If “getting fit” has been on your to-do list for a while, but you hate the idea of trudging away on a treadmill, you’re not alone. Just 22 percent of people feel motivated to work out in a gym, compared to 46 percent who feel motivated by training outdoors, according to a recent study by the UK’s Ordinance Survey. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to enjoy sport in the open air in Germany. Most cities have unofficial fitness hubs in local parks, as well
as running clubs, yoga taster sessions and even vigorous HIIT workouts – all completely free. If you know where to look, you can happily put that gym membership on pause for the summer, and swap grey walls for rustling tree-branches and a bright blue sky. Here are the some of the best ways to find fitness al fresco in your local area, without spending a cent. Councils, clubs and universities When looking for free fitness classes in Germany, it often pays to start with official
channels. Most regions offer state-run initiatives to help keep people fit and healthy, such as Berlin Bewegt Sich (Berlin moves), Munich’s Fit im Park and Hamburg’s Active City Summer. As well as general fitness, community walks and team sports, you can find classes tailored to specific target groups. These include people with disabilities, the elderly, young mothers and refugees. READ ALSO: How to talk about working out like a German The programme of outdoor sports events really takes off in spring and summer, so now
is a great time to start looking. You can usually find info on local council websites or by searching for keywords like “Sport im Park” and the name of your city or town. In the unusually high-tech cities of Düsseldorf and Münster, you can even access the sports calendar via a mobile app (Playsport in Düsseldorf, Sport im Park in Münster). If you happen to live in a university town, it’s also worth checking out the Hochschulsport (university sport) programme. Even if you’re not a
student, local colleges often run open events, campus races and fitness courses for the community. These are often free or heavily subsidised. Another very German way to get involved in sports in your community is to track down your local Sportverein (sports club). Though you may have to pay a membership fee to join, you can usually take advantage of free taster sessions, known as Schnupperstunden, before you commit. Community-led projects While Germany has a broad and well-organised state-sponsored sports programme, there are also plenty
of projects that offer a more grassroots, community feel. International charity Parkrun is one such initiative, offering weekly 5k runs completely free of charge. (If you don’t quite feel ready to run five kilometres yet, walking is also totally fine.) The Laureas Sport for Good Foundation also funds a range of sports projects for children – including those from migrant backgrounds – including skateboarding, climbing and snowboarding. You can find out more about their current projects by visiting their website. READ ALSO: Jugger to Sporthocking
– Six off-the-wall German sports everybody should try Many cities in Germany also have well-maintained calisthenics parks and outdoor gyms. From monkey bars to dip bars, you can find everything you need here for an intense full-body workout. (If you’re wondering, calisthenics is simply a fancy term for strength training using your own bodyweight, rather than elaborate equipment.) If you take a stroll around a nearby park or your local gym, look out for flyers advertising local meetups or weekly workouts. Occasionally you’ll also find
a QR code for a Whatsapp group or Telegram channel, which is an increasingly popular way to market local events and gatherings. Often, local personal trainers will also offer free sessions as a way of advertising their services to potential clients. While these are usually combined with a sales pitch, they can still be a great way to work up a sweat for free. Social event platforms There are a ton of useful resources online that you can use to find free fitness classes in
your area. One of the best of these is Eventbrite. While you may know it as a ticketing site, it’s increasingly used as a platform for organising local events, such as community yoga sessions and after-work runs. Simply type in your location and add relevant keywords like “yoga”, “fitness” or “training” to see what’s happening near you. Similarly, Meetup is a great tool for finding and connecting with local community groups. Outdoor fitness and recreation is a hugely popular category, with everything from trail running
to local park workouts and calisthenics. Social platforms like Facebook and Reddit are also incredibly lively in German cities. Particularly for internationals, these sites are an invaluable resource for finding your local fitness tribe. Less useful, but also worth a look, is listings site Ebay Kleinanzeigen. In the “Sportkurse” (sports courses) section, you can occasionally find taster training sessions organised by local personal trainers or gyms. READ ALSO: How can I claim bonus rewards from my German health insurance provider? Useful vocabulary While platforms like
Facebook and Reddit often contain info in English, it’s always worth doing a Google search in German to get the best results. Here are some useful words and phrases to search for, combined with the name of your city or neighbourhood. Sport im Park: Sport in the park (a useful catch-all term for outdoor sports activities) Fit im Park: Fitness in the park (used in cities like Munich for their outdoor sports initiative) Bewegung im Park:Movement in the park kostenloses Lauftraining: free running session Lauftreff:
running meet-up Calisthenics Treff: bodyweight / calisthenics training meet-up Schnuppertraining: taster session gratis Probetraining: free trial session Sportverein: sports club Hochschulsport: university sports Freizeitsport: recreational sport Sportangebot: sports programme
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