Just as boutique indoor cycling studios such as SoulCycle have become all the rage, indoor running classes have also started to grow in popularity. The benefit of these types of classes is that they help keep runners motivated by adding a bit of spirited competition with the person on the treadmill next to you. Unfortunately, running indoors is a poor substitute for running outside and the designers of the fitness app Studio know it. So, they’ve decided to make the boutique running class experience mobile in the latest update to the software.
Recently, Studio – which is available for iOS – added a new class to its already impressive workout lineup. Dubbed the Outdoor Run, this class delivers everything you’ve come to expect from Studio, but has been designed for runners to listen to while their running outside. The class runs 30 minutes in length and is available on demand at any time of the day.
As with all of Studio’s other classes the Outdoor Run it is taught by an instructor who is there to help keep listeners motivated throughout the workout. The app itself will provide audio cues instructing users to pick up their pace, back off in some cases, or slip into recovery mode. All of this is set to an instructor-curated playlist with a mix of different types of music ranging from oldies to hip-hop to classic rock.
The Studio app also offers a wide variety of classes for use on treadmills at home or the gym. In fact, the original idea for the app came from wanting to make treadmill runs more interesting and motivating. Hence the concept of delivering a running class that you can take with you anywhere. The data from each workout is collected using the iPhone or an Apple Watch and leaderboards give users an indication of where they stand in relation to other runners. They even have the opportunity to earn “fitcoin,” a virtual currency that can be used to make in-app purchases and buy real-world products.
Studio charges users a monthly fee, which can be as low as $8.33 if you pay for an entire year up front. Two-week free trial periods are available and a paid membership grants access to unlimited classes each month.
