Free workouts in London

Working out makes me feel so good about myself, but sometimes I lack the motivation to work out on my own. Particularly at weekends, when my body enters a lazy state and all it wants to do is to relax. That’s why. I take the opportunity to find workout events and classes to go to. But, of course, I am reluctant to pay for them, as I do not want to feel like I am paying to exercise, when I can do it for free in the park near my house. So, I chase free fitness activities that I can attend and below are some of my favourite ones:

1. Lululemon - this high end fitness brand hosts community workout events every week. And what’s best, is that is they don’t just take place in one store, but all of the Lululemon stores run their events independently from each other. So, you have the flexibility to go to the store that’s nearest to you or in a town that you want to visit. For example, as I love Richmond, whenever I see a Lululemon workout taking place at the weekends or in the evening, I always take the opportunity to go and spend time in Richmond working out and enjoying myself afterwards.

What I love the most about Lululemon workouts and events is that they often come with treats and rewards at the end (such as heatlhy snacks, drinks, nibbles, breakfast and even beer, if it’s an evening event of a wider scale). Another cool thing, is that they get quite creative when it comes to the events they organise, so apart from the regular Sunday moring classes, taking place in most of their stores, they also organise Pilates, barre classes, track running, HIIT workouts, meditation, Acro Yoga, as well as combination of all of these when it comes to bigger celebrations. Ocassionally, Lululemon also run their own initiatives, like “Purposeful run clubs“ All Lululemon stores publish their workout classes and events on Eventbrite.

2. Sweaty Betty organise weekly workouts in all of their stores, too. You need to pre-book them on their website and they get booked-up quite quickly, so I recommend you sign up a week in advance. If it’s booked up, you still have a chance to attend, by signing up to the waiting list and turning up on the day. The likelihood is that there will be at least one person not showing up and you can take their spot.

3. ONELDN - this is a mid-tier gym, more posh than Fitness First, LA fitness and Pure Gym, but less fancy than Virgin Active and David Lloyd. What I like about it, is that it’s placed in a beautiful residential square in Imperial Wharf, which is quiet, close to a beautiful park and by the river.

4. Regent’s Summer Streets - this event takes place every year in July for four consecutive Sundays. It’s like a big summer party for Regent’s Street which brings together key brands who take part in the celebrations. Fitness is a big part of the event with Asics and Lululemon. You can find out about the upcoming Regent’s Summer Streets events on this site.

5. Vivobarefoot - this sustainable shoe store occasionally hosts Plog-olution events, getting runners to pick-up rubbish en route. You also get a free T-shirt and treats from various brands that Vivobarefoot partner with.

6. Ministry of Sound - by signing up to the newsletter of Ministry of Sound, you will occasionally get invited to fitness events and festivals led by brands like Lorna Jane. At these events, sports nutrition and health brands also participate with a showcase of treats and samples, as well as giveaways.

7. Adidas have created a club called Adidas Runners (AR), a free running community with daily events from running to strength and nutrition. Apart from these regular sessions, they also host a few big events throughout the year

8. Asics - host a variety of training and workout sessions throughout the year, ranging from preparatory sessions for Virgin Sport London 10K to motivational talks.

9. New Balance have a run club which strives to bring the community of runners together by having consistent days and times that it offers training every week. Currently the club trains every Tuesday and Thursday in the evening at 6:30 pm. Providing some of the best coaching there is in London as well as hosting events in its Flagship store, its training sessions are free of charge. The club is open to all ability levels from novice to elite runners. Join the Facebook page to see what the club have done and more details on upcoming events. If you would like more information you can email nbrclondon@newbalance.com.

10. The Hoxton hotel host running and fitness events aroundHolborn and Shoreditch, quite frequently throughout the year. You can find out about them by signing up to their newsletter on their website or by searching for “The Hoxton“ on Eventbrite.