{"id":665002,"date":"2026-05-12T01:22:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T01:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/665002\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T01:22:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T01:22:16","slug":"an-honest-review-of-spotifys-new-fitness-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/665002\/","title":{"rendered":"An Honest Review of Spotify’s New Fitness Library"},"content":{"rendered":"

I don\u2019t typically knock out 48 Arnold presses in three minutes, but who am I to argue with the ebullient Adrian Williams<\/a>? During a recent 30-minute strength session, the 42-year-old routinely hollered motivation like: \u201cI don\u2019t want you to cheat yourself by not challenging yourself!\u201d And \u201cYou\u2019re going to earn everything that you get here!\u201d That\u2019s just the sort of tough-love coachspeak I\u2019ve been susceptible to since the age of eight.<\/p>\n

The class was particularly refreshing considering that I mostly train alone these days. I\u2019ve dabbled in squad training<\/a> and track clubs over the last few years, and I frequent a yoga studio on Sundays, but the majority of my intense efforts are private to me and a Spotify playlist called \u201cStand on Business.\u201d<\/p>\n

As it turns out, I didn\u2019t even have to leave the Spotify universe to complete this particular session. Williams\u2019s strength class was my first sampling of the streamer\u2019s new fitness library. I decided to give it a try after a few days of spotting giant billboards<\/a> heralding the launch and being fed fun adverts<\/a> in which Adonises perform burpees on rooftops. But what is \u201cFitness on Spotify,\u201d exactly? And quotable moments aside, is it any good?<\/p>\n

Introducing Spotify Fitness<\/p>\n

Spotify heads like Roman Wasenm\u00fcller, the global head of podcasts, appear buoyed by internal data that 70% of Premium subscribers work out monthly. \u201cFor nearly two decades, Spotify has been the soundtrack to the world\u2019s workouts,\u201d Wasenm\u00fcller said<\/a> in a release. In adding visual expertise to the audio experience, Spotify sees an opportunity to become a one-stop shop for exercise motivation.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s infrastructure (and precedent) for this. Over the last 18 months, the platform has been introducing video companions<\/a> for your favorite podcasts. I first realized this while walking through Central Park at lunch. Two guys I listen to all the time, and previously had zero clue what they looked like, were there wearing baseball hats, talking to each other in my pocket. No wonder my phone was so hot.<\/p>\n

To get their fitness hub off the ground in a hurry, Spotify didn\u2019t hire a bunch of trainers and build out studios \u2014 they just leveraged an existing relationship with Peloton. (When exercise bikes were selling like hotcakes during quarantine, Peloton\u2019s early stars curated bespoke playlists<\/a> with Spotify\u2019s blessing.) The new deal is expansive: Spotify bought the rights to 1,400 of Peloton\u2019s on-demand workout classes and compiled them in one place, ad free.<\/p>\n

That constitutes only a small fraction of the Peloton library (which likely has tens of thousands<\/a> of videos). The embattled equipment company has become more of a promising streaming platform in recent years, as it\u2019s shifted its operational focus to \u201cin-ear coaching.\u201d (Other apps in this space include Nike Run Club<\/a>, Ladder<\/a>, Aaptiv<\/a> and Trainwell<\/a>). It\u2019s a prudent move: Peloton has the talent and the content, everyone else has a phone and AirPods. The Spotify agreement broadcasts their workouts to a massive audience, and a young one at that. The majority of Spotify\u2019s users are under the age of 35<\/a>, myself included.<\/p>\n

How to Take It for a Spin<\/p>\n

First, you gotta find it. That\u2019s easier said than done, considering Spotify now has audiobooks, music videos and AI tools clogging up its homepage. At least the streamer seems aware of the issue; it included instructions in a recent Instagram comment: \u201cTo find Fitness with Spotify, tap Search \ud83d\udd0d. Then under \u201cbrowse all\u201d tap Fitness to explore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Handle all that, and you\u2019ll be greeted with a brief interactive survey:<\/p>\n

What movement are you in the mood for? (You can choose from Burn & Sweat, Strengthen & Tone and Calm & Restore.)<\/p>\n

How do you want to work? (With Weights, With Bodyweight or Weightless Flow.)<\/p>\n

How experienced are you with this type of workout? (Drag the toggle between I\u2019m Just Getting Into It, I\u2019ve Done Some and I\u2019m Comfortable.)<\/p>\n

From there the algorithm spits out a recommended workout. If you\u2019re not into it, no fear, Spotify will also dispense a list of similar workouts. Categories include Strength, Pilates & Barre, Yoga, Stretching, Meditation and Cardio. At the bottom, as an afterthought for now, there\u2019s a section called Creator Workouts, which features classes from YouTube titans like Sophie Reid<\/a>, Caitlin K\u2019eil Yoga<\/a> and Jordan Yeoh Fitness<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For now, it\u2019s unclear what sort of deal (or future monetization) these trainers have arranged with Spotify. I\u2019m sure more creators will follow, for the prestige aspect if nothing else, but considering ad-free costs are similar between Spotify and YouTube \u2014 $12.99 and $15.99, respectively \u2014 I\u2019m not sure this section makes a huge difference for the audience. (As a point of comparison, an individual all-access Peloton membership is $28.99 a month.)<\/p>\n

Are Spotify Workouts for You?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a beginner, this library is an absolute treasure trove of ideas and expertise. If you\u2019re short on time, it\u2019s robust proof that it doesn\u2019t take much to add exercise to your day. <\/p>\n

While I enjoyed spending a half hour with Williams, I know my training self: I prefer slower, longer lifts. Knocking out bent-over rows at light speed is how I injured my back a couple years ago. (Also, I don\u2019t really love squinting down at my phone when I\u2019m at the gym.) That said, I consider Spotify Fitness a Swiss Army knife for mobility. I cycle between running eight miles and sitting for eight hours behind a desk, a deathly combo that stands to benefit from the attention of Mariana Fernandez\u2019s hips flow<\/a>, or Rebecca Kennedy\u2019s core stretch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During one rest period, Williams revealed how he looks 25 at the age of 42. \u201cPeople always say, what\u2019s the secret?\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve never stopped moving. That\u2019s one. Number two, respect the body. Recovery is just as important as what we\u2019re doing here right now. And three, life is sometimes not as balanced as we\u2019d like it to be. Meet yourself with where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

I think his third rule best sums up the purpose of Spotify Fitness. The new hub meets you where you are \u2014 and considering you\u2019re about to exercise, odds are you\u2019re already inside the Spotify app.<\/p>\n

\t\t\tMeet your guide<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"Tanner<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tTanner Garrity<\/p>\n

Tanner Garrity is a senior editor at InsideHook, where he\u2019s covered wellness, travel, sports and pop culture since 2017. He also authors The Charge, InsideHook\u2019s weekly wellness newsletter. Beyond the newsroom, he can usually be found running, skating, reading, writing fiction or playing tennis. He lives in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tMore from Tanner Garrity \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Charge will help you move better, think clearer and stay in the game longer. Subscribe to our wellness newsletter<\/a> today.<\/p>\n

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