The Perks of the Parks: New Workout Venues Help Washingtonians Step Outside The Gym
Even though not everyone has a backyard, there’s always an outdoor place to play, thanks to our nation’s multitude of parks. But green spaces require some green to maintain, and that’s not quite as easy to track down these days. “Budgets are tight, and one of the first things that gets cut is funding for parks,” laments Jake (as in “Body By”) Steinfeld.
The fitness guru is the spokesman for
That’s what he’s been doing recently to film a series of videos about what makes folks so passionate about their parks. “They’re sanctuaries for people, whether they like to walk, throw a Frisbee or go rock climbing,” says Steinfeld, who’s developed even more of an appreciation for his neighborhood parks in the process. You can often find him with his wife and four kids riding on bike trails, tossing a ball around and then indulging in a picnic. “That’s why I train,” he says. “So I can eat.”
With so many parks to choose from — any national, state or local park is eligible — deciding which one to root for can be challenging. But not for Steinfeld. “I was born in New York, but I’ve been living in California since I was 19. So it has to be Venice Beach,” says Steinfeld, who started his career pumping iron there. As for the parks in our area, Steinfeld says it’s tough to beat the National Mall. “The sights are breathtaking,” he says.
One you can’t miss: the constant stream of joggers. But there are plenty of other ways to exercise in the great outdoors. Here’s a reminder of a few options — and some local parks that deserve votes.
YOGA
Where: Meridian Hill Park and Dupont Circle
It’s much easier to feel grounded when there’s dirt under your mat, says Carolan Sudol, owner of Bikram Yoga Dupont. For the seventh summer in a row, she’s organized Yoga in the Park, a free series of classes every Sunday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Meridian Hill Park. She picked the open setting as a way to entice members of the community to try yoga for the first time. But even seasoned yogis can appreciate the change of scenery. “It’s unbelievable to do it outside with fresh air. It can’t compare to a studio,” she says.
You can also get your free yoga fix Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at Lululemon’s classes on Dupont Circle. The store often surprises attendees with giveaways.
DANCE
Where: Southwest Waterfront and Glen Echo Park
Busting out is new for Laurent Amzallag, who normally teaches indoors at area gyms. But busting a move is not. His fusion of dance steps with plyometric exercises, core work and a whole lot of booty shaking — YaLa — is drawing crowds to the Southwest Waterfront (Seventh and Water streets SW) every Saturday at 9 a.m. The backdrop of boats makes everyone more cheerful, says Amzallag, who’ll be teaching the free classes through mid-September. “Just rise and shine and you’ll be a firecracker for the rest of the day,” he promises.
If you’d rather sleep in, Glen Echo Park will keep you on your toes all night. The former amusement park near Bethesda boasts regular dance events, including swing sessions in the open-air bumper car pavilion. This Friday, it’s an evening of blues dance ($15, 8 p.m.).
BOOT CAMP
Where: Stanton Park and Lincoln Park
Want to meet people in your neighborhood? And sweat on them? That’s the idea behind Emmanuella Juste’s 9 a.m. Capitol Hill boot camps ($20,), which meet at Stanton Park on Mondays and Wednesdays and at Lincoln Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Juste brings props, including kettlebells, to give her clients the kind of workout they’d get at a gym. But she doesn’t need to lug around the best accessory: passersby. “I think it pushes them to do as much as they can,” Juste says.
Even without an organized program at your home park or any equipment, you can do her favorite exercise, which is step-ups on benches.
Photos courtesy amzallag/Katherine Frey/The Washington Post
