Get Fit and Healthy at County Parks
Free Exercise Equipment Available at Many County Parks
Over the last year, one of the biggest cultural shifts
taking place in the United States is the phenomenon known as “cutting the cord,”
as Internet streaming of movies and television shows enable consumers to end
decades-long relationships with cable TV.
With much more serious implications for physical and
mental health, there is another change occurring, and the evidence can be found
at many Los Angeles County parks. As more people look to economize when it
comes to fitness, a growing number of parks are installing outdoor exercise
equipment to the delight of patrons, who want to work out and get healthier
without a gym commitment.
Across the Department of Parks and Recreation, fitness zones at many parks provide a place where patrons can engage in moderate- to
high-impact resistance exercise alone or in groups. And, best of all, it’s free
of charge.
Furthermore, many County parks are accessorized with
natural and man-made resources that provide opportunities for healthy exercise.
And, of course, virtually everything one can imagine doing at the park — including
hiking and organized sports — can result in serious calorie burn.
Not only can patrons utilize the free workout equipment, but,
there are a host of free or low-cost workout programs. In addition, a number of
County parks offer exercise programs like Zumba and water aerobics, and several
parks host the 3 Wins Fitness and the 100 Citizens Outdoor Fitness programs,
where California State University-Northridge kinesiology students offer a free
workout program for adults.
Please consider visiting a Fitness
Zone featuring exercise equipment at one of the following County parks:
Santa
Fe Dam Recreational Area, Irwindale; Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, South El
Monte; Peter F. Schabarum Regional Park, Rowland Heights; Jackie Robinson Park,
Littlerock; Acton Park, Acton; El Cariso Community Regional Park, Sylmar;
Atlantic Avenue Park, East Los Angeles; Avocado Heights Park, La Puente;
Arcadia Community Regional Park, Arcadia; Bassett Park, La Puente; Loma Alta
Park, Altadena; Allen J. Martin Park, Whittier; Eugene A. Obregon Park, East
Los Angeles; Pamela County Park, Duarte; Belvedere Community Regional Park,
East Los Angeles; Dalton Park, Azusa; Charles S. Farnsworth Park, Altadena;
Rimgrove Park, La Puente; Ruben Salazar Park, East Los Angeles; San Angelo
Park, La Puente; Sunshine Park, La Puente; Valleydale Park, Azusa; and Charles
White Park, Altadena.
A 2010 study published in the Environmental Science and
Technology Journal found that just five minutes of exercise in a green space
can boost mental health.
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