Outdoor exercise classes in London

A flying trapeze school that sets up two camps for the summer - one in Kensington Gardens and the other on the north-west side of Regent’s Park. Expert acrobats teach all sorts of fancy tricks on the highly strung bars, and even beginners are aiming to be ‘caught’ by the hands of a (trustworthy) instructor by the end of their two-hour session.

Atten-shun! British Military Fitness boot camps aren’t for the faint-hearted. A ‘civilian-friendly’ version of the regimes used by the British Army, Navy and RAF, these sessions mix bodyweight exercises (press-ups and squats) with running and games. Be prepared to sweat. A lot. Find a class near you here. 

Let go of all that rush-hour rage and work on your downward dog at Yogarise up on Bussey Building’s roof. The sessions take place weather-permitting, so you won’t have to stick it out in the pouring rain, but you might be in for an unintended hot yoga class if London’s hit by another heatwave. Find out more here.

No one wants to spend hours in the gym, so keep it short and sweet (okay, short and sweaty) with Zip Fit’s 30-minute workouts in either Hyde Park or Russell Square. Designed for those working at a desk all day, the lunchtime classes combine cardio and bodyweight resistance. Do your colleagues a favour and have a quick shower afterwards, yeah? Find out more here. 

Trick yourself into getting active at Rabble’s outdoor games sessions, where they sneak HIIT into old-school playground games so you can work up a sweat playing dodgeball, British bulldog and capture the flag. Who knew getting fit could actually be fun? Find a class near you and book here.

These weekly outdoor yoga classes held in Hyde Park are led by a certified instructor and no booking is required. Sunday classes are open to all levels, but you need to bring your own mat. The classes are free, but you can choose to pay what you can.

If you're sick of the treadmill, throw on your trainers and head to Another Space for a totally tough 5k trek. Alongside two of the gym's instructors and some other sweaty runners, you'll begin at the Bank-based studio and weave your way through some of London's streets, then pump up the pace at two HIIT stations until finally getting competitive with a sprint finish. Phew. £10. Book here.

If you want to roll with the punches, then Boxit Bootcamp is the butt-kicking class for you. This gruelling hour-long sweat-fest takes place on Clapham Common no matter the weather, but it’s definitely more enjoyable when the sun’s out. Release your inner Rocky and hustle for that muscle.

BuggyFit is a workout with community spirit. Here you’ll find women at all stages of pregnancy and motherhood, who take part in one hour sessions in the open air. You can find BuggyFit across loads of the city’s parks. Babies are, naturally, welcome to come along too. Find a class near you here.

Set up by drinks giant Coca-Cola, Parklives host a variety of activities in London parks. Athletics, tai chi and even gardening are on the menu, and sessions cost absolutely nothing to attend. Just check the timetable, bring a water bottle, and make sure you’ve got an aspiration for perspiration

If you're gagging to explore the great outdoors, here's where to go to catch an open-air film, take a dip in a local lido or simply wander through one of London's many pretty parks.