I discovered spin classes a decade ago, and subsequently got certified to teach them myself. In the years since, I haven’t focused on other kinds of cardio group classes—but for a time, I was obsessed with them.
Thanks to a program funded by the great city of New York, I was able to take Zumba, cardio sculpt classes, and more for free when I was in my early 20s, long before I could afford a membership at a gym that offered such classes, let alone a certification course of my own. I still sign up for the occasional cardio class at the gym where I work, both to move my body and to indulge in the nostalgia, but I don’t go as often as I could—because if I’m in the mood to dance around or do some HIIT, I can access guided workouts on YouTube for free.
Some of the channels offering these classes are better than others, of course. Here are my favorites I’ve found over the years, if you’d like to join me in burning calories while saving some money.
The best cardio dance channels
Dancing is a great workout because it gets you moving and keeps you engaged. Just yesterday, I was at the gym and saw a packed Zumba class in the adjacent studio. Toiling away on the treadmill, I felt a pang of regret, wishing I could join that class, where everyone who looked so happy. For now, I’ll load up one of the options below.
Joseph Corella
On Joseph Corella’s channel 567Broadway, he shares choreography for show tunes so you can feel like you’re performing on stage, even if you’re just doing your best kick ball change around the house. He offers designated videos for warming up in addition to longer ones meant to serve as a full workout.
He keeps the classes accessible, walking you through the choreography slowly; none of it is too intimidating, though you always have the option to rewind and watch again until you get it. I like that he goes through the routines with actual people on stage with him instead of just featuring shots of himself—seeing normal-looking dancers nail the moves is really helpful and motivating.
The Fitness Marshall
The Fitness Marshall has nearly 7 million subscribers, which basically all you need to know about the channel, but I’ll tell you more. First of all, this is a high-energy channel. The instructor, Caleb Marshall, is a really fun and engaging presence. He leads you through dance routines set to popular songs, which I like because I find it a lot easier to follow instructions and retain routines when I am familiar with the music.
While the energy is a positive, Caleb doesn’t always give super-clear instructions. In the video above, you’ll see him start with a move without really explaining it verbally, then cue you to move into “Donkey Kong arms.” Sure, you can watch what he’s doing on the screen and replicate it yourself, but if you’re looking for more explicit instruction (or you’re just starting out), you might need to spend some time elsewhere first.
Pamela Reif
If you thought the Fitness Marshall had a lot of subscribers, Pamela Reif‘s numbers are even better: Nearly 11 million people subscribe to her channel, which has a lot of dancing workouts, but incorporates a significant number of traditional “workout” moves too. while Corella and Marshall are more likely to show you actual dance moves, Reif focuses on specific muscle groups, or serves up highly targeted offerings, like classes designed with no jumping moves, for those who have knee issues. Popular music, clear instruction, and a wide variety of video types make her channel an easy choice, and the on-screen graphics telling you what move to do and for how long make it very beginner-friendly.
HIIT and other cardio channels
Moving away from dance fitness, there are a ton of strength-based workouts on YouTube, but you can also find channels that incorporate HIIT and other calorie-burning approaches.
Fitness Blender
Fitness Blender is a company that provides a variety of workout videos from certified trainers, so you will definitely find a lot of strength training on the feed, but cardio and HIIT are in there too. I love that the video titles are very specific, like “Bored Easily Bodyweight HIIT Tri-Sets.” Why, yes, I do get bored easily. You have my attention.
Some the videos on this channel are behind a paywall, but you’ll find plenty of free options. I appreciate that the instructors give you a rundown of what each workout will include, including how difficult it will be on a scale of one to five, and how many minutes you’ll spend doing each part of the routine, from the circuits to the burnout phase. You can also see upfront whether you’ll need any equipment, so you won’t get halfway through a video only to realize you can’t really complete it. Since it’s a big fitness company, there are a load of well-produced videos, and they’re always adding more.
Danielpt Fitness
This is another channel where you’ll find a lot of strength training, but I recommend Danielpt for the subcategory of videos called Bodyweight HIIT. Typically about 30 minutes, these workouts are challenging, but don’t require any kind of equipment. The trainer doesn’t speak much, but as he moves through the routines—which incorporate a lot of jumping, clapping, and extra movement on top of the muscle training—you’ll see picture-in-picture insets showing you the next move, plus a countdown of how long you have to do it for. It’s not an ideal choice if you are keen on audio cues, but otherwise, it’s as straightforward as it gets.
