project

How I Found It: I met Bethany Meyers at a dinner in Venice and was immediately drawn to her no bullshit way of being. She is honest and funny and passionate and all of this comes through in her beautiful workout be.come which I tried after getting to know her.

What It Is: The idea of be.come is to offer a fitness option that’s all about body neutrality, inclusivity and approachability. Bethany herself is non-binary, queer, and has struggled with body issues so she created the workout she needed and there’s a passionate community behind her who love her approach. The workouts are a combo between cardio, strength training and flows, mostly using your own body weight.

Why I Love It: I think by now you get that high vibe to me is being able to show up to move your body without expectation of results and with an instructor that knows it is about the mental as much as the physical. Bethany does this beautifully and her workouts help me feel mentally so strong while shaping long lean lines on my body.

How To Try It: There’s a bunch of teaser videos on her YouTube channel if you want to try it out!

Movement Genius

How I Found It: Remember Alyson Stoner? The Missy Elliot dancer? Well, she’s all grown up now and after going through a ton of mental health issues, she found healing through mindful movement and is bringing it to the masses via Movement Genius. I did a teaser series with Alyson during an event for work and loved how accessible and quick it was, with easy movements to bring me back to my body throughout the work day.

What It Is: Movement Genius offers inclusive somatic classes that blend mind, body and spirit movements. Regular memberships give you access to live and on-demand short classes that help you move through your day and the ‘at your desk’ series provides suggestions for micro movements to do in between meetings to support better work life balance.

Why I Love It: Alyson is really filling a gap in the market here - these aren’t workouts per se but rather movement that provides a supportive container to drop all your shit from the day and just be. It’s healing in a quiet way and on the days I used that ‘at your desk’ series I signed off from work feeling more clear headed, less achey and more alive.

How To Try It: They offer some examples of the types of moves they do on their site and memberships are only $10 a month (less if you’re a student).