Right now is a crazy time for all of us.

Never before has the UK – scratch that, the WORLD – been in such a situation whereby all outdoor activity and socialising is pretty much forbidden, and our health services are at severe risk of collapsing in front of our very eyes.

It seems like such a simple thing to do, doesn’t it, to remain at home whilst others literally risk their lives on the frontlines. However it is nevertheless so powerful, and something that can honestly be the difference between somebody else living or dying. None of us know the power that we each have as individuals…but truly, it is a lot. And that goes for everything we do in life – not just now.

Welcome to the home gym…

Whilst the government is currently allowing people out of the house to exercise – for walks, jogs, bike rides etc. – working out at home has become a whole new part of many people’s routines.

Luckily for me, this hasn’t been anything new – I’ve been working out at home for years and actually prefer it. It’s not that I have anything against the gym, or attending classes – these indeed have been part of my workout regime in years gone by. But for many reasons, such as convenience, low cost and accessibility, working out at home has been where I’ve made the most progress in my physical health and well-being.

Of course I’ve integrated this with getting outside where possible, whether it’s walking, jogging or riding a bike. But the bottom line is, you don’t need an expensive gym membership or class pass to get fit and healthy and become your best self. That I know to be true.

Benefits of Online Workouts

Thanks to the internet, most of us have little excuse not to work out at home. Thanks to YouTube and many other online subscription services, we have access to almost any type of activity we want, from yoga and pilates to HIIT workouts and zumba.

In some cases you may need one or two small pieces of equipment, and it is indeed fairly inexpensive to set up a little workout area in your home, as fancy or as simple as you like (I prefer to keep it simple). However most workouts online are designed to be equipment-free, requiring a small space, your own body weight, and maybe some items around the home.

I’m a big proponent of working out at home because I love the idea that being fit and healthy can be available to anyone. It all comes down to finding an activity you truly enjoy, and an instructor that truly motivates you.

What are my favourite workouts?

I believe it can take some time to find types of exercise you really enjoy – sometimes even years. It definitely took me a little while – and even now I’ll change up my routine depending on what my body is feeling that day.

Overall, my favourite types of exercise are yoga, pilates and kettlebell workouts. I never quite got into lifting heavy at the gym, but kettlebells for some reason just click. They are great for compound exercises and you can work a lot of muscles at once, meaning shorter yet more effective workouts.

Yoga and pilates are of course ancient practices that have been continued on through centuries. However, don’t be fooled into thinking they’re all about stretching and breathing! Yoga can indeed be used for muscle rehabilitation and relaxation, but practiced in different ways it’s actually a powerful strength-builder and is amazing for improving your flexibility. Pilates, meanwhile, is all about lengthening and strengthening, meaning it builds lean muscle. Yes, much of it is done on the floor, but it’s far from taking a nap!

Outside of these activities, I also love bike riding and bouldering, and in the past I’ve also been a huge fan of callanetics – the style of isometric exercises created by Callan Pinkney in the 80s (said to be the ‘father of pilates’). For the purposes of this post however, we’ll stick to the activities I currently do at home. 😉

Of course, my love for these things has had a lot to do with the inspirational and incredible instructors I’ve found online. And so, without further ado, here are six of my favourite fitness YouTube channels! I hope you check them out and find them to be helpful in some way.