One of Austria's best free summer things is happening again: the Bewegt im Park a health and fitness programme that runs through until mid-September and is open to people of all ages and fitness levels.
The idea is simple: turn up, join in, and leave whenever you like. The classes are free, there is no registration, and you don't need previous experience.
Courses include yoga, Pilates, functional fitness, Nordic walking, back fitness, Qi Gong, dance formats, full-body workouts, capoeira, running groups and several other outdoor exercise sessions.
How does Bewegt im Park work?
All classes take place in public parks or other open spaces and are led by professional instructors.
Each class usually takes place weekly, on the same day and at the same time, throughout the season. The programme says sessions are held “whatever the weather”, so participants should dress appropriately and check the course page if the weather looks extreme.
The website is quite helpful: you can search for courses by location, federal state, course type, trainer or organiser on the Bewegt im Park website. The course search also lets users filter for inclusion courses, and you can download a handy calendar file to add all the appointments to your calendar (with all the info you may need).
There is no need to sign up in advance. Participants can simply go to the listed place at the listed time, try the class and decide whether to come back.
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What should you bring?
The organisers recommend comfortable clothes, sports shoes, a towel and water.
For classes such as yoga or Pilates, it may be useful to bring a mat, although each course page should be checked for any specific requirements. Because the sessions are outdoors, sun protection is also sensible, especially for morning or evening classes during hot periods.
Where are classes taking place?
The programme is nationwide, with courses listed in all federal states.
Some fun examples include balance exercises and back fitness in Bad Sauerbrunn in Burgenland, full-body workouts and Nordic walking in Carinthia, yoga in Baden and Deutsch-Wagram in Lower Austria, rugby and kayaking in Linz, and morning yoga or running groups around Salzburg’s Ritzensee.
In Styria, listed options include Qigong at Hilmteich in Graz, kickboxing and running sessions in Graz city park, and inclusion basketball in Volksgarten.
In Tyrol, courses include morning yoga in Innsbruck’s Rapoldipark, Zumba in Haiming, Capoeira in Wörgl and disc golf in Bach.
Vienna also has a broad range of options, including HIIT in the Prater, dance in Alois-Drasche-Park, Zumba in Bruno-Kreisky-Park, yoga in Dehnepark, cross-training in Türkenschanzpark and mobility classes in Forsthauspark.
READ ALSO: What Austria's new heat rules mean for workers this summer
Who runs the programme?
According to a press release, Bewegt im Park is supported by the Sports Ministry, the umbrella association of social insurance providers, the Austrian Health Insurance Fund, known as ÖGK, and the Vienna Health Promotion organisation, WiG.
It's implemented by the ÖGK in cooperation with Austria’s sports associations ASKÖ, ASVÖ, SPORTUNION, the Austrian Disabled Sports Association and Special Olympics Austria, as well as cities and municipalities.
More than 520 trained instructors are involved in this year’s programme.
The initiative has been running since 2016. It started with 121 courses and around 14,000 participants. Last year, 134,314 people took part in 714 courses across Austria.
Key vocabulary
Bewegt im Park – “Moving in the Park”, Austria’s free outdoor fitness programme
der Kurs – class or course
die Voranmeldung – advance registration
die Trainerin / der Trainer – instructor or trainer
die Bewegung – movement or exercise
der Park – park
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