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Best YouTube Channels for Free Workouts in 2025

Ditch the gym and break a sweat from the comfort of your home with these top YouTube fitness channels -- expert-approved and packed with everything from low-impact Pilates to intense HIIT sessions.

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Hedy Phillips CNET Contributor
Hedy Phillips is a freelance lifestyle writer based in New York. While she's not writing on topics like living on a budget and tips for city dwelling, she can usually be found at a concert or sightseeing in a new city. Over the past 10 years, her bylines have appeared in a number of publications, including POPSUGAR, Hunker, and more.

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The cost of gym memberships and the hassle of commuting can make staying fit feel like a chore. It's a common discussion on popular online forums like Reddit where people starting off their fitness journey often question the efficacy of a Youtube-based workout. The good news? You don’t need a gym to get in shape. With a few pieces of home workout gear and access to online fitness resources, you can achieve your goals without leaving the house.

Exercising at home comes with its own rhythm -- it’s flexible, convenient, and entirely on your terms. Whether you’re taking your first steps into fitness or looking to keep your routine fresh, these standout YouTube fitness channels offer everything you need to stay motivated and active right where you are.

What’s the best overall free YouTube workout channel?

The best overall free YouTube channel you can use to work out at home is PS Fit, formerly Popsugar Fitness. The channel offers a wide range of workouts and difficulty levels. With hundreds of workouts to choose from, PS Fit has something for beginners, pros and everyone in between.

Best YouTube channels for free workouts

Best overall workout channel

PS Fit (formerly Popsugar Fitness) has a little bit of everything. On this YouTube channel, run by Popsugar (or PS now, with the rebrand), you'll find cardio, weight training, dance, barre, HIIT and everything in between. The classes come in different lengths, so you can pick what works best for the amount of time you have for your at-home workout. There are also plenty of difficulty levels to choose from, so if you want to try yoga and have never done it before, you can pick a beginner's yoga class and work your way up until you're a pro. There are hundreds of workouts to choose from, and you can sort by the workout you want or the instructor you want. You can even take on a curated challenge, like the 5-Day Full-Body Blast.

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Best for high-intensity interval training

Personal trainer Heather Robertson offers a wide variety of HIIT workouts on her channel to get you moving. She specializes in workouts that require no equipment and can be done in any length of time you have. Ranging from 10 minutes up, the workouts are designed for a variety of skill levels and muscle groups. She's also designed several series and calendars to help you stick to a schedule of working out your muscle groups equally and efficiently.

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Best for weight training

Juice and Toya have everything you need to do your own weight training at home. On this channel, you'll find playlists by muscle group and equipment, so you can specifically pick a workout series using the weights you have on hand. Largely ranging from 10 minutes to 30 minutes, these workout videos are easy to follow for a variety of skill levels. They also show modifications if you need to go easier in any section of the workout.

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Best dumbbell workouts

Sydney Cummings Houdyshell is a bit of a legend in the fitness YouTube space. Her videos cover a ton of different exercises that focus on working out every muscle group in your body, but we would recommend her, especially for dumbbell workouts. Sydney is a former Track & Field high jump athlete, but her workouts are holistic, and the channel has a ton of videos involving dumbbells, ranging from your standard usage, to some innovative ways to incorporate dumbbells into your workout routine. She also posts new workouts regularly, which means that even if you don't find enough workouts to match your style from her 2,000+ videos, you're likely to find one in the newer uploads.

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Best full body workouts

The Fitness Marshall's dance workouts are more than just shaking your booty. These full-body workouts are designed to get your heart rate up and work all your muscles at the same time. Set to all kinds of popular songs, these workouts are quick, so you can do one, two or 10 for a workout, depending on how long you want to sweat for. The Fitness Marshall also offers longer videos for 30- or 60-minute workouts as well.

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Best pilates workouts

Move with Nicole offers a ton of pilates workouts that can be done at home with just a mat. She has something for you whether you want a 20- or 60-minute workout. You can also find guided workout plans to get you through a whole month. If you've never done pilates before, don't sweat it. Nicole also offers beginner videos to help you understand the workout before diving into anything advanced.

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Best yoga classes

Yoga with Adrienne welcomes practitioners of all skill levels. She's created playlists and yoga plans to align with your skill levels, goals and time. You can choose a 10-minute yoga practice, a guided meditation or a Foundations of Yoga class to teach you what the workout is all about. This is a great channel to start your day with -- a 10-minute yoga practice can help you get centered before you jump into the workday.

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Best aerobic workouts

Pamela Reif offers a little bit of everything, especially aerobic workouts that get your heart pumping. There are plenty of quick 10-minute workouts (but you'll also find longer ones), including dancing and full-body workouts. There are playlists organized by workout type so you can go straight to what you're looking for, and Reif also hosts livestreamed workouts if you want to sweat with her in real-time.

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Best for cycling

Global Cycling Network will give you all the tools you need to be a pro cyclist. On this channel, you'll find cycling tips, gym workouts to improve your cycling, and stationary bike workouts. GCN is a well-rounded channel for cyclists that also includes entertainment -- you can watch top cyclists ride all different terrains and get inspired to get out on your bike and go for it too.

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Best low-impact exercises

If you're looking for a workout that'll effectively get you sweating but won't be quite so hard on your body, try Body Project. On this channel, you'll find low-impact workouts that are gentle on your joints but still keep your body moving. Workouts typically run in the 25- to 30-minute range and show you how to burn fat without tearing up your joints and muscles too much.

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Best at-home workouts

Thenx has several workouts that target certain muscle groups and your whole body. Perfect for doing at home, these workouts start at just 5 minutes in length -- giving you no excuse to back out of trying. Chris Heria will show you how to work your muscles in the comfort of your home, using your body weight and the furniture and the floor as needed.

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Best dance workouts

The Studio by Jamie Kinkeade is perfect for anyone who wants to dance. You'll find different kinds of dancing here, from barre to cardio-fueled HIIT sets to some of your favorite songs. You can find single-song workouts or full classes set to a playlist. Plus, Kinkeade offers livestreamed workouts, so you can dance with her in real-time, and on-demand workouts to save for later.

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Best YouTube channels for free workouts FAQs

Which YouTuber has the best workouts?

Our top pick for the best YouTube channel for workouts is PS Fit (formerly PopSugar Fitness). It offers hundreds of workouts in different styles and difficulty levels, including cardio, weight training, dance, barre and HIIT. We've also listed other options if PS Fit isn't your style.

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Do 20-minute workouts really work?

Yes, 20-minute workouts can be effective if you do them with proper intensity and consistency. A 2023 UK study showed that exercising 20 minutes a day could reduce the chances of developing heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Short, focused workouts can improve cardiovascular fitness, build strength and burn calories, especially if you incorporate high-intensity intervals.

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Does YouTube have free workouts?

Yes, YouTube has a ton of free workout channels covering everything from yoga and Pilates to HIIT and weight training. We've only picked the 12 top channels that provide free, high-quality workout content, but there are countless others.

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What is the best free workout program?

If you're looking for the best workout channel, we recommend PS Fit and others listed above. If you need an app, we recommend Nike Training Club as our pick of the best workout apps you can use on your fitness journey.

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Do at-home workout programs work?

Yes, at-home workouts can be very effective at achieving fitness goals, especially when paired with video-based guided exercises. Our top recommendation for at-home workouts, Thenx, is an excellent choice for whole-body workouts starting at 5 minutes in length.

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