Zum Inhalt wechseln
Exercise trails are an excellent way to boost your physical fitness for free and in the fresh air. This outdoor training option allows you to complete a full-body workout! Find out how it works and how to find a fitness trail near you here.
Get fit!
Perhaps you have already seen a fitness trail or even trained on one. A fitness trail is a freely accessible outdoor sports course with equipment for various physical exercises. On the routes, which are approx. 2 – 4 km long, there are stations every 200 – 300 m with different sports equipment, such as a pull-up bar or a balance beam. The corresponding exercises are explained on a board and a number of repetitions is given. In addition to the exercises on the sports equipment, the 15 to 20 stations also offer self-weight exercises such as squats or press-ups, as well as warm-up, stretching and balance exercises.
The idea
Most of the trails are run by local authorities or sports clubs, which take care of maintenance. At the beginning of the 1970s, the exercise trail movement gained momentum. The aim was to reduce the risk and incidence of common diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure and heart attacks through exercise. The fact that sufficient exercise and sport are an important pillar in the prevention of such diseases has been well documented for many decades. Although the exercise trails have taken a back seat for a while, they have experienced a boom again since the fitness trend and new, similar training options such as calisthenics parks are emerging.
One full-body workout please
Exercise trails are an excellent way to train the whole body in the fresh air. In addition to strength, it also promotes endurance, coordination, balance and flexibility. The different stations target different muscle groups, so that all major body regions are trained. What’s more, the individual stations can be perfectly integrated into your running training so that you can easily jog from exercise to exercise. Another advantage of the outdoor course is the exercise in the fresh air. Doing sport outdoors is better for your health than indoors. You can find out more about the benefits of sport and exercise in nature in our artice here.
If you want to discover an exercise trail near you, you can search for one on the internet or install the appropriate “Outdoor sports parks” app. There you will find the different locations and can try it out for yourself and get fit. You can also find out where the trails are and further information. Here you can find locations of exercise trails in your area (Germany) and further information.
