Fitness trail explained

A fitness trail, trim trail or parcourse consists of a path or course with outdoor exercise equipment or obstacles installed along its length for exercising the human body to promote good health. The course is designed to promote physical fitness training in the style attributed to Georges Hébert. In general, fitness trails can be natural or man-made, located in areas such as forest, transportation rights-of-way, parks, or urban settings. Equipment exists to provide specific forms of physiological exercise, and can consist of natural features including climbable rocks, trees, and river embankments, or manufactured products (stepping posts, chin-up and climbing bars) designed to provide similar physical challenges. The degree of difficulty of a course is determined by terrain slope, trail surface (dirt, grass, gravel, etc.), obstacle height (walls) or length (crawls) and other features. Urban parcourses tend to be flat, to permit participation by the elderly, and to accommodate cyclists, runners, skaters and walking. The new concept of an outdoor gym, containing traditional gym equipment specifically designed for outdoor use, is also considered to be a development of the parcourse. These outdoor exercise gyms include moving parts and are often made from galvanised metal.

History

The original parcours was invented in 1968 by Swiss architect Erwin Weckemann with support from Swiss life insurance firm Vita. The first course was built in Zurich, Switzerland.^[1] Hundreds of courses were built in Europe by 1972.^[2]

Courses built in ensuing years included:

[US] 1976 "Parcour" exercise trail in County Farm Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan
[US] 1977 Bruce Jenner Trail in the Lake County, Illinois, Forest Preserve District
[US] El Estero Exercise Course at Lake El Estero, Monterey, California
[HK] 1977 Lion Rock Country Park, New Territories, Hong Kong, featuring 15 exercise stations

Examples

United Kingdom

Fitness Trails (also called trim trails) are a series of wooden exercise stations, scattered in parkland or other locations beside a jogging or walking trail, which can be used to develop balance, strength and coordination. They are suitable for both adults and children, and the individual stations have been scientifically designed to provide a range of exercise. Most have simple instructions attached to them, and the stations include balance beams, sit-up bars, chin-up bars, parallel bars, and more challenging stations such as pole climbs and ladder walks. Trails can include stations for the upper body, lower body, balance & coordination and climbing/jumping equipment designed to test the whole body. Bristol City Council have now installed trim trails in six parks, ranging in complexity from Withywood Park, which has a single station, to Victoria Park, which has nine.^[3] ^[4] Funding for the trim trail at Hollingworth Lake, in Greater Manchester, which was the idea of the Friends of Hollingworth Lake and opened in August 2010, was provided by the Big Lottery Community Spaces fund.^[5]

Australia

Installations are found across AU.

Canada

Sunnybrook Park in Toronto, Ontario has a Vita Parcours Exercise Trail, along with sports facilities.
Seeley's Bay, Ontario has a 4 km Vita Parcours trail through Haskins Point
Bay of St. Lawrence Park, near Gananoque, Ontario

Luxembourg

Among pedestrian trails there is a fitness trail in the village of Steinfort.

New Zealand

Blockhouse Bay Recreation Reserve, City of Auckland New Zealand.

United States

California

San Francisco Bay Area

East Bay

An asphalt parcourse, remodeled in 2012, projects into the bay in Marina Park in San Leandro.
In Moraga, section 2 of the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail has an asphalt parcourse .
A dirt parcourse trail surrounds Bishop Ranch 7 office complex in San Ramon. Although the parcourse is on private property, it is open to public use.
Under the BART right-of-way along Masonic Avenue, in Albany.
Pleasanton has two parcourse trails. One borders the northern side of Bernal Corporate Park, paralleling the Arroyo Valle. The other is on the Owens Drive loop west of Johnson Drive.

North Bay

In Spring Lake Regional Park, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, an asphalt parcourse surrounds Spring Lake.

San Francisco Peninsula

The first parcourse trail built in the USA still exists in the Mountain Lake Park of San Francisco's Presidio. The parcourse begins at the beginning of 9th Ave, just north of the intersection of 9th Ave and Lake St.
A parcourse was built at Sunset Circle Parking Lot near Lake Merced circa 1975.^[6]
The Perrier parcourse is at the site of the former Polo Fields in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. This course is open for public use.
There is a parcourse that borders the Marina Green in San Francisco.
Near the bathrooms at Crissy Field Beach there is a parcourse body curl station
There are several exercise stations (some new and some from an original parcourse), on the south side of Millbrae Ave. between S Magnolia Ave. and Palm Ave. along the Spur Trail in Millbrae.
An asphalt paved parcourse trail begins at the 5.9 mi. mark of the Bay Trail, around the perimeter of the Oracle Corporation office complex in Redwood Shores. Although the parcourse is on Oracle property, it is open to public use.
There is a parcourse with fitness stations clustered along a trail in the Holbrook-Palmer Park on the south side of Watkins Avenue between Dinkelspiel Station Lane and Middlefield Road in Atherton.
There is a parcourse inside the NASA Ames Research Center. However, an official NASA ID is required to access it.

South Bay

There is an "outdoor exercise park" in Santa Clara's Central Park.^[7]

Los Angeles Area

A paved parcourse trail is available at Rynerson Park in Lakewood on Studabaker Road parallel to the San Gabriel River Bike Trail. This parcourse has 6 stations along a 1-mile loop.
Johnny Carson Park located in Burbank features a parcourse circuit with a dozen stations along a dirt path loop. It also includes a warm-up area with equipment designed to facilitate stretching.
The Whittwood Towne Center offers a small short vita course set up next to the 24 Hour Fitness Gym.
In the unincorporated part of South Whittier at Adventure Park all around the baseball diamonds there are numerous stations.

Riverside Area

A dirt fitness trail, including stations with scaling walls, pull-up bars, and other activities, runs around Lincoln Park on Lincoln Avenue in Corona.

Lake Tahoe Area

There is an 18 station par course at North Tahoe Regional Park, which is located at 6600 Donner Road, one mile west of Highway 267 and one mile north of Highway 28 in Tahoe Vista.

San Diego Area

Morley Fields Sport complex - Perrier Parcourse Fitness Circuit. This fitness circuit was donated by the Groeat

Waters of France Company, distributor of Perrier water. The circuit includes eighteen exercise stations spaced over a 2.5 mile path.

Downtown San Diego, Embarcadero Marina Park South. Fitness course with various stations. Incorporate the Convention Center stairs into the course for a killer workout. NOTE: Area is closed frequently in the summer for concerts: Access during this time is limited to the morning - late afternoon.

Colorado

Waneka Lake Trail, Lafayette, Colorado - 10 fitness stations along 1.2-mile lake perimeter trail,^[8] most of which is soft surface (crusher fines)
Bear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood, Colorado has a 1.6-mile cross country fitness course with 19 exercise stations beginning at the Pelican Point parking area^[9]

District of Columbia

In Rock Creek Park, there is a parcourse on the trail that starts just south of the Woodley Park station of the Washington Metro.

Florida

Cooper's Bayou Park on Bayshore Blvd in Clearwater features a short trail with 15 fitness stations.

Georgia

In Waycross, there is a parcourse located in the woods surrounding Waycross College.

Kansas

In Lenexa, there is a Vita Course 2000 fitness trail that runs around the perimeter of Gear For Sports.

Kentucky

Giles Conrad Park in Boone County features a 1.3 mile trail dotted with fitness stations.

Maryland

Prince George County Parks and Recreation Chernikoff Fitness Trail
Downs Park in Pasadena, Anne Arundel County
NCR TRAIL in Parkton
Along the south side of the trail around Lake Elkhorn in Howard County.

Michigan

Macomb County

In Washington Township there is a fitness trail at Stony Creek Metropark

Marquette County

In Marquette there is a fitness trail located along the Fit Strip adjacent to Park Cemetery.

Washtenaw County

Ypsilanti, MI North Bay Park.

Delta County, Gladstone, MI VanCleve City Park

New Jersey

In Jersey City there is a parcourse trail with 15 stations in Liberty State Park
In High Bridge there is a 1 mile parcourse trail with 10 or so stations in Voorhees State Park
In Holmdel there is a parcourse trail in Holmdel Park^[10]

Ohio

In Hamilton County, Embshoff Woods, Miami Whitewater Forest, Sharon Woods, Triple Creek, Winton Woods, and Woodland Mound county parks have parcourse trails.
In Summit County, there are two parcourse trails as part of the Summit Metro Parks system. A 1.8 mile trail is at Goodyear Metropark, and a 1.4 mile trail is part of the Sand Run Metropark. Both are well maintained dirt trails in hilly, wooded settings. Both are located in Akron, Ohio.
In Cuyahoga County, there is a parcourse trail as a part of the Cleveland Metroparks system. A trail is at South Chagrin Reservation.

Pennsylvania

In Frick Park, Pittsburgh, there's a paved parcourse trail starting at the intersection of Beechwood Boulevard and Nicholson Street with 18 stations. The signs along the trail date from 1975.
In South Park, Pittsburgh, there's a Fit-trail near the gazebo on Maple Springs Drive. Installed September 2013^[11]
In Toftrees, Pennsylvania, State College, you will find a paved trail near the first set of apartments as you turn off of 322 on Toftrees, Ave. labeled as a Par-Course. This trail will take you around the Toftrees Golf Resort and around the condos and apartments surrounding. Note, some of the stations appear to be in disrepair and overgrown with vegetation; the course may no longer be maintained.

Tennessee

In Franklin, Pinkerton Park, located near downtown, has a 1-mile fitness trail.

Texas

In Austin, the Shoal Creek Trail features a three-station parcourse near its intersection with 30th St.
In Sugar Land, a parcourse is located adjacent to Highlands Elementary School at the intersection of Williams Trace Boulevard and Edgewater Drive.
In Missouri City, a more compact course is located behind the LA Fitness at 5402 Texas 6, on Cross Lakes Boulevard.

Vermont

The Burlington Bike Path features many fitness stations^[12]

Virginia

In Charlottesville, Pen Park has a 0.5 mile, 13 station parcourse fitness trail.
In Fairfax Station, Burke Lake Park has a 1.5-mile, 18 station parcourse.
In Richmond, Byrd Park has a 1-mile fitness trail.
In Vienna, Nottoway Park has a 0.75 mile fitness trail.
In Winchester, Jim Barnett Park has a 1-mile, 18 station parcourse.

Washington

Maintained list of Fitness Trails in the Puget Sound area.

Wisconsin

In Madison, Wisconsin The Fitness Trail begins on the Near East Fields, and continues along the Lakeshore Path to the west. The trail contains nine stations and is approximately 0.75 miles long.
In Peninsula State Park The Vita Course circles the amphitheater in a 1 mile loop featuring 13 station.^[13]

South America

Colombia

In Sendero las Brumas, Valle del Cauca has a 4.3 mile fitness trail

France

In Paris Parc Floral has a 1.2 mile fitness trail.^[14]

References

Parcourse Redux - Outdoor fitness tracks ... Mike Grudowski. Outside, May 2000. Photos, examples. Retrieved 4 February 2010. (no longer available online).
Parcourses - Where have they gone? Heather Long, Families.com, 28 July 2006. Retrieved 7 February 2007.
Old-school exercise is par for the course Jeff Nachtigal, Bakersfield.com, 11 December 2006. Retrieved 7 February 2007. Archived at web.archive.org, retrieved 28 December 2009.
Par Course Exercise - Outdoor Fitness for Everyone James M. Evans, American Senior Fitness Association, 19 January 2005. Retrieved 7 February 2007.
Hamilton County Park District Trails Retrieved 18 March 2011.

Notes and References

Web site: VitaParcours information . Vitaparcours Foundation . German, French, Italian . 7 February 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20030424114232/http://www.vitaparcours.ch/ . 24 April 2003. English tr.
The Jog Strip. https://archive.today/20130204082754/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,905863,00.html. dead. 4 February 2013. 26 June 1972. 2 February 2007. Time.
Web site: Welcome to Loughall Country Park . Loughall Country Park . 12 February 2012.
Web site: Trim trail exercise stations . Bristol City Council . 12 February 2012.
Web site: Woodland Wonder opens for all . Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale . 17 September 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131212114711/http://www.northwest.groundwork.org.uk/oldham--rochdale/news--events/news/2010/woodland-wonder-opens-for-all.aspx . 12 December 2013 .
Web site: Parcourse Circuit at Lake Merced. 3 November 2010. 20 September 2020. Sunset Recreation Word Press Blog. https://archive.today/20200920193729/https://emeyers395.wordpress.com/2010/11/03/parcourse-circuit-at-lake-merced/. 20 September 2020. live.
Web site: Santa Clara - Outdoor Exercise Park - Central Park - United States - Spot.
Web site: Lafayette, CO - Official Website . www.cityoflafayette.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160611064751/http://www.cityoflafayette.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/78 . 2016-06-11.
Web site: Bear Creek Lake Park.
Web site: Monmouth County Park System Parks Holmdel Park . 2022-07-09 . www.monmouthcountyparks.com.
Web site: Fitness Trail - Friends of South Park, Allegheny County Park. www.southparkfriends.org. 31 May 2018.
Web site: 1 June 2016. Coming Soon: Outdoor Fitness Equipment. 15 April 2021. Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront. en-US.
Web site: Ledger. Matt. Peninsula's Vita Course. Door County Pulse. May 2013. Door County Pulse. 1 May 2013.
Web site: Paris - Parcours Sportif - Parc Floral de Paris.