Parks Are Gyms: Your Guide to Working Out

In the parks, we have a whole different approach to working out.

Smelly, sweaty gym socks? We’ve got blooming daffodils.
Recycled air? How about a cool breeze and wind through the trees.
Beige walls? Try chirping robins, rolling clouds, and kids riding bikes.

For the low, low membership fee of $0.00, you can sweat it out all day every day in the parks. Train for your first marathon, conquer hills on the bike sitting in your basement — just get out and get moving! Here are some ideas to start your new workout regiment in the parks:

Tai chi in Mellon Square. Photo: John Altdorfer.

Tai chi in Mellon Square
Some call this Chinese traditional practice meditation in motion. Originally designed for practicing self-defense, this class is a splendid and graceful way to balance, strengthen, and de-stress. Take a class in the Modernist masterpiece park, Mellon Square, or in Schenley Plaza, for free all spring and summer. Schedule to be posted here.

Yoga in Schenley Plaza
Breathe in, breathe out on the Emerald Lawn in Schenley Plaza during these bi-weekly yoga classes. Bring your own mat or borrow one when you arrive at these free, open classes taught by expert instructors. Schedule to be posted here.

Disc golf in Schenley Park
Spread across rolling hills and sprinkled through shaded woods are 18 metal baskets that make up the Schenley Park Disc Golf Course. This go-at-your-own-pace course is an effective arm workout and a healthy walk, the length of which depends on how well you aim your shots. Find directions here.

Volleyball in Highland Park
Recently renovated, the sand volleyball courts in Highland Park are an ace place to work out while working on your tan. Find directions here.

Biking in the park. Photo: Melissa McMasters.

Bike in Riverview Park
The popular Riverview Loop is all about the gluts. The topography of this two-mile loop is a challenge but takes you past amazing spots like the Chapel Shelter, Allegheny Observatory, and gardens throughout Riverview. See the Bike Pittsburgh bike map here.

Tennis in Frick and Arsenal parks
Serve it up on the red clay courts in Frick Park or the newly refinished courts in Arsenal Park for two unique playing experiences. If you’re game, there are a plethora of clinics and tournaments held on the many courts throughout the parks. Click here for the Frick Park Clay Court Tennis Club.

Have your own workout recommendations? Leave them in the comments below!

Healthy Parks = Healthy People?

That’s just the question we’ve been asking at the Parks Conservancy over the last few years as we learn more about the potential links between outdoor recreation opportunities and improved health.  Beginning with the 2008 Urban Parks Conference, “Body and Soul: Parks and the Health of Great Cities,” we’ve been spending more time focusing on how getting people into the parks may be beneficial to their health.  It’s what our Parks Are Free campaign is all about, and it’s why this month we held a colloquium to explore ways to strengthen the connection between urban parks and physical activity.

Participants toured several Manhattan parks.

Researchers and parks professionals convened at Columbia University in New York City for “Beyond Anecdotes: Building an Empirical Case for the Value of Urban Parks in Promoting Physical Activity and Community Health,” presented by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy in conjunction with Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health.  Topics covered included the social aspects of exercise, effects of altering the built environment on physical activity, and improved access to parks in historically underserved communities.

Examples from Pittsburgh included ongoing plans for a greenprint in the Hill District, which would improve the neighborhood’s connection to its own green spaces and to the rest of the city.  The Greenprint plan seeks to capitalize on the geography of the Hill while allowing the neighborhood to retain its unique identity.  (Read more about this project here.)

The group raised many interesting questions  and brainstormed about potential research partners and funders.  Among some areas that will require further research:

• Can park projects and investments make a change in health status–if so, which projects and why?
• To what degree do park access and design affect physical activity?
• What is the proper vehicle for getting non-users into the parks?
• Do one-day volunteer environmental stewardship activities translate into other, longer-term uses of the park for physical activity?
• How can we redefine the uses of parks and get away from the active/passive distinction?

We’ve collected all the information from the colloquium, including PDFs of all the presenters’ PowerPoint documents, on our website.  A huge part of conducting any research related to parks and health is learning how people use the parks.  Remember you can tell us all about how you use the parks at our feedback forum.