The weather is warming up and you’ve already watched everything on Netflix. Now’s the time to lace up your sneakers and head outdoors to get moving.
National Health and Fitness Day is coming up June 5, a time to celebrate the benefits of activity and share the ways we can move, feel good and really enjoy the great outdoors. Whether it’s a hike, a run, some yoga or calisthenics in the park, Canadians can find ideas to get moving for better mental and physical health.
To help you get started, or give you new ideas, five fitness professionals shared their favourite outdoor workout locations in cities across Canada. Here are their suggestions:
St. John’s
Maria Htee, Personal Trainer
Signal Hill - I usually walk up the back of Signal Hill and sprint up the stairs for a few rounds. On the way up, you can feel and smell the fresh air from the ocean. There are also some chairs on the way up to rest and take in the ocean view. If you're lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of a nesting eagle.
Mile One Stairs - A perfect place to get your cardio in. These stairs are what saved me during the lockdown - I went there every morning to get my day started. You can bring bands and a skipping rope and superset a few exercises together for a great workout.
Maria Htee enjoys the view at Signal Hill
Halifax
Michelle Ryder, Group Experience Divisional Manager
Africville Park - I do a ‘choose your own adventure’ workout with whatever I find at the park. Sometimes it's a step or HIIT-style workout off of old concrete foundations. Other times it’s plyometrics in the field, running on the trails, or using the benches for box jumps.
Fort Needham Park - Nothing refreshes my love for the city like running the stairs at Fort Needham Park. It’s situated on a hilltop, giving you some awesome views of the city and the harbour. There are also great trails to run, and even an off-leash dog park if you want to get some exercise with a furry friend.
Michelle Ryder works out with a view of Halifax Harbour
Ottawa
Abby Johnson-Bertran, Group Experience Divisional Manager
Mer Bleue Bog - With more than 20 km of trails, Mer Bleue is great for year-round hiking, and even snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. It’s a bigger space so my family has been visiting the trails more often during lockdown just to get out of the house and get some fresh air.
Chapman Mills Conservation Area - My favourite thing to do is to walk the scenic trails and stop at the lookouts and grassy spots. I usually find a quiet spot to do yoga at the end of my walk. It’s energizing to practice your poses overlooking the Rideau River with the birds chirping and sun shining.
Abby Johnson-Bertran practices yoga poses on the beach near Ottawa
Toronto
Kathleen Fursey, Group Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer
Sunnyside Beach - Situated on the lakefront area of Toronto, it includes a beach and park along Lake Ontario’s Humber Bay. I enjoy walks along the boardwalk because it’s invigorating to hear and see the water close by, and even taking my shoes off to feel the sand between my toes to ground myself.
Riverdale Park - A spacious park situated on a slope…great for hill running drills! It’s even more special when my workout is close to the end of the day and I can catch a gorgeous sunset as well, with a clear view of the downtown Toronto skyline.
Kathleen Fursey jumps rope in a neighbourhood park in Toronto
Calgary
Inno Delarmente, Group Fitness Instructor
Battalion Park Stairs - My ’go to’ cardio stair challenge is the Battalion Park Stairs. It’s one of Calgary’s more historic parks, featuring those giant stone regiment numbers you can see from all over the city. There are three sets of stairs that I run to get my heart rate up and stay in shape between classes, plus there’s an excellent view at the top.
Edworthy Park - Calgary is lucky to have so many parks with well-maintained outdoor fitness equipment. My favourite of these is probably Edworthy Park, right on the river. Outdoor ellipticals, chest press machines, pull-up bars – even a leg press. Plus it’s super ‘outdoorsy’ feeling with lots of trails and log-carved stairs for running.
Inno Delarmente runs up Battalion Park stairs in Calgary