The inchworm is among the exercises that can improve your walking workout.
Angela Peterson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Renoites might be considering a trip to Las Vegas but don’t want to compromise their fitness goals while traveling. Luckily, there are multiple places in and around the Las Vegas metropolitan area where you can exercise for free.
Here are eight places you can exercise for free in Las Vegas.
Advertisement
The Charlie Kellogg and Joe Zaher Sports Complex, located at 7901 W. Washington Ave. near Summerlin North, features 11 soccer fields, a tennis center and a multi-use 2.44-mile track that’s perfect for a quick practice or run before exploring Las Vegas. If you’re traveling with children or pets, the park also has three dog runs and two playgrounds.
Long-distance runners and walkers will feel right at home at Bill Briare Park, located at 650 N. Tenaya Way near North Summerlin. The 10-acre facility features open space with a walking and jogging path that connects to Kellogg Zaher Park. If you’re looking to add more than cardio to your workout, you can visit the park’s fitness course, which offers staff-led workouts at 9 a.m. every Tuesday and at 2 p.m. every Friday. If you want to exercise with friends, you can also hit one of the park’s four pickleball courts.
Kids can also enjoy the park’s playground and water area, perfect for cooling off during Southern Nevada’s hot days.
Palo Verde High School football field
One long-time Las Vegan told the RGJ that many locals run the steps of the Palo Verde High School football field for an intense workout. The field is located at 333 Pavilion Center Drive in Summerlin.
For people looking for a stroll rather than an intense workout, check out the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve at 350 E. Galleria Drive in Henderson. The 80-acre specialized habitat is home to more than 270 bird species. There are also Americans with Disabilities Act accessible trails that weave through the preserve’s multiple ponds.
Advertisement
The preserve’s hours vary by season. It is open March through May from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., June through August from 6 a.m. to noon, September through November from 6:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. and December through February from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The last entry is 30 minutes prior to closing. Admission is free.
Silverado Ranch Community Center, located at 9855 Gilespie St., not only has a wide variety of classes but also has free amenities for people looking to exercise indoors. The one-tenth-of-a-mile indoor track is free to use and located inside, perfect for Northern Nevada visitors who may not be used to the Las Vegas heat but still want to get a run in.
The community center also offers a free open gym for anyone 55 and older. It also has a free toddler gym for kids younger than 5.
If you want to escape to the wilderness without leaving the city, Pueblo Park offers an easy 3.1-mile trail system that is teeming with wildlife. The trail starts at 7663 W. Lake Mead Blvd. and winds up to Rampart Boulevard in Summerlin. Popular among locals, the part is a favorite spot for retirees, parents and pet owners.
Advertisement
There are also various stops along the trail that include benches, playgrounds and exercise equipment for people looking to add more than cardio to their workout or need a break along the way.
This 120-acre park located at 7101 N. Buffalo Drive is home to sand volleyball courts, two pickleball courts, soccer fields, water playgrounds, a jogging and walking path and plenty of other open space. It also has a dog park for people traveling with their four-legged friends that may need some exercise after a long day in the car.
Located at 1600 Wigwam Parkway, this park has opportunities to play basketball and volleyball. Cornerstone Park also has an exercise course, exercise stairs and a path around the park’s lake for running or walking.
Health and fitness expert Joe Wicks has said it was growing up in a “challenging home” which first sparked his passion for exercise.
Best known as the “nation’s PE teacher” after hosting daily YouTube workouts during the pandemic, raising more than £1million for charity and earning an MBE, Wicks has been building an online fitness following since 2014 and now has more than 4.7 million followers on Instagram alone.
However, speaking to the Irish News, the Epsom-born fitness coach said physical activity has served as a form of therapy since he was six years old.
“As a young child I lived in quite a challenging home,” he said.
“My parents both had mental health issues. My dad was a heroin addict and my mum suffered from anxiety, eating disorders and extreme OCD so I had these two very difficult people to live with.
“It was quite chaotic but I realised when I exercised, played sport, ran or did any kind of movement I could soothe and calm myself and take away some of that stress.
Advertisement
“And that’s really where my love for physical exercise and movement comes from. It’s been my therapy really since I was about six or seven years old.”
Joe Wicks was made an MBE in 2020 (Steve Parsons/PA)
In addition to his fitness programmes, Wicks has also authored numerous best-selling cookbooks, although he said his relationship with food was also affected by his upbringing.
“In terms of the food side of it, I was exposed to a very unhealthy diet. We were on benefits and any money that came through the house was really funding my dad’s addiction.
“So there wasn’t lots of fruit, veg or homemade meals – it was things like crispy pancakes, potato waffles, chicken nuggets, frozen chicken pies, and lots of sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks.
“I had a very unhealthy diet and even now I sometimes struggle to eat junk food in moderation.”
A turning point came at the age of 13 when he was invited to visit St Mary’s University in Twickenham.
Advertisement
“It was an outreach between the school and the university.
“Lots of the children who went along were on the border of going down the wrong path or came from a difficult home life.
“I knew they were trying to inspire me and get me thinking more positively – that I could actually go to university one day.
“So I did a tour and spent a day there.
Read more: ‘It was an insane hormone disaster’: Newry fitness influencer on how health struggles inspired a thriving wellness platform
Advertisement
Joe Wicks leading a workout. (Ben Birchall/PA)
“When I got home, I said to my mum that I was going to do a degree in sports science and become a PE teacher.
“And I did actually end up going to that university.”
Although Wicks always had ambitions of becoming a PE teacher, he said he never expected the scale his career would reach.
“I’ve had an amazing career, but it’s been very unintentional.
“I’m not someone who had a big plan or strategy – everything has happened quite organically.
“It’s always been a natural progression and I couldn’t have imagined it going the way it has.
Advertisement
“I’m very grateful for all of it and I don’t ever take it for granted.”
Wicks holding two fitness sessions at Glastonbury last year (Ben Birchall/PA)
One of his most recent and unexpected highlights has been training children’s TV character Daddy Pig ahead of this year’s London Marathon.
“The PR for Hasbro, who own Peppa Pig, reached out and I actually really love Peppa Pig – we’ve always watched it with the kids.
“They said, ‘we’ve got this campaign with Daddy Pig’s son George, who’s now moderately deaf, so Daddy Pig is running the marathon for his son and for the National Deaf Children’s Society’.
“So I said I’d do it but I really wanted to run on the day with him. So they got me a spot and I’m running with him.
“And it’s obviously Daddy Pig in full character and I’m there coaching and motivating him. It’s been really fun and the kids have obviously seen the videos and think it’s hilarious.”
Advertisement
Read more: Joe Wicks: ‘Don’t convince yourself you haven’t got time to cook and that you can’t, because you can’Joe Wicks trains Daddy Pig for London marathon.
Wicks added that he is looking forward to bringing that same energy to Belfast where he will headline the inaugural Wellfest on September 12 and 13.
“There are talks, a nutrition and wellness area and discussions around mental health, as well as workouts from trainers across the board.
“It’s going to be really good fun.”
He will be joined by his wife, Rosie, for the session.
“Because I’ve done the workout so many times, they wanted something a little bit different.
Advertisement
“And it wasn’t like Rosie jumped at it – she’s quite shy. But I said it would be fun and we could make a weekend of it.
“We’re going to go on stage, do a 30-minute workout and it’s going to be great.
“It’s basically a high-energy session where we’ll be chatting and laughing and hopefully people will get involved and feel energised at the end.”
Joe and Rosie Wicks will host a workout session at this year’s Wellfest in Belfast.
It will be the first time the couple have worked out together on stage.
“I don’t know what to expect,” he laughed.
“We’ve never worked out on a stage together before. I’ve done my workouts and videos and the kids have joined in but they don’t really talk.
Advertisement
“So having Rosie there, mic’d up, we can have a bit of banter and I think it will be more engaging than just me on my own.
“I want it to feel relaxed. People aren’t there to be judged – they’re there to enjoy it. So I think it’s going to be good.”
He said a key part of Wellfest’s appeal is its accessibility, with an emphasis on inclusivity rather than elite fitness.
“The good thing about Wellfest is that you’ll have people of all ages and all different body types.
“You can have kids in the crowd and grandparents as well.
Advertisement
Read more: Joe Wicks to run London marathon alongside Daddy Pig for deaf charityPicture: Aviva Health UK/PA (Aviva Health UK/PA)
“It’s essentially a PE with Joe-style workout with music and if you miss something or need to stop, that’s fine.
“You’re not there to compete, just to take part and enjoy it.”
First established in 2015 in Herbert Park in Dublin, the event is designed to appeal to all levels, particularly those at the beginning of their fitness journey.
“Wellfest is an experience – you’re going there to learn something new and you’ll come away feeling energised and positive,” Wicks added.
“It might be a talk on nutrition, stress or mental health or a workout where you realise you can do something you didn’t think you could.
Advertisement
“It’s about taking part, enjoying it and then maybe continuing some of those habits at home.”
Tickets for WellFest NI, which will take place at Belfast’s Ormeau Park on September 12-13, are on sale now via WellFestNI.com.
Sheridan Smith does not mess about when it comes to overhauling her body for acting roles. Back in 2019, she revealed she had lost two stone while performing in West End production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and now, the 44-year-old is training for her part in ITV mystery thriller, Two Birds.
To help her achieve her goals, she recruited personal trainer and founder of 1st Class Bootcamp Tom Brown earlier this year. ‘The focus is on building her a strong, fit, healthy body that can perform under pressure,’ Tom tells Women’s Health UK. ‘It’s about improving strength, body composition (so, helping her burn fat and build muscle) and overall wellbeing – physically and mentally, rather than chasing extremes.’
Instagram
The pair strength train together four-five times a week, and there’s one key element to Sheridan’s programme: progressive overload. ‘Sheridan had trained before,’ Tom tells us. ‘But this approach to strength training is far more structured as we practice a clear, repeatable system which involves increasing the intensity week on week (a.k.a. progressive overload), usually by upping the weight she lifts in each exercise.
‘We also implement one strict rest day a week, as recovery is where your muscles have the time to grow back stronger and adapt, meaning she can lift heavier next time. It’s about doing the right exercises well – and doing them repeatedly. There are no quick fixes.’
Advertisement
While Sheridan’s programme involves a mix of strength training, cardio and mobility, strength is the priority. ‘This is how Sheridan can build muscle as the stress that weight training places on your muscles forces them to adapt and grow back stronger,’ Tom explains.
Below, Tom shares the exact 45-minute lower-body strength workout Sheridan does every Monday.
A quick caveat: transforming your body composition isn’t driven by exercise or nutrition alone. To build muscle and burn fat, Tom says Sheridan also follows a high-protein diet, drinks 2-3L water daily, prioritises sleep and recovery, and limits toxins through alcohol, sugar and highly processed food.
Sheridan Smith’s 45-minute lower-body workout
Warm-up and activation (8–10 minutes)
This is designed to activate the glutes and posterior chain (the muscles on the back of your body) before adding weight.
Do: 2-3 rounds with minimal rest between exercises and rounds
Advertisement
Glute bridges: 15 x reps
Single-leg glute bridges: 10 reps x each side
Dorsal raises: 12–15 x reps
Clamshells: 12–15 reps x each side
Main strength workout (40 minutes)
Barbell back squat: take 3 seconds to lower, pause for 1 second, then extend to stand in 1 second. Do: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps, resting for 90 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: dumbbell front-rack squats
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat. Do: 3 sets of 12-14 reps per leg, resting for 75-90 seconds between sets
Dumbbell straight-leg deadlifts. Do: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps per leg, resting for 90 seconds between sets
Hamstring curl machine. Do: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, resting for 45-75 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: Stability ball hamstring curl/dumbbell glute bridge
Seated leg curl (single leg). Do: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, resting for 60 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: Dumbbell glute bridge (heels close to glutes)
Dumbbell weighted step-ups. Do: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps, resting for 60-90 seconds between sets. Home workout tip: Use a sturdy chair or stairs if no access to a bench
Cool down:
Forward fold into half lift: 4-5 breaths
Low lunge hip flexor stretch: 30 secs x each side
Transition to hamstring stretch: 30 secs x each side
Downward dog: 4-5 breaths, gently pedalling the heels
Pigeon pose: 30-45 secs x each side
Instagram
Sheridan Smith’s weekly workout routine
Monday: 45-60 mins strength training (lower-body focus)
Tuesday: 30-45 mins low-impact cardio + core work + mobility
Wednesday: 45-60 mins strength training (upper-body push/pull focus)
Thursday: Active recovery (walking, mobility, light movement)
Friday: 45-60 mins full-body strength + conditioning
Saturday: Outdoor movement (long walk, hike or steady cardio)
Sunday: Full rest and recovery
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
Short, no-equipment workouts are racking up billions of views as consumers ditch traditional gym routines for fast, accessible fitness that fits into everyday life
Gym membership might be at an all-time high, but there’s a whole population of people going after their workout goals without a a traditional location or routine.
Just as people are drawn to short-form content on social media, they’re also gravitating toward short-form fitness — also known as “exercise snacks.”
Data from AI-powered analytics platform Virlo scoured more than 1,000 online videos with more than 2.2 billion views, finding that 5–15 minute routines on social media are outperforming traditional gym content, achieving higher engagement as they lower friction and make fitness feel immediately achievable.
Over three-quarters (76%) of trending fitness content across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube was no-equipment workouts that catered to audiences short on time, the report found.
Within that content, videos pushing specific body part targeting and transformation — especially abs, glutes and arms — had three to five times more engagement, while phrases like “no equipment,” “home workout” and “do anywhere” amplified shares. Videos that promised results within a certain number of days or expressed urgency (“lose fat fast” or “10 days to abs”) also saw higher views, especially repeat visits.
Advertisement
The trend reflects a broader shift online toward low-commitment, accessible and quick-results fitness that can seamlessly fit into the confines of everyday life. The videos are typically being posted by “micro-creators” without huge followings who post relatively simple routines.
These mini workouts appeal to the ubiquitous desire for instant gratification, while reducing the intimidation of structured gym routines, potentially increasing the chance of people who might not work out at all engaging in some form of exercise.
While the credibility of these creators’ claims to transform body composition in short windows with these movements is up unknown, there is science backing the effectiveness of exercise snacks.
A meta-analysis from last year found that short, structured bouts of movement — about five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise — significantly improved cardiovascular fitness in adults, and slightly improved endurance among older adults, supporting the idea that any movement is better than none, especially if it lowers the barrier to entry to exercise.
