fashion

Adidas, Nike Pile On The Workout Freebies

COVID-19 isolation is wearing on everyone’s nerves, but avid exercisers are especially tortured. While sales are plummeting at athletic brands like Nike, Adidas and Under Armour, these companies are piling on new content and engagements to help. And they’re all aimed at helping people feel less like caged animals and more like saviors in sweatpants.

Nike just released an extra-gritty spot documenting the determination it takes to stay fit with basement trampolines and hallway push-ups. “This is our chance,” the ad says, reminding viewers that 7.8 billion people want to stay healthy. “Play for the world.”

The Beaverton, Oregon company keeps expanding its free arsenal of digital resources and platforms, which include the Nike App, NTC, NRC, its social-media channels, nike.com and the podcast "Trained."

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It’s also offering weekly live-streamed workouts with Nike Master Trainers on Nike’s YouTube channel, geared toward the tiniest of living spaces and scaled so they work for any level of fitness.

For kids, the Nike’s Made To Play initiative is partnering with global partners.

And for the most competitive athletes, the brand is cooking up an array of mini-workout challenges called The Living Room Cup, where participants can compare themselves to athletes like soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo.

Adidas has been busy too, and is rolling out free virtual experiences faster than Lionel Messi can score a goal. The company is  loading up both its Training and Running apps with home workouts and nutrition guides in 15 languages. Its Fit From Home Challenge has already signed up 500,000 participants in 192 countries.

Adidas is also offering weekly live events, covering everything from meditation and yoga to high-intensity interval training and nutrition.

Under Armour is also stepping up its offerings through its connected fitness initiatives, as is Puma, with its Pumatrac app.

Even Peloton, already seen as having an edge for at-home workouts, is piling on the freebies, extending its free app offer to 90 days, offering a library of thousands of live and on-demand classes.

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