Looking for some ways to stay active outdoors? Rochester is home to many new parks that boast outdoor fitness facilities. A national trend of freeletics, boasts free public spaces that promote health and wellness. Whether you are someone who prefers outdoor workouts or are looking for something different than a typical gym environment, these parks might be for you.
Outdoor fitness centers are often referred to as calisthenic centers or more commonly known as body weight exercise stations. The parks are family-friendly, so everyone could tag along if you wanted to make a workout a family affair. Spice up your workout and give one of these parks a try!
Fitness Courts
In 2021, MVP Healthcare and National Fitness Campaign launched a partnership to build dozens of state-of-the-art outdoor fitness courts across New York. Many have been built right here in Rochester.
These Fitness Courts have seven stations for body weight workouts including: squat, core, lunge, bend, agility, push, and pull. Bodyweight exercise refers to any workout that uses your own body’s weight as resistance to build strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination. If you are not familiar with body weight exercises, watching online videos can be a great source for those new to outdoor freelectics.
MVP Healthcare created a free app called Fitness Court which you can download and find free exercises that can be done at the Fitness Courts. These centers were also intentionally designed to be within 10 miles of biking paths.
The Fitness Courts are designed for individuals aged 14 and up. Organized events such as the MVP Fitness Court Challenge are for adults ages 18 and older.
Parks With Fitness Courts
- Corbett Park, Brockport
- Basil Marella Park, Greece
- Union Station Park, Chili
- Cobbs Hill Park, Rochester
Outdoor Exercise Stations
Erie Canal Heritage Trail, Rochester
Located along the Erie Canal, in the city of Rochester, this Calisthenics Park offers pull up bars, low bars, perfect for push-ups or and strength work, and incline benches. Many people bring light weights or ankle weights to ramp up their workouts. The park also has some great paths for bike riding, too.
Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park, Webster
If you are looking to build in some cardio as well as body weight exercise, Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park (formerly North Ponds Park) has several outdoor exercise stations along the 1-mile walking loop. Personally, I found North Ponds walking trail to be extremely friendly for stroller walks, as the path is paved, making for a smooth ride for the littles.
As Rochesterians, we tend to try to take advantage of being outdoors as much as possible when the weather permits. Why not try taking your workouts outdoors and give the freelectics movement a go. Working out as a family or with friends can be extremely fun, not to mention, outdoor workouts offer a lot of great health benefits.
