Exercising, getting fit and making friends

 

 

Everybody knows that regular exercise is good for the body and good for the mind, but for many people there are time and location constraints.

Joining a fitness club is one option, but this sometimes costs a lot, and the nearest centre may be a long way away. But what about public parks?

Any visitor to a public park in the early morning or evening will likely see hundreds, if not thousands, of people jogging, skipping, exercising in other ways or even weight-lifting. And many municipalities provide running tracks or gym equipment for public use in an effort to promote health and fitness. Aerobic dancing is popular too, so if you see a group in the park, why not join them – it’s good fun.

But there’s another advantage of exercising in a public park – you have the opportunity to make new friends. And if you go there at the same time every day you’ll see the same people, the same people who can help you or give you advice on your exercise program.

The idea should be to exercise thirty minutes non-stop every day, and this could be jogging or cycling. But before you start take ten minutes to do warming up and stretching, then run or cycle for twenty minutes, and try to increase the time gradually. Keep doing this until you have reached a comfortable but challenging level.

Run with your new friends for support, or compete with them in a friendly way. Remember that at the end of the day you’ll feel fitter and look better, but this has to be coupled with other changes in your lifestyle such as being careful what you eat and saying no to cigarettes and alcohol.

So look around your area and find out what the exercise possibilities are. If the weather, time and location permit there’s nothing better than a run in the park.