“Focused on helping their students fall in love with movement and have fun, there is truly a class for everyone.”

When it comes to fitness, I’m looking for consistent and flexible workouts I can easily do at home. As an entrepreneur, and since becoming a mom, I turn to online fitness classes that give me the exercise I crave—while also working around my toddler’s schedule. That’s why, when I discovered obé Fitness and its rotation of daily live workouts and 10,000+ on-demand classes, I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

Founded in 2018 by Mark Mullet and Ashley Mills, obé Fitness (pronounced “obey”) is a premium digital subscription-based fitness platform available in the USA and Canada. Focused on helping their students fall in love with movement and have fun, there is truly a class for everyone—barre, pilates, HIIT, yoga, stretching, pre/postnatal, meditation, boxing; you name it.

The platform can also be highly personalized. An in-depth quiz helps users customize their fitness goals and find the classes most tailored to them. In-depth filters allow users to search the library of classes as well and sort them by class time, teacher, difficulty level, needed equipment, and even the style of music.

Best of all, obé Fitness offers an accessible price point with two different membership options: $24.99/month or $169.99 annually. Members receive exclusive discounts and money for the obé’s Fitness Shop, where students can purchase branded apparel, workout attire, and at-home exercise equipment like weights and balls. The membership also includes access to obé Fitness smartphone and TV apps, a members-only newsletter, and personalized progress tracking tools.

“Best of all, obé Fitness offers an accessible price point with two different membership options.”

It’s no wonder then that obé Fitness has attracted celebrities like Kate Hudson and SZA to join the “obé fam.” Outside of the vast class selections and celebrity students, what’s most unique about the platform is the platform itself. With pastel colors and bright background lighting, it feels like you’ve entered a futuristic virtual gym (though the studio, called “The Box,” is actually based in Brooklyn). A palpable energy draws you in and makes fitness exciting, and the handpick trainers play a huge part in cultivating this energy. Members can expect a team of highly energetic and experienced instructors, each with certifications and formal training. 

For a week, I took four obé Fitness classes varying in time, instructor, and class type. Here is how I liked each class: 

Class 1: obé Signature Yoga

Instructor | Lulu S.
Class Time | 28 Minutes
Experience Level | Open level

As a certified yoga instructor, I was excited to experience obé Fitness’ yoga classes. While I teach a more traditional Hatha-based practice, I love trying different types of yoga, especially from other trainers.

I began by putting on my yoga clothes and rolling out my mat in the living room. The class started with a meditative intro, and the instructor asked us to set an intention, not unlike most yoga classes. Lulu launched into a fitness-focused flow, beginning with a high-energy cat-cow series with many hip and head rolls. The pace was fast, and It took me a moment to connect with the practice.

Yet, Lulu’s fun-loving approach and ability to infuse traditional yoga language helped put me at ease, and I eventually found my own flow in this unique yoga class. I particularly loved Lulu’s wisdom and joyful personality. She also weaved in a few dance moves—she had us do a booty drop from Tadasana into hands and knees and a modern dance-inspired move into plank! It was truly one of the more fun yoga classes I’ve ever taken, and by the end, I didn’t want it to be over.

Class 2: Live Dance Cardio

Instructor | Sam G.
Class Time | 28 Minutes
Experience Level | Open level

After my first class, I scheduled a live class for the following day. Because of the vast selection of live classes, finding a time that worked for my schedule was easy. I love that obé Fitness allows you to add classes to your Google calendar seamlessly. 

I chose a late morning dance class with Sam G. Like the previous day, I rolled out my yoga mat and propped my laptop on the coffee table, opting for my usual barefoot uniform (later, I’d regret not wearing sneakers). When I logged into the platform, the first thing in my profile was a countdown for the start of my live class.

Unlike a Zoom class, where there’s often a lot of fumbling to get all the controls right, obé Fitness’ live classes are streamed, meaning the teacher can’t see or hear you; they just see who’s taking their class. Sam was already jumping up and down, getting us hyped when the class started, and we launched straight into choreography. She taught short combinations and then weaved each section so we could perform the complete combo. There was a lot of kicking, sassy hip rolls, spinning, and jumping. So fun!

I’m not exaggerating when I say Sam didn’t stop moving for the entire 28 minutes. I was in stitches, laughing and smiling, trying to mimic her movements while taking multiple breaks to grab water. It was a blast. I only wish it had mentioned it was an advanced class rather than an open level. I’d never taken dance cardio, so I felt like a beginner. But I also appreciated the challenge and was sweating and sore by the time it ended.

Class 3: Upper Body + Core Barre

Instructor | Adam D.
Class Time | 10 minutes
Experience Level | Open level

The next day, I needed a break and opted for a 10-minute barre class with Adam D. I loved this class. Being a full-time mom, I have limited time and relished this short but mighty class.

Adam had a grounding and calm presence, and the class focused on core work; most of it was lying down. We did gentle ab workouts with an emphasis on stretching the legs while incorporating 10-pound weights. Though it was short, I felt like I had a well-rounded workout.

One note: For those without access to weights or balls, you can easily filter out classes that need equipment. Many of the barre classes required equipment which did limit some of my options. However, obé offers its own equipment shop for those looking to diversify their fitness routine.

Class 4: Pilates

Instructor | Marcia M.
Class Time | 45 minutes
Experience Level | Open level

Last but certainly not least on my class roster was a 45-minute Pilates session with Marcia M. I love that Obé offers pilates classes because as much as I’d love to do pilates, the price point at local studios steers me away. 

obe fitness

From the minute the class started, I knew I loved Marcia. She felt like a dear friend and had me smiling and giggling the whole time. Her practice was non-intimidating, and though the core workouts were challenging, she encouraged her students to find joy and softness even during the more challenging sequences. She instructed us through various versions of boat pose, laying on our backs and then into boat pose again. My abs were sore the next day!

At-home fitness has become one of the fastest-growing industries in recent years, and obé Fitness is a good example of why. Each class challenges me to take myself less seriously and have fun. The obé fam, as the instructors call it, is a landing place for those looking to enjoy the journey of health. Gone are the days of expensive gyms or feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by fitness!

THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT obé Fitness

Courtney Jay is a writer at The Good Trade. She is also a yoga instructor, health enthusiast, and sustainable fashion advocate. You can find more of her writing and take one of her online yoga classes on her website, Coincide.