Favorite October 2025 workouts on YouTube

   October was a hard month for me to keep consistent, I was busy and struggling with fatigue. Instead of following a fitness program, I decided to keep my routine mostly low impact to focus on having fun and moving my body. Even though I didn't have the energy to workout, finding easy workouts to improve my mood kept me active. Without further ado, here are some of my picks and new finds from this month.

Photo by Caley Vanular from Unsplash

   Kpop Dance Workouts by Step Uhm

   Step Uhm began posting dance workouts on the platform just six months ago, but you wouldn't guess that from her engaging titles and song choices. With simple yet functional editing and follow along format, her choreography makes Kpop dancing easy for newbies while staying fun. Unlike most Kpop focused channels, this channel has longer videos and dance medleys from popular groups, definitely a must for fans of the genre.

•    Low impact choreography.
•    Easy to follow for beginners.
•    On screen preview of next move.
•    Great music choices.

   Indoor Walk to Afrobeats by Afrifitness

   Afrifitness is back on YouTube after a long hiatus, bringing new workouts with her signature teaching style. Her recent afrobeats infused walking workouts are a great middle ground between walking workouts and dance, mixing marching in place with African dance inspired moves. Getting your steps in can be monotonous, so these workouts are a fun way to keep active while having fun.

•    Low impact routines.
•    Easy to follow for beginners.
•    Positive teaching style with cues.
•    Unique dance moves.

   Sports Cardio and Abs for Everyone by Sydney Cummings

  This fully guided sports themed workout is proof that everyone can be an athlete. With fun cardio movements inspired by all types of sport, proving that functional fitness can be entertaining too. If you've never played any sports: don't worry, exercises are accesible and easily modifiable for every need. Sydney's motivational talks are also present on this video, helping to encourage you through the entire routine.

•    Low impact modifications are provided.
•    Positive teaching style with cues.
•    Diverse exercises targeting the full body.
•    Unique take on functional fitness.

   Hourglass Program by Olivia Lawson

    Focusing on body recomposition, this six week program has a comprehensive approach to fitness, with strength workouts paired with Pilates inspired sessions and low impact cardio. If you want to try strength training with some variety, Hourglass is a perfect way to start your journey. I especially love Olivia's standing workouts for their accessibility if you struggle with spinal issues. The Hourglass program is still ongoing and can be found here.

•    Low impact cardio and strength training routines.
•    Clear editing with next exercise previewed on screen.
•    Diverse workouts thorough the program.
•    Many all standing routines available.

 ARC I Workout Program by Gains by Brains  

  Sophie from Gains by Brains has been releasing her first free program on her YouTube channel. Consisting of one functional day, one lower body session, two ab sessions and one cardio session per week, this program is focused on helping reaching aesthetic and muscle building goals by body recomposition. Many sessions require no equipment, so it's a great way to stay consistent without needing weights. The ARC I program is still ongoing and can be found here.

•    Comprehensive approach to fitness with increasing difficulty.
•    Clear editing with next exercise previewed on screen.
•    Many no equipment workouts available, ideal for traveling.
•    Focus on strengthening the core with deep core exercises. 

Upper Body and Core Workout with Weights by Marie Steffen

   Marie's low impact workouts have quickly become one of my favorites. Only requiring a pair of light dumbbells and a mat, this workout can feel just as effective as a regular lifting day. Seamlessly integrating strength training with Pilates and yoga inspired moves, the core is working overtime in this seemingly simple routine.

•    Low impact, high intensity moves to test coordination and stability.
•    Clear editing with written cues and next exercise previewed on screen.
•    Minimal equipment.
•    Creative compound moves to engage the target areas.

  The "Wobbly" Workout for a Solid Core by Flow with Mira 

   If you want to challenge your core and stability in a non traditional way, this workout uses a yoga block and a Pilates ball to test your balance and force your core to activate. By creating an unstable foundation, dormant deep core muscles are activated to compensate, something that regular abs exercises won't achieve. The emphasis on mind body connection is important too, using these simple props to awaken the connection to your muscles. 

•   Low impact workout.

  Fully guided with vocal cues.
  

•  Minimal props easily replaced at home (block can be replaced by a thick book and the ball can be a small pillow or plushie)
•   Easily engage deep core without crunches.
•   Creative use of props.

 Morning Mobility: Start your day right by Julia Reppel

  These days I love to train mobility at the end of my workouts and Julia's sessions are some of favorites. This recent 20 minute routine is excellent to start the day and release all the stiffness from sleeping. Follow along soft yet precise movements to awaken the muscles and open up the hips and back, feel dynamic and renewed by the end of the video.

•   Low impact routine.
•   Clear editing with next move previewed on screen.
•   Dynamic movements for full body mobility.
•   Easy to follow for beginners.

At home workout ideas with light weights only

  One of the downsides of exercising at home is having a limited selection of dumbbells. Unless you buy an entire dumbbell rack, own a barbell with multiple weight or have access to expensive adjustable weights, weight selection will be limited to lighter weights or even water bottles. Although lifting heavy is crucial for muscle hypertrophy, getting a good workout for improving muscular endurance is possible with just lighter weights. Another advantage of lifting lighter weights is that you can perform for more reps, subjecting the muscle to more time under tension to stimulate muscle fatigue. 

 

Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels

  Aside from these benefits, exercising with lighter weights at home without a trainer is overall safer than attempting to lift heavy weights on your own, decreasing the risk of injury. These weights can also be a great addition to regular cardio exercises, making the workouts feel more challenging and adding some variety to bodyweight exercises. Light weights are also far cheaper and more easily available than heavier weights, plus they can be easily substituted  by water bottles and other household items. 

   If you want to spice up your routine or just want to challenge your endurance, feel free to try some of these recommended workouts. Keep in mind most of these routines are focused on endurance, this type of training should be combined with regular strength training and progressive overload to get the most benefits possible. 

  Cardio and sculpt workouts

• Full Body Dumbbell workout by Juice and Toya

   Strength training moves and fast paced reps will help to increase your heartrate. In this workout, the short intervals and constant position change will promote fatigue and challenge your endurance. If you're not too confident on your form for traditional strength training, practicing these exercises with lighter weights is a great way to practice.

   Difficulty level: Upper beginner. Modifications available, low impact.

   Equipment: Light weights and exercise mat.

•    Full Body Sculpt by MadFit

    Short on time? This apartment friendly, low impact sculpt workout targets the entire body with short bursts of cardio included. With short rests and quick transitions between exercises, the steady movement will keep your heart active. The trainer gives instructions during the entire workout, so keep your volume up to listen for modifications and form cues.

   Difficulty level: Upper beginner. Modifications mentioned by trainer, mostly low impact.

   Equipment: Light weights and exercise mat.

• Standing Dumbbell Tabata Workout by Olivia Lawson

   Tabata is an interval style of training used to train cardio endurance, with bursts of intense movement followed by short rest periods. Pairing up this training style with light dumbbells is a way to increase intensity while keeping the exercises low impact. All exercises are done fully standing, being a good choice for those who can not perform floor work.

   Difficulty: Beginner friendly. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light weights.

• Cardio + Bottles Workout by Pamela Reif

   This short but sweaty cardio workout is an effective way to get your sweat on your the go. With a great soundtrack and fast paced, intense moves, your heart will be pumping for the entire ten minute workout. Pamela herself does the entire workout with water bottles and standing, showing the versatility of this routine.

   Difficulty: Upper beginner, all standing. No modifications.

   Equipment: Light weights or water bottles.

• Cardio and Abs Sweat AMRAP by Sydney Cummings

   The AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) methodology is mostly used in CrossFit and functional training, its main goal is training cardio and muscular endurance. In this routine, the light weights are used to increase resistance during core exercises, aiding the activation of deep core muscles. Bodyweight cardio exercises that require core engagement are also very present in this workout, making it an excellent choice to test your core muscles strength and endurance.

   Difficulty: Intermediate. Mostly no jumping.

   Equipment: Light weights and exercise mat.

• Taebo Body Shape by Billy Blanks

   In this strength training inspired routine, instructor Billy pairs the usual Taebo postures with upper body exercises like shoulder presses and kickbacks to achieve a full body workout. And don't worry, dumbbell punches are also very present in this fun routine.

   Difficulty: Beginner friendly. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells.

• All Standing Cardio X HIIT by Fitness Kaykay

   Don't get mislead by the all standing in the title, this workout can get really intense. By having interesting variations of bodyweight moves with the added resistance of the dumbbells, this routine will test your endurance, balance and coordination with constant position changes. And if you want more light dumbbell workouts, Kaykay has an entire playlist here.

  Difficulty: Intermediate. High impact, easier modifications for some exercises are provided.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells.

• Full Body Workout with Light Weights by PS Fit

   This energetic routine by trainer Jake Dupree combines moves from Pilates, strength training and traditional cardio for a full body workout. Modifications for every exercise are provided, making this workout accessible for all levels of fitness. 

   Difficulty: All levels. Low impact, modifications are provided.

   Equipment: Light dumbbell and exercise mat.

• Constant Cardio at Home by Caroline Girvan

  This low impact, no jumping workout might be the most difficult workout on this list. With no specific rest in between exercises, every move is intense and different in this workout. Switching from simple but intense bodyweight moves to basic strength moves with light dumbbells has never felt harder.

  Difficulty: Intermediate to advanced. All low impact, no rest between exercises.

  Equipment: Light dumbbells and exercise mat.

  Barre and dance

• 80s Dance x Dumbbells Workout by Mike and Sophie 

 

   Move your body and train your endurance to some of the greatest hits from the 80s. With simple moves and clear editing, this easy to follow workout is a great choice if you're not much of a dancer. The circuit format also gives more time to get the moves right, making this a peak choice for fitness novices.

   Difficulty: Beginner friendly. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells.

• Warrior Sculpt Full Body Workout by Emkfit  

  While this workout might not be a traditional dance workout, exercises are choreographed to the beat of the songs. Divided in segments targeting the upper, lower and full body; prepare to keep moving the entire time. Keeping your arms active with the dumbbells is definitely the most challenging part of this routine.

 

   Difficulty: Upper beginner. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells.

 

• Standing Barre Workout with Light Weights by FitLara Barre and Pilates

   This fast paced barre session to the beat will challenge your coordination and stability. Seamlessly blending the graceful bodyweight barre moves with controlled arm movement, instructor Lara guides you through the entire workout. 

   Difficulty:Upper beginner. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells.

• Belly Dance with Weights by BellyFit by Leilah  

   This unique fusion combines belly dance movements while performing upper body exercises with dumbbells. Your core will be activated by performing hip isolation drills, with the simple arm exercises helping to focus more on the hips. With non stop choreography, this video is challenging even for belly dance enthusiasts.

 

   Difficulty: Upper beginner to intermediate.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells and optional hip scarf. 

 

• Ballet Sculpt by Coach Kel 

   Blending ballet with sculpt movements, this workout targets the full entire body. Including a mat segment and a barre segment with the help of a chair, the sequence of moves flows beautifully. Though this workout is fully low impact, your muscular endurance, balance and core strength will be challenged by the complex sequence.

 

   Difficulty: Upper beginner to intermediate. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells, exercise mat and a sturdy chair. 

  

  Walking workouts

•  2 Mile Fast Walk at Home by Grow with Jo

   One of my all time favorites from Jo's channel, you'll certainly feel the difference of doing a walking workout with weights. The simple moves and clear editing makes this workoout look easy, but do not underestimate the burn you'll feel while holding the dumbbells for almos the entire workout.

   Difficulty: Beginner friendly. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells.

• 5000 Steps Full Body Walking Workout by Fit & Fab

  Though the main goal being getting as many steps as possible, holding light weights will challenge your upper body as well. If you struggle to get your daily steps in, this workout is a convenient way to do your walk completely indoors. With varied moves and fun music, you won't get bored easily.

 

   Difficulty: Beginner friendly. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells.

 

• Walking Workout with Light Weights by Penny Barnshaw 

  

   Aim for 3000 steps with this fun indoor walk. Combining staple upper body exercises with marching in place, this workout is a fast and effective way to increase your daily step count. Your arms will be challenged too by constant exercises while holding the dumbbells.

   Difficulty: Upper beginner. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbells. 

  Pilates and mobility

•  Beginner Pilates with Weights by Flow with Mira

   This beginner friendly, full body flow is especially crafted for beginners and showcases the basic principles of Pilates. Emphasizing on core control and muscle connection, instructor Mira will guide you through the entire workout, with clear cues and easy to follow instructions.

 Difficulty: Beginner friendly. All low impact.

 Equipment: Light dumbbells and exercise mat.

• Reformer on the Mat Full Body Workout by Pilates Body Raven 

   Get a in studio Pilates experience at home with just your dumbbells and a mat. A short yet challenging flow targeting the full body, this workout is far more challenging than it looks. With the light dumbbells acting as a substitute for the reformer straps, core activation is important to keep control of the moves.

 Difficulty: Upper beginner to intermediate. All low impact.

 Equipment: Light dumbbells and exercise mat.

 

• Pilates x Mobility Workout by Marie Steffen 

   With exercises inspired by Pilates and mobility training, this routine is great for stretching your muscles and improving your flexibility and stability. Aided by light weights to add resistance to the upper body and core movements, feel revitalized by this low impact routine.

 

   Difficulty: Upper beginner. All low impact.

   Equipment: Light dumbbell and exercise mat. 

Favorite September 2025 workouts on YouTube

   September is a great month to get back in track with your fitness routine or start new habits. As many people return from summer break, many instructors have taken the opportunity to release new content for everyone returning to their regular routines. Here are some of my personal favorites uploaded this month, with awaited returns and exciting new routines being the main highlight.

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

    Caroline Girvan - Leg Day from Iron Pro Day One 

 

Caroline Girvan is back with a demo of her app program 

    Caroline Girvan, one of the most respected strength training instructors on the platform is back on YouTube to celebrate reaching four million subscribers. Even in this celebratory video, her routines are as a tough as ever with this heavy leg day sequence. With longer rest times than previous routines, this workout in particular is centered on pushing the lower body to the max with progressive overload and increased range of motion. With her signature polished aesthetic and on screen tips, this video is definitely her highest quality upload to date.

   The full Iron Pro program is exclusively available on her CGX app; if you prefer a free option the original Iron Series is an excellent choice.

   Equipment needed: At least two sets of heavier weights or a barbell. Optional bench for unilateral Romanian deadlifts and wedge/yoga block for elevating the heels.

   Workout duration: 40 minutes, no warm up included. Sets of 45 seconds followed by one minute rest.

    Sydney Cummings - BOLD Program

 The BOLD program is a great choice for those looking to get back on track

 

  Sydney Cummings, one of my personal favorite trainers on YouTube, is back from maternity leave with the BOLD program. Consisting of twenty workouts, this comprehensive program is a thorough approach to fitness. With strength training and cardio focused sessions full with varied exercises, the workouts fly by quickly along with Sydney's signature teaching style. The cardio sessions with light weights were definitely my favorite, helping me with endurance during 5K race prep. While this program might not be ideal for muscle hypertrophy, it is a great way to get back on track with a more functional focus on fitness.

   You can find the complete BOLD program playlist in this link. 

  Equipment needed: Light and heavier weights, fitness mat and resistance bands. Optional equipment: aerobic step, bench for step ups, jump rope.

    Workout duration: From thirty to forty minutes. Warm up and cool down are included in the workouts. Five workouts and two rest days per week, for a total of thirty days.

   Tara's Body - Fun Cardio Step Workout

Have fun and sweat tons with this great Soca step routine

   Tara is one of the top dance instructors on the platform, now back with a choreographed aerobic step routine to Soca music. This high energy workout will surely get your heart pumping, combining traditional step moves with fun Caribbean dance moves for explosive fun. Regardless of the French-only instructions, the routine is actually surprisingly simple to follow along even if you don't speak the language. Keep in mind that this workout is fairly high impact, so be prepared to modify to your needs.

   This workout is part of a full fitness program designed by Tara and her friend Solene, feel free to check out their website for more information.

  Equipment needed: Aerobic step. Optional hand towel or small fabric for the dance.

   Workout duration: 26 minutes. No warm up or cool down are provided.

   GrowingAnnanas - Level Up 2.0 Challenge

   

Level up with minimal equipment alongside Anna

 

    Level Up 2.0 is a fourteen day challenge with (almost) zero equipment needed aside from a mat. HIIT and bodyweight moves are the core of this challenge, with many pulses and explosive intervals to elevate the heart rate. Besides the fast paced HIIT sessions, there are slower sessions inspired by Pilates with a focus on engaging the muscles. Two stretch days are also included in the challenge, making it a short yet complete program to test your endurance. 

 

   The full challenge can be browsed in this link.

 

   Equipment needed: Non slip mat, light weights or water bottles for Day 10.

 

  Workout duration: 25 to 35 minutes, warm up and cool down are included in each video. Fourteen day program with no rest days.

    

   Moves with Molly - Ozzy Osbourne Tribute Dance Workout

 

  

Dance along Ozzy's greatest hits with this creative tribute

    

   To pay tribute to the Prince of Darkness, Molly has created one of the most unique dance workouts I've done on YouTube. Inspired by Ozzy's entire discography, the dance moves are masterfully choreographed to match the lyrics and rhythm of his greatest hits. Aside from the creative steps and instructions, Molly also introduces facts about Ozzy's life and career. This workout is a beautiful and well crafted routine to celebrate his legacy.

 

   No equipment needed.

 

   Workout duration: 46 minutes. Warm up and a very emotional cool down are included in the workout.  

   Emkfit - Revenge Body Kickboxing workout

 

Low impact does not mean low energy with this powerful workout

 

  This low impact but high energy kickboxing inspired workout is a great way to burn calories while listening to awesome tunes. To the beat of fierce music by female singer and rappers, get ready to kick, punch and dodge all the way through. Emphasizing on movement instead of perfection, the message of self love and empowerment is loud in this workout.

 

   No equipment needed. Low impact.

 

   Workout duration: 25 minutes. No cool down provided.

  

  Pilates Body Raven - Pilates HIIT Fusion

 

Get the best of both worlds with this fusion workout

 

   This short but sweet workout should not be underestimated, it's definitely a burner. Combining the controlled moves of Pilates with HIIT inspired exercises, you will be challenged by interval of mindful movement followed by fast cardio intervals. By adding a resistance band, a Pilates ball and light weights, your balance and stability will be challenged in every move.

 

   Equipment needed: Exercise mat, light weights, resistance band and a Pilates ball.  

 

   Workout duration: Twenty minutes. Warm up and cool down are included.

 

   Afroletics - 15 Minutes Congolese Cardio Dance

 

Smile with this fun dance workout to Congo inspired beats

 

   This dynamic workout inspired by traditional Congolese music and dance moves is a joy to follow along. With clear on screen previews and timers, the workout can be easy to follow even for beginners to African dance. The Afroletics original music is also synced to perfection, matching beats with every step. The instructors' positive energy irradiates through the screen, transmitting the viewer their wonderful vibes.

 

   No equipment needed.

 

   Workout duration: 15 minutes. No warm up or cool down are provided.

How to choose the right YouTube workout program for you

   One mistake I made at the beginning of my fitness journey was choosing random workouts, just picking randomly according how I felt during that particular day. While being consistent is important, following a structured routine can help to get balanced workouts and achieve better results. Overworking specific areas without rest can lead to muscle imbalance and eventually injury, therefore following a workout program with a balanced structure should be recommended for all beginners. 

   Most workout programs divide the body according to muscle groups: upper body (chest, shoulders, biceps and triceps), core and lower body (quadriceps, glutes, hips, hamstrings, calves). Exercises to target each muscle group are sequenced according to their specific agonist/antagonist role, then the routine is assigned to an specific day alternated with routines for other areas. Besides focusing on specific zones, full body routines are present in most workout programs, consisting of exercises targeting the full body and comprehensive training including specific muscle groups. Weekly programming usually consists of four to five active days, the remaining days being denoted as rest days for recovery. Regardless of programming, beginners should consider starting with two or three days a week in order to get acclimatized to the new routine.

Resistance bands 101: one of the best fitness prop for beginners

   Maintaining and building muscle mass is key to improving your overall fitness and health. Skeletal muscles are the tissue that allows voluntary movement of the body, permitting all sorts of motions and supporting the bone structure. Composed by fibers and connective tissue, muscles require movement and nourishment to prevent atrophy and upkeep their structure. Resistance training and strength training are the most effective types of exercise to reach muscle fatigue, which is crucial alongside proper nutrition for achieving muscle hypertrophy.  

   Resistance training and strength training both have the same goal of challenging the muscle; their primary difference being in that the latter requires using weights like dumbbells or barbells and is usually performed with the sole goal of increasing strength. On the other hand, resistance training is defined as any sort of motion in which muscle contraction is resisted by an outside element or force; this outside element can be the body's own weight, resistance bands, workouts machines like the pilates reformer or even sliders. Both types of training are effective for training and building muscle: strength training by using heavy weights and low repetitions and resistance training by pushing muscle to fatigue with more repetitions and frequency of the movement. The need for progressive overload; meaning the periodical increase of repetitions, weight used or frequency when performing specific exercises is also important for developing muscle no matter the form of movement used. In summary, resistance training and strength training play a vital role in improving muscle mass hence should be present in any ideal fitness routine alongside cardio.

Taking the first step: how to choose safe and easy home workouts for beginners

   Beginning from zero can be scary. The internet may provide infinite resources about fitness, yet there's so much contradicting information out there that you may feel defeated even before beginning your journey. Promises of instant results, outrageous weight loss claims and gorgeous influencers to lure your eyes are some of the first things you may be feed by the algorithm. Just like in many aspects of life, anything too good to be true is probably false, fitness results are not achievable overnight. 

   No matter your target goal (weight loss, improving endurance, building muscle), consistency and discipline is vital to every goal. For workout newbies, I recommend starting small. Adding fifteen minutes of workouts you enjoy five days a week is far more doable than doing a high impact bootcamp once a week with poor form, not only is safer for your body but also cultivates a healthy habit that you can build on to. A good first step is setting a consistency goal like moving your body at least twenty minutes a day, then you can start exploring workouts that might suit your likes. 

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels

My fitness journey using YouTube

    Like million others during the pandemic, I browsed YouTube for easy workouts. My fitness experience prior to the pandemic was just walking and dance classes when I was a child, encountering outrageous promises like 'Get Abs in Two Weeks' and 'Lose 8 Kilos in 30 Days' caught my unexperienced eye. One of the first workout channels I used was Eva Fitness, their aerobics inspired workouts seemed easy enough for an uncoordinated beginner. 

One of the first videos I tried from Eva Fitness