15+ Anime Shows You Can Workout To And Get Motivated

When you think about it, anime that are specifically focused on exercise are everywhere if you look. Though they’re not the most common overall.

While not every anime is like this, there are solid examples of series to use and watch if you’re about physical fitness.

Genres include:

Shonen
Ecchi (believe it or not)
Action
Martial arts

And anime genres along these lines.

These anime also have the music, the action scenes, and the overall vibes to make it doable.

It’s not necessarily about an anime that focuses on “working out”.

How to workout while watching anime:

Slap on some headphones.
Bring your laptop into a spacious room.
Or use a big TV screen.

However you do it, make sure it makes sense or else you’ll just defeat the purpose.

Of course, it does depend on how you workout and what types of workouts you do, so keep that in mind.

Let’s get to it.

Table of Contents

1. How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift?

How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift is an anime series that’s perfect for this.

The entire series is about:

Physical fitness.
Health.
How to count calories, use gym equipment, etc.
And it has the music and vibes to make it easy to workout to.

With the anime being more relaxing and chilled, it’s the type of series you can do “light” workouts to.

Nothing too intensive fits with this particular series, but stretches, jogging on the spot and so on works well.

Read: 11 Educational Anime Shows To Teach You Something Brand New

2. Akame Ga Kill

Akame Ga Kill is one of my all time favorites. And when it comes to exercising, this anime is a perfect fit for it.

The anime has some of the best:

Action scenes.
Heart pounding music.
Intense moments.
Fast pace battles.

And a lot going on in general.

The anime is about a group of assassins who band together to destroy the corrupt government, and tear down the empire in hopes of rebuilding it.

You’ll be dragged into the story from start to finish, and all the tragic battles and emotional moments make it all the better.

Relevant: 31+ Of The Most Dark Anime Series

3. Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress

Kabaneri Of The Iron Fortress is another series with HYPE music, moments, action scenes and battles.

The premise is about a type of monster called Kabani, which eats and targets humans.

Mumei, the female MC is half Kabani, and the same is true for Ikoma in a manner of speaking (the male MC).

You’ll have plenty of scenes to get you going as you work out and exercise.

It’s made by WIT studios, the same studio as AOT.

4. Soul Eater

Soul Eater s a sick anime series, but not the kind of sick that comes out of your mouth.

It’s about Meisters who wield weapons, and the demons they face off with. And the threat of “madness” that’s able to corrupt a person.

As an underrated and original Shonen series from the 2000’s, it has some of the greatest elements.

Killer music.
Action packed content.
Solid characters + story.
Engaging battles.

There’s no way you couldn’t work out and exercise to this anime.

5. Kill La Kill

Kill La Kill is one of the flashiest anime shows out there. And it’s an Ecchi series so it’s unapologetic about showing some skin.

Ryuko Matoi is on a mission to find her father’s killer, and the further you go, the more intense the action and plot is in Kill La Kill.

The music in this series has to be one of its best features (aside from the gorgeous art style and designs).

Everything looks and sounds good. And the deeper message is what makes the anime meaningful.

6. Panty And Stocking With Garterbelt

Panty And Stocking With Garterbelt is a bit of a wild child anime as it is. And it’s full of action scenes from the first episode.

It does have its strange and weird moments. It’s like the raunchy version of Kill La Kill, with filthy language to prove it.

That said, it’s an anime you can work out to if you swing that way and want something eccentric that still works.

7. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Gurren Lagann is one of the most motivational anime shows on the planet. It’s a high-energy Mecha series and makes the genre “cool”.

Kamina is the man who makes this series shine, being the mentor for Simon, and the lover of Yoko.

After breaking out from the underground and reaching the surface after so many years, they venture out and live life.

That leads to battles, some of the best comedy and art, and plot twists an anime can give you. With GREAT music to back it up!

8. Black Lagoon

Black Lagoon is an anime about smugglers (guns, etc). The leader is Dutch, a laid back, cool type of character.

Revy Rebecca is another main character who steals the show with her twin pistols, giving her the nickname “two hands”.

Then you have Rock, a businessman who accidentally falls into the underworld with them. And Benny, a smart guy.

There’s enough action in almost every episode to get you going as you work out and exercise simultaneously.

9. Jormungand

Jormungand is similar to Black Lagoon but very different. It’s about arms dealers who travel the world buying and selling weapons.

Koko Hekmatyar is a famous arms dealer who’s a millionaire and has bodyguards everywhere she goes.

She has a teenage partner who’s an ex-child soldier working for her. And it gets deep because of their backstories and how it ties into the plot.

The action is on another level, along with some of the best music of all time in an action series.

10. Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen is a new-ish Shonen on the anime block. And it’s killing it right now in 2021. It’s violent in some ways, and “dark” in others.

This anime has songs and music that are good to vibe to when working out and exercising. This is true even in the first episode.

Once you go further and especially past the first half of the series, it only gets better. Giving you plenty of opportunities to work out and enjoy.

11. Fire Force

Fire Force is another Shonen anime that’s “fairly” new but doesn’t get as much coverage or respect.

There is fan service, and that dies down a lot more in the 2nd season for the most part.

Outside of these obvious aspects on the surface, the anime is about a world filled with Infernals, a demon that was once human that’s covered in flames.

How the world is structured and built around the fire is symbolic. And the music here is another one of the anime’s strongest traits.

Solid anime to work out to, with fast-paced, aesthetically pleasing fight scenes.

Relevant: 30+ Of The Best Anime Scenes That Are Unforgettable

12. Claymore

Claymore is an underrated anime from Madhouse Studios. The studio that’s famous for NOT making 2nd seasons.

Being adapted from a manga, Claymore is an action series with horrifying elements to it.

The main female cast is called Claymore’s who are warriors built to take down demons called Yoma. A Claymore’s life is depressing at best.

It has everything you’d want from an anime you can exercise to.

Some of the sickest fight scenes going.
Powerful characters (female).
Strong music.
Writing that grabs you.

More people need to watch this anime in general!

13. Fairy Tail

Fairy Tail is an anime that has to be mentioned. Even if it’s not a universally agreed upon series as far as so-called “quality”.

This adventure/magic series has one of the widest catalogues of music and instrumentals. Each fitting different moods perfectly.

With characters like Natsu and the battles he ends up in, plus the Fairy Tail guild as a whole, it’s easy to get lost in the moment and be absorbed into the story.

This is good for workout sessions and getting in some exercise.

14. Full Metal Panic

Full Metal Panic is a Mecha series with a character called Sousuke Sagara. He works for an independent anti-terrorist group.

His mission is to protect Kaname Chidori, and this ends up building their romance as the story progresses.

As expected with a Mecha/action series, especially with the military elements, there’s good music, scenes, and intensity that makes it workout worthy.

There are 4 seasons in total, technically.

Read: Yes, These 19+ Anime Shows Are Better DUBBED Than Subbed