I reviewed 3 fitness apps, here is what I learned

In 2024, I decided to spend some time exploring different fitness apps and trainers. The constant in my training is my running—I was preparing for my first 100-mile race and needed some supplemental strength training.

Though I could create my own workouts, I wanted to do something different and fun. If you’ve read my book, you know that novelty is something I find essential for staying engaged in an activity. I wasn’t getting much novelty in running, so this became a fun way for me to seek it out.

This actually started as research for building my own online workout brand… but honestly, these women do it so well that I ended up jumping in as a participant and just enjoying the process.

In this post, I’m reviewing three fitness platforms for those of you looking for at-home workouts:

• Kira Stokes Fitness

• Speir On Demand (Andrea Speir Pilates)

• Heather Robertson

  
  

💪 Kira Stokes Fitness App

The first app I explored was Kira Stokes’ fitness app.

What I loved right away were her short workouts—what she calls “fitness snacks” or “Stoked snacks.” These are 3–12 minutes long, and the idea is that you can stack them together to build a full workout. I still go back to her Band Bridge Burnout and a couple of her ab videos. She uses basic equipment, and you can do these workouts anywhere. I enjoyed her energy and overall vibe.

What didn’t work for me

The workouts are tough—really tough. Though they were great for me, I struggled to find people I felt comfortable recommending them to because they’re not beginner-friendly.

They’re also very core-heavy. You’ll rarely find a video that isn’t focused heavily on planks. On top of that, she moves fast and talks fast. When I would invite Sam or Nora to do them with me, half the time was spent listening to them say:

“Wait—what did she just say?”

At the time, I also wished I could create my own schedule. She had 7- and 14-day challenges, but I needed to stretch them out to balance with my running (this feature does exist now).

The biggest issue for me was physical. I started dealing with hip flexor pain, especially on my right side. Even after focusing on form and working with my PT, it stuck around. When I stopped using the app, the pain went away.

I revisited it later and focused on better form—but still struggled. For me, the workouts are just too core/hip-flexor dominant.

I also found that after repeating my favorite workouts, I wished there were fewer instructions. Once you know the routine, the constant cueing becomes a bit much—but I’m not sure how you fix that.

💰 Cost & Trial

• ~$14.99/month (discount if billed annually)

• Free trial: ~7 days

  
  

👉 Who I recommend it to, Someone who:

• Already has a solid fitness base

• Wants intense, efficient workouts in a condensed time

• Loves core-focused training

🧘‍♀️ Speir On Demand (Andrea Speir Pilates)

Last summer, I was coming off a strength training block with my running coach and feeling really blah at the gym. My running was getting intense, with a big focus on vert, and I needed a different kind of movement to avoid burnout.

That’s when I found Andrea Speir’s Speir On Demand.

I originally found her through an ad for Anytime Pilates (another app I wanted to review), but I ended up loving her style so much that I committed to her platform instead. She also has some free videos on YouTube, which is a nice bonus, so I started there before moving onto her app.

What I loved

I honestly have very little negative to say about Andrea’s app—she is an excellent Pilates instructor.

I love that she offers both reformer-style classes and mat classes. If I had a reformer at home, I would follow her workouts without hesitation.

Her Pilates workouts are hard—but in the best way. I ended up doing one of her videos every day for 100 days leading up to my race last August.

What I learned after 100 days of Pilates? I did start to miss heavier weight training.

While doing Andrea’s workouts (and Kira’s), I noticed:

• My body had great muscle tone

• My core felt (and looked) strong

  
  

But I was losing actual strength in the gym—especially when training clients and moving heavier weights.

It was a good reminder that:

I need to keep some heavier lifting in the mix, not just 5 lb dumbbells.

That said, it fit the season of my life perfectly—high running volume and limited energy for heavy lifting. I still do one of Andrea's pilates routines during taper time when I want to get In movement without fatiguing myself before a race.

💰 Cost & Trial

• $29/month

• Free trial: ~7 days

  
  

👉 Who I recommend it to

Someone who:

• is looking for at home pilates classes

• Wants low-impact strength and toning

• Is in a high running or endurance season

  
  

🔥 Heather Robertson

Finally, I started experimenting with Heather Robertson’s programs, and she feels like the perfect blend of everything I was missing.

I don’t have nearly as much time with her yet—about a month compared to 6+ months with Kira and Andrea—but I already have strong opinions.

What I love (so far)

• She doesn’t talk you through the workouts. There are timers and visual cues—and that’s it. I love this.

• The music is great

• Heavy weights. This is real strength training (I’m currently doing her Power program). She also offers a Pilates fusion option, which I think is a great balance If you don't have heavy weights.

• Structure + flexibility. She has structured programs, or you can build your own calendar. How cool is that?

You can do all her workouts on YouTube for free, but honestly, the app version is worth the money for the organization and programming.

What I haven’t fully tested yet

Since I’m still newer to her programs, I don’t feel like I’ve hit or found any of the “downsides” yet—but I’ll update this as I spend more time with it.

💰 Cost & Trial

• YouTube workouts: Free

• App/program access: ~$19/month

• No true trial needed due to free content

  
  

👉 Who I recommend it to

Someone who:

• Wants real strength training at home

• Prefers less talking and more doing

• Likes having both structure and flexibility

  
  

Final Thoughts

Each of these platforms served a purpose for me during different phases of training:

• Kira Stokes → Intense, core-heavy, efficient

• Speir On Demand → Balanced, low-impact, sustainable

• Heather Robertson → Strength-focused, flexible, and refreshingly simple

What I learned most through all of this is that:

The “best” workout isn’t universal—it’s the one that fits your season and your style.

And for me, training for a 100-mile races means constantly adjusting that balance.