Since I work at a fitness center, the idea of not having access to one has always seemed a little far-fetched. I’ve been lucky enough that with a little planning, catching a spin class before work or pilates class on my lunch break had been pretty easy to schedule; it’s a great perk of the job! Combine working in a fitness center to working only 5 minutes from home and I had easy access to the gym seven days a week. The key word in that statement is, of course, “had”.
About a year ago my husband and I moved closer to our family... and about 45 minutes further from work. This wasn’t a problem until just two short months later when we were blessed with our first child. Along with all of the joys of a new baby, we also found ourselves with an additional 20 minutes tagged on to our already long commute in order to drop the baby off at day care. Suddenly that morning spin class seemed a whole lot earlier and that great lunchtime pilates class meant I might be late to day care. So I found myself wondering, how do people maintain a consistent exercise schedule when they don’t have easy access to a fitness center?
Sure, I’ve always made the most of my opportunities when we travel. My husband and I frequent the hotel fitness centers, go for a run or (our favorite) travel with our bikes and hit up the local bike shops to find some great routes. But, that’s just for a week. This was looking to be a long term trend for me personally and I had to imagine that I was not alone. Let’s face it, in the midst of a tough economy people are cutting corners wherever they can… and in many cases this involves dropping a gym membership to save costs. So, I became very intrigued to find out what do people do when all of their workouts are taking place in the absence of a fitness center.


If you’re looking for a little more of a “great outdoors” experience, Indy has that, too. Eagle

If trail runs and bike rides aren’t you’re idea of fun, don’t worry there are still plenty of opportunities out there. There are sports complexes such as baseball diamonds, tennis courts, aquatics centers and even gyms located at parks throughout the city such as Broadripple Park and Krannert Park. Many of these parks offer group fitness classes, as well. Just check out http://www.indyparks.org/ to find a sports complex or park near you.
So, it turns out that there aren’t a lot of excuses for inactivity….. even when there isn’t easy access to a fitness center. Grab your tennis shoes and gym shorts and let’s get fit while exploring the city!