12 Free or Inexpensive Exercise Ideas

Everyone knows that exercise is important for our health, but people (including myself) often struggle to form good exercise habits. Healthy living has become a huge money making industry. A lot of the exercise options that are advertised to us, such as joining a gym or taking special classes, can become very expensive. People often either can’t afford these things, or don’t want to spend money on things they aren’t sure they will be able to keep up with. Let’s let go of the idea that fitness is achieved through something you buy. Staying healthy doesn’t have to be expensive! There are so many free and inexpensive ways to exercise and stay fit!

Looking for more budget friendly ideas? Check out my list of 22 Free or Inexpensive Hobbies to Try!

12 Free or Inexpensive Exercise Ideas

1. Take Up Jogging

Jogging is a great free way to get exercise. A lot of people really enjoy running for fun. You could also challenge yourself and run to train for a marathon.

2. Go for Walks

Going out for a walk is 100% free. Walking has a lot of health benefits and it allows you to explore your neighborhood. Walking with your friends is also a free way to socialize.

3. Learn to do Yoga

With the abundance of free yoga instructional videos on YouTube these days, you don’t have to pay for yoga classes to get started. All you need to start practicing yoga is a mat, or even just a comfortable carpeted area. I recommend the YouTuber, Yoga With Adriene. She has a huge variety of videos for all skill levels and she organizes them into convenient playlists.

4. Take up Hiking

Hiking is a great way to be active and get yourself out in nature, and it’s basically free! As long as you have what you need to be safe on the trail, the actual act of hiking is free. I love hiking because it connects you to nature. If you’re interested in hiking, you might like some of my favorite hikes, Helen Lake Trail and Emerald Lake Loop.

5. Follow an Online Zumba Class

Zumba, like yoga, is another exercise form that is now accessible for free on YouTube. There are so many free classes that you can follow along with online. If you are unfamiliar, Zumba is a form of exercise that combines Latin music and dance with interval training.

6. Try HIIT

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves short bursts of intense exercise that allow you to get the most out of your exercise in terms of the time you spend. HIIT is a mix of aerobic exercises and resistance training and is great for your heart health. There are lots of HIIT workouts you can follow along with for free on YouTube.

7. Go Dancing

Dancing a really fun way to incorporate exercise into your routine. You don’t need to take expensive dance classes, you can dance for fun or try to learn different dances at home. The abundance of viral TikTok dances these days shows that dancing is for everyone.

8. Get a Jump Rope

Jumping rope is an easy way to get your cardio exercise because you can use them just about anywhere. You can get a jump rope from Amazon for around $10, making it super inexpensive. There are also different tricks you can learn that keep it fun, as well as jump rope work outs you can follow along with online.

9. Follow an Online Aerobics Class

Aerobics classes involve a combination of aerobic movements with stretching and muscle strength training, making them a great full body work out. Eva Fitness on YouTube offers lot of great aerobics classes on her channel that you can follow along with for free.

10. Utilize Your Local Parks

A lot of parks these days are incorporating different outdoor exercise equipment. It’s worth checking out what your local parks have to offer. If you have your own sports equipment, parks usually have free fields and courts that you can utilize on a first come first serve basis. My local park offers tennis courts, a basket ball court, a ball hockey court and a multi-purpose grass field.

11. Host Casual Sports Games With Your Friends

Joining a sports league can be quite expensive, but if you have enough friends that want to play with you, you can set up a casual sports game for free. Soccer or basketball are easy games to set up with your friends at your local park because all the supplies you need is a ball. You could even plan a regular time each week to meet up so it’s easy for friends to drop in.

12. Create Your Own Equipment-Free Exercise Routine

If there are specific areas you want to strengthen or work on, creating your own routine is a good exercise option. There are lots of online resources that demonstrate different equipment-free exercises for different muscle groups. Creating your own routine allows you to incorporate what you have available to you in terms of equipment and time.

What did I miss? Comment your favorite free way to exercise below!