5 Ways to Get Fit in Park Slope...Minus a Gym Membership

I must confess...I love the gym. 

I like being in a big sweaty room, commiserating with a bunch of strangers about how our fat asses need to be less fat. There's something to that. 

BUT -- not everyone wants, needs, or can afford a gym membership...so we've gotta' come up with some ways to stay fit in the Slope, sans the gym. And if you have a membership at a YMCA or NYSC, you can still add these into your normal workouts to spice things up, like when that Cardio Dance Salsa Boxing class is full.

Image via Totalrocky.com 

1. BE ROCKY

Climbing stairs is one of the best ways to tone up your legs and glutes, so take in the beauty of the Brooklyn Museum by having your very own Rocky Balboa moment, up and down the stairs. Try switching up the small stairs for the larger ones to vary your workout. Also, for the drama, do it at night when the lights are glowing and you'll feel like a total badass.

Photo via http://www.thedailyown.com/

2. GO PLAY

Sitting on your ass sneaking Teddy Grahams while your kids play at the playground? Use one of the many playgrounds in Park Slope as your personal gym. Now, I wouldn't advise you to clog up the playground during a busy time, or you'll certainly get some major stink eye from the parental sidelines...but go during an off time and play away. Use the monkeybars to tone your arms, the side of a deck to do dips, and the jungle-gym to try some pull-ups. Check out this playground workout for some examples.

 Photo by Park Slope Lens3. PARK IT

This one is obvious, but if I don't mention it I'll get comments about being an idiot. So here I am, mentioning it. Prospect Park is really our greatest resource for exercising here in the Slope. Not only is it beautiful, it's chock full of ways to get fit. Of course the running/skating/biking lanes are useful, but don't forget the other ways to utilize PP. Ice skate in the winter, hike the smaller trails that run through the park, or commit to getting lost for a little while and end up 4 hours later, stumbling out of the park upon a Wendy's restaurant and not knowing if you're still in Brooklyn.

Image Via the NYT

4. Swim With Strangers 

OK...people are going to either love or hate this one. I personally don't get grossed out by much. A combination of being raised in a poor area of Texas, coping with the subway, and travelling to other countries has made me less sensitive about potentially dirty situations. That being said, I love to swim, and since most of us don't have one in our backyard, we have to improvise a bit. Public Pools. There, I said it. With options nearby in Gowanus, Red Hook, and Brooklyn Heights, it's worth the mini-trek to get some laps and Vitamin D in. Just get there before the kids do. 

 Image Via Jezebel

5. NON-COMMITTAL BIKING

I don't have a bike, but sometimes I see people riding and think, I'd like to do that someday. But then I think about such pain-in-the-ass things like storage, upkeep, gear, and wearing a helmet on good hair days. For you fellow wishy-washy bikers, I have a solution. RENTING! Non-committal bikers have a great option for an alternate workout (or even a great date idea) for just $30 a day at Ninth St. Cycles.

If you have any other workout ideas or special places to visit, feel free to share in the comments!