Hobby

You have decided it is time to get serious about your workout routine, and this time you mean it! Perhaps it is the dawn of a new year that has inspired you to take this step, or maybe that last pair of comfy jeans is beginning to get too snug around the waistline to be worn for much longer. Whatever the reason might be, you are ready to go and make the most of the exercise opportunities that exist in your neighborhood.

At this point you could of course join a gym, but this would tie you to the business hours of the facility, and depending on how busy the gym in your area is, you might not be able to actually do the exercises you enjoy most since they also appear to be popular with everyone else. Your option is to exercise at home. Perhaps you will purchase some fitness equipment for your bedroom, yet if you do, keep in mind that a lot of these gadgets will eventually either be outgrown by their owners, or they will turn into oversized clothes hangers when their novelty has worn off.

As a matter of fact, there is another alternative for those who wish to exercise away from other people’s sweat at the gym, yet without spending a small kingdom’s ransom on expensive machines: the local park! Yes, it is true; the local neighborhood park is quite advantageous when it comes to exercise. Here are some ideas and suggestions to help you make the most of that little green belt near your home.

• The park is almost always open. Usually from the crack of dawn until nightfall, the park is open and will permit you access. Take advantage of these hours and schedule a trip down to the park together will all the other appointments you have on your calendar. Remember, if you do not make the time for it on paper, odds are it will not happen.
• Most parks offer well maintained walking areas. If your fitness regimen includes walking, go ahead and make good use of the walkways. Explore the park and see where the different paths will lead. Do not be afraid to walk too far, since usually the paths will circle back at some point to the main portion.
• Many parks offer bicycle tracks. Sometimes the pedestrian walkway and the bicycle paths are simply the same path separated by a line. Vary your exercise regimen by taking out your bike on some of your exercise days.
• Many times local parks will have exercise stations for those who will run or jog alongside the path. Take a look at the placards that are displayed at those stations. They offer different kinds of exercises that can be done at those points and even have equipment, such as bars, installed to help you get the most out of your jog.
• In a few parks you will have lakes of varying sizes. At some of those lakes you will be able to rent a rowboat. Why work on a rowing machine if you can have the real thing? Go ahead and rent a boat for a half hour and row around the lake. Enjoy yourself and get some exercise in the process.
• You can vary your workouts by bringing along dumbbells, which are very portable, and which will permit you to add a new dimension to your wall or jog along the way.
• If you are a kettlebell aficionado, you can find a secluded spot in the park to do your exercises without having to worry about the confining walls of your home.

As you can see, the neighborhood park is a treasure trove of exercise possibilities There is no gym that is as spacious as a park, and no amount of air conditioning can make up for the feeling of sunshine on your face and fresh air in your nostrils. So go ahead, get out of your house, and head on down to the park. The possibilities for a great time of exercise are nearly endless, and the peripheral benefits of fresh air and sunshine are not to be forgotten either.