Gym memberships are expensive. These days, though, you don’t need one to stay fit and active. In fact, you can get your sweat on right in your living room. Busy women can squeeze in workouts anytime and anywhere with online videos.
So, what are you waiting for? With so many offerings, you can try out lots of different routines to find the one that’s right for you — for free.
Work on your six-pack with this 10-minute abs workout led by Ann Renderer with POPSUGAR Fitness. The best part about this video is that there are no crunches or props involved. A stronger core doesn’t only look great, it can improve your posture, reduce back pain, and even enhance your performance in sports like running. You’ll do seated twists, trunk rotations, lying knee presses, leg extensions, bird dogs, and, of course, planks.
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Barre Body offers up this express 30-minute barre workout that you can fit into your lunch break. All you need is a yoga mat and a waist-high surface (a chair works great). Barre combines the best of yoga, Pilates, and ballet dance positions for increased strength and flexibility. Don’t be fooled by the low-impact nature of this workout. Your muscles will shake and quake as they transform.
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Only have five minutes? These yoga poses help women feel balanced mentally while stretching major muscle groups. Add this sequence to the start of your day, when you feel stressed, or whenever you find the time. While you’re at it, check out the online Ekhart Yoga Studio for more free yoga classes. There’s something for women in all levels of practice.
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This beginning Pilates video by Blogilates focuses on your breath, posture, and form. Get ready to engage your core in ways you never imagined. You’ll go through a series of movements, including chest lifts, roll ups, leg circles, side kicks, and more, all while laying down on the mat. The work is intimately connected to your breath, so pay attention to your inhales and exhales.
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Check out this full body toning video with fitness model Karen Kennedy. The workout is great for beginners looking to firm up and build lean muscle. You’ll perform exercises ranging from deadlifts to squats to lunges and beyond. Though the video is only 10 minutes long, you can repeat it as many times as you wish for more results. Better yet, try another class on the popular Women’s Workout Channel.
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If you’re pregnant, why not exercise like the stars? This Heidi Klum prenatal workout is presented by Andrea Orbeck Fitness, and works your muscles from head to toe. Your body goes through some dramatic changes over the course of nine months. Keeping active can help you manage aches and pains as well as build strength for delivery. Grab a pair of light hand weights and get moving for the next 10 minutes.
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Whether an unexpected thunderstorm foils your plans or you just feel like beating the heat, this 40-minute indoor jogging workout has you covered. You’ll start out marching in place before progressing to full jogging. It may feel strange at first, but keep your arms relaxed and your upper body tilted slightly forward. Those of you with rebounders (trampolines) can use this tool for jogging with less impact.
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Fitness guru Denise Austin leads this sitting ab work that you can complete at the office. You’ll begin by lifting your knees to your chest, working your lower abdominal muscles. Then Austin kicks things up a notch with some rotations, lifts, and extensions. If you complete this three-minute video each day, you’ll be on your way to a slimmer, stronger core. These muscles are responsible for good posture, which can also help you look slimmer.
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This 40-minute HIIT workout from Fitness Blender will have you tired just watching it. You will complete intervals of fierce activity followed by brief periods of moderate movement or even rest. Intervals can shake you out of a plateau by challenging your body in new ways. This video targets many of the trouble zones women struggle with the most, including glutes, thighs, and abs.
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You might confuse Kardio Kim Johnson’s Zumba workout for a dance party. That’s basically what the hour-long session entails, along with a lot of sweating and some seriously infectious tunes. The video is perfect for beginners looking to groove through some traditional aerobics mixed with Latin dance. In the end, you’ll get a total-body burn that will leave you wanting more.
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Are you having trouble waking up in the morning? Start your day with this fat-blasting Tabata workout designed specifically for women. Tabata is all about high intensity body weight exercise in a 10/20 format. You’ll complete eight cycles of 10 seconds of rest with 20 seconds of work for a total of four minutes. Exercises include lunges, dive-bombers, and “wild thing” pushups. Don’t skip the pushup with breakdancer kick. It’s a killer.
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Women of all fitness levels can add this series of plyometrics to their everyday routines. It takes just minutes to gain increased strength. Jumping and rebounding are the actions at the heart of this exercise. These moves tax muscles and cause them to contract. The result is a more sculpted body and major calorie burn. You’ll notice your balance and physical responsiveness improving, too.
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Break a sweat, not your budget. With so many free online workout videos, you can make fitness a priority anytime, anywhere. Get your heart pumping to something new, from aerobics to Zumba, or stick with an old favorite. Whatever you choose to do, keep moving. Exercise has the power to transform your body and your mind. All you have to do is press play.
