What is National Fitness Day?
National Fitness Day is an annual campaign encouraging people across the UK to get moving and celebrate the benefits of being active. Led by ukactive, the campaign has been running since 2011 and brings together gyms, leisure centres, sports clubs, schools, workplaces and communities across the country.
This year, National Fitness Day takes place on Wednesday 16 September 2026, with the theme “Powered by You!” — a reminder that being active looks different for everyone. Whether it’s heading to the gym, going for a swim, joining a class, or simply taking a walk at lunchtime, the idea is to find a way of moving that works for you.
And it’s not supposed to end after one day. National Fitness Day aims to encourage small, sustainable changes that can become part of everyday life.
Get Moving Your Way
Britain’s leading TV and Radio stations beamed ukactive’s live kick-off event to millions across the country.
BBC Breakfast and Sky News were broadcasting live from the London launch event, while BBC Radio 5 Live and Global Radio (the company behind Capital Radio, Radio X, LBC, Heart and many other stations) carried extensive features on National Fitness Day as well as the National Press. WATCH NATIONAL FITNESS DAY ON BBC BREAKFAST
National Fitness Day, co-ordinated by not-for-profit health body ukactive, sees the nation celebrate the fun and thrills of physical activity through a range of free events and activity sessions. Last year’s National Fitness Day got over a million people active across 18,000 events – making it the most active day of 2016 – with this year’s event on course to significantly surpass it.
UKActive CEO Steven Ward said: “National Fitness Day is a fantastic chance to spotlight physical activity and the role it plays in creating a healthier nation. These free events across the country provide a chance for everyone to experience the fun of fitness and carry forward healthy habits.
“The day also offers a fantastic opportunity for the physical activity sector to unlock new markets and attract new members by promoting the broad benefits of movement to the length and breadth of the British nation.”
Wake up with Darcey:
The kick-off event was led by Strictly Come Dancing star Darcey Bussell, who was joined at Everyone Active’s Paddington Recreation Ground by hundreds of participants for a mass-workout to her DDMIX dance fitness concept.
Darcey was joined by stars from the venue operator Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions programme, with Olympic silver medallist hurdler Colin Jackson and Olympic gold medallist Hockey forward Alex Danson taking part in the early morning workout.
Everyone Active’s regional director, Duncan Jefford, said: “Our aim is to encourage as many people as possible to benefit from getting active. National Fitness Day offers a unique opportunity for the entire health and fitness industry to work together to promote this message, and we’re delighted to have helped get it off to a flying start.
“The event at Paddington Recreation Ground was the perfect way to kick-start a day of activity. We have more than 150 centres nationwide that are providing people with free and fun ways to get active with the aim of inspiring them to improve their health and wellbeing.”
Darcey Bussell said: “Diverse Dance Mix and I are delighted to be a part of National Fitness Day again this year. We are passionate about getting all people moving through dance fitness, and it was great to kickstart the day with DDMIX.
“DDMIX is a fun full-body workout for all ages, levels and abilities, and I’m looking forward to working with ukactive to encourage people to embrace the fun of fitness across the UK.”
Get the day off to a ‘Flying start’
AXA PPP healthcare is working with its corporate partners to encourage employees to kick-start their working day with an early morning workout or active commute as part of a campaign called ‘Flying Start’. Meanwhile, Argos is bringing physical activity to the high streets once again, through a range of activities at the retailer’s stores.
Fitness doesn’t have to cost a fortune
Gym operators and physical activity providers across the UK are once again flinging open their doors to offer the public a range of free taster sessions and gym passes. This year’s National Fitness Day is the most wide-ranging ever, with diverse elements taking place across the country. AXA PPP Healthcare and Argos are taking National Fitness Day into workplaces and high streets respectively.
Start with something you actually enjoy
Instead of treating exercise as another thing we’re supposed to do, choose movement that actually makes you feel good.
Top Tip:
Forget the “perfect” workout. Pick something you enjoy enough to actually do again — even a 20-minute walk counts.
Official National Fitness Day Playlist
Alongside this, UK-based music licensing company PPL is sponsoring the Official National Fitness Day Playlist. The playlist, which contains a selection of motivational tracks sourced from PPL’s fitness sector music reporting data, is set to get Britons up and moving across the country.
1. Avicii – Levels
2. Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger
3. Kelly Rowland – Commander
4. Example – Kickstarts
5. David Guetta Feat. Sia – Titanium
6. Martin Garrix – Animals
7. Run DMC Vs Jason Nevins – It’s Like That
8. Calvin Harris – Bounce
9. The Jacksons – Can You Feel It
10. Kid Cudi Vs Crookers – Day ‘N’ Nite
11. Cascada – Everytime We Touch
12. Adele – Rolling In The Deep
13. Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
14. Flo Rida feat. David Guetta – Club Can’t Handle Me
15. Usher feat. Pitbull- DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love
16. Nicki Minaj – Starships
18. Freemasons feat. Katherine Ellis– When You Touch Me
19. Bingo Players feat. Far East Movement – Get Up (Rattle)
20. Meghan Trainor – All About That Bass
PPL UK Chief Executive Peter Leathem said: “We are delighted to be supporting National Fitness Day. Music can be a great motivational tool when working out.
“We hope that The Official National Fitness Day Playlist will inspire people to get active and most importantly, have fun whilst doing it.”
Activity Finder
https://www.nationalfitnessday.com/activity-finder
