Moneymagpie Team
8th Sep 2025
Reading Time: 7 minutes
Whether you want to find the best free workout videos or get inspired for outdoor exercise that cost nothing this autumn, we’ve rounded up the best free workouts for you.
Stay Safe
When you’re exercising outside as the weather gets cooler and the dark draws in earlier, it’s really important to stay safe.
The first thing to consider is your audio equipment. Most people like to work out while listening to music or podcasts. However, this reduces your situational awareness and can put you at risk. You might not hear traffic approaching, for example.
In fact, that’s why most marathons and races are looking to change their headphone policies. Rather than closed earbuds or over-ear headphones, they will only allow open-ear earbuds. These are usually bone conduction earbuds, which sit behind your ear to transfer music through the bone rather than directly into your ear. It leaves your ears open to make sure you can hear what’s going on around you, without disrupting hearing music.
You can try open ear single earbuds, like OpenRock S2 Open Ear Air Conduction Earbuds, which come in a pair. These hook over your ear for comfort and secure fitting while you work out, with IPX5 waterproof rating and triple sweatproofing to make sure they keep going as long as you do.
If you prefer to wear headphones, try bone conduction headphones with a band like the Creative Outlier Free. It sits around the back of your head for comfort while you run or work out, with a run time of 10 hours on the battery, taking you through a (literal!) marathon and still having loads left before the next charge. They’re also IPX5 waterproof rated, too.
Bright Kit
Exercising on darker mornings and evenings means you need to ensure you are seen. Wear bright colours, and ideally reflective strips or fabrics to make sure vehicle headlights can see you from far away.
Some people like to run or work out with a headlamp, to light their way on darker paths, too.
Tell Someone Where You’re Going
No matter what time of the year, when you’re working out outside, always make sure you tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to get home. If you want to, share your live location on your phone, too.
This ensures that if something happens – such as you twist an ankle while running somewhere quiet – someone knows where you might be if you need help.
Free Running Groups and Apps
Some people prefer to run alone, while others like the companionship of a group. Running apps are a great way to get into running if you haven’t done it before, while groups can be motivating as you show up for other people as well as yourself.
Running App: Couch to 5k
A reliable app designed to get people new to running – or newly returning to running – to stay motivated on their runs. It works by building up your workout day by day, to turn a 5-kilometre run from something scary to something easy to achieve. Check out the details on the NHS website.
Running App: Zombies Run
The Zombies Run franchise is a fun way to make running workouts enjoyable even on the days you don’t feel like going. The story told on each ‘mission’ (run) encourages you to run and work out, while telling a fun tale of beating a zombie apocalypse.
Running App: Joy Runs
Joy Runs is a mindful running app and global community, designed for all ages and abilities to make outdoor exercise enjoyable and mindful.
Park Run
Park Runs happen all over the country every weekend. They’re free to attend and are suitable for all abilities. Run or walk 5 kilometres, try to beat your personal best each week, and create a social group with regulars.
Local Running Groups
Look on Facebook or local community boards for information about running groups or people looking to meet workout companions. You can also check the noticeboard in your local gym if you want to find a regular workout buddy.
Best Free Workout Videos
It’s easy to work out for free at home, and you usually don’t need any equipment, either. YouTube is a brilliant resource for free exercise videos and workouts – we’ve picked some of our favourite channels to get you started.
The Body Coach
Joe Wicks (AKA The Body Coach) is a well-known British fitness instructor and author of healthy cookery books. He focuses on splitting up your diet and exercise goals into manageable chunks. For example, in 2020, he launched a 7 Days of Sweat Challenge. These are 20-minute sessions over the course of a week designed to get you moving.
It’s always important to stretch before and after a workout. You can search ‘Body Coach stretching‘ on YouTube to find warm-up and wind-down stretches.
Why not get the family involved? There are loads of other great sections on his YouTube channel, including Kids Workouts to Do At Home.
Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home
If you prefer a gentler exercise regime, Leslie Sansone has a very specific workout routine that may be right up your alley: the ‘Walk at Home’ exercise plan.
Leslie’s got a magnetic, super peppy personality that will keep you entertained while she takes you through how to walk on the spot to get fit. So, no need for any fancy equipment or outdoor space. Just put on your exercise gear and start walking!
While all of her videos are focused on walking, there are specific workouts tailored for different types of workout. For example, the 5 Minute Belly Blasting Walk. Also check out the 1 Mile Happy Walk and Fast Walking in 30 Minutes. Finish up with the Cool Down Walk, which takes just over five minutes.
POPSUGAR Fitness
POPSUGAR’s exercise series is great for more active exercisers looking for specific timed workouts. For example, there’s the 8 Minute Flat-Belly Workout with Astrid Swan, and the 30-Minute Cardio Hip Hop Workout
While the videos are pretty energetic, what’s fantastic about them is they require only very basic equipment (like dumbbells), or none at all. For example, the 30-minute HIIT No Repeats Workout is a fantastic and comprehensive routine that requires no more than a bit of space in the living room. They sometimes show exercises on mats, but if you don’t have one then a towel will usually do! Just wash it after it’s been on the floor.
And not all of POPSUGAR’s workouts are for advanced exercisers. Check out the 15-Minute Beginner’s At-Home Cardio Workout to get to grips with cardio exercise. Using all time indoors as the weather turns colder and learning how to exercise and get really fit is easy with videos like these!
NHS Fitness Studio
Did you know the NHS has a catalogue of free exercise videos for different preferences and fitness levels?
It may not sound as glamorous as POPSUGAR and the like, but the different sections and straightforward videos are actually pretty excellent. The workouts are split into four main sections, which are aerobic exercise, strength and resistance, pilates and yoga, and other fitness plans.
The ‘other’ section contains everything from 10-minute workouts to a full-on 12-week fitness plan. Perfect for self-isolating newbie and advanced exercisers alike!
As well as engaging videos, the fitness plan section has handy, straightforward articles on different topics. These include the benefits of exercise, why we should sit less, and exercise as you get older. Check them out as an introduction to exercise if you’re new to it!
And far from being boring instructional videos, you’ll also find a belly dancing exercise video, and one on getting fit with the La Bomba dance. Plus, because the articles and videos are endorsed by the NHS, you can trust they’re giving you excellent guidance.
Walking is Perfect Exercise
If you are able to walk, it’s ideal exercise. It’s weight-bearing, which is important to maintain healthy bones, and can be done anywhere. All you need is a pair of comfy trainers, some bone conduction headphones for situational awareness – or a friend to keep you company.
Walking doesn’t have to be An Event, either. Building extra steps into your day is easy to do as you go about your daily tasks. The old advice still stands because it works:
- Take the stairs instead of the lift
- Park as far from the shops as you can
- Get off the bus a few stops earlier
These all build movement into your day without costing a Casadefinance Reader.
Outdoor Gyms and Green Gyms
Finally, you don’t need a gym membership if you can find an outdoor gym near to you.
Many parks and green spaces have built-in gym equipment that allow anyone to work out in the fresh air, without costing anything. Check online how to use the equipment – there are lots of instructional videos on YouTube – to make sure you’re performing exercises safely.
Green Gyms
If you want to be sociable AND charitable while working out, join a green gym. These are local volunteer groups that help in the local community with tasks like gardening overgrown spaces. For the hardcore exerciser, to get there and back, green gym groups often meet somewhere else and run to the garden or community space that needs help.