Exercise is super important for not only physical but also mental health and wellbeing. But gym and club memberships can be expensive and well for students this may not be feasible. Plus with gyms currently closed, even if you do pay for a membership, alternatives workouts are the only option at the moment. We’ve got the best advice on how to exercise for free as a student, but please be aware some of these may not be running or available at the moment.
Exercise apps – There are so many exercise apps where you can download and complete free workouts. These will include everything from full-body workouts, to short sessions to target specific areas.
Some of the best free exercise apps are below:
- Couch to 5K
- 30-day Ab Challenge
- Nike Training Club
- Simply Yoga
- Strava
- Sworkit
- My Virtual Mission
- Adidas training by Runtastic
- Asana Rebel: Yoga and fitness
- Mytraining workout tracker log
- Daily workouts fitness trainer
- Fitbod weight lifting trainer
- Better points
- Dance fitness
- Fitnet
Youtube – The place to go to if you want to learn a skill, or try something new. Youtube has thousands of easy workouts that you can complete at home.
Join a group – Have a quick google of local free sports groups in your area, these could include running clubs, a hiking club or even a group that does yoga in the park.
Hiking – What’s better than completing your exercise and being rewarded with a magnificent view? Hiking is also a great activity to do with friends.
Using a park outdoor gyms, walking, rowing – Local parks and green spaces are a great place to burn some calories, whether you walk, run, bike, or even complete a full-body HIT, parks are such versatile spaces and are free.
University sports team – Joining a club or sports team isn’t only a way of getting some exercise but also a great way of meeting new friends at Uni.
Fitness events – Lots of student cities organise free fitness events which bring the community together, sign up to Facebook groups to keep in the know.
On your commute – When heading to work or uni, it’s easy to jump into your car, or catch the bus, but why not walk or bike? Plus it’s an easy way to fit exercise into a busy routine.
Catch up with a friend – Why not arrange to meet a friend and go for a walk, you’d be surprised how much easier walking feels when you’re having a good old catch up.
Yoga – There are many yoga workout classes online, and most of these don’t need any equipment at all, just a floor and a little space.
Bodyweight exercises – There are plenty of exercises that simply use your own bodyweight to work specific muscles. Simply google ‘bodyweight exercise’ and try out one of the millions of results.
Use household items – If bodyweight exercises don’t quite cut it, find items around your room or your house that you can use as weights, things like water bottles and tins of beans.
Exercise is very important for students, for health and mental wellbeing, but joining a gym can be a stretch on finances for some people, so free exercise is perfect!
For more information on how to get fit for free, click here.
