5 Fitness Activities In Glasgow You Haven’t Tried Yet
Glasgow has firmly cemented its place as Scotland’s city of sport, from the 2014 Commonwealth Games to the recently held 2018 European Championships. It makes sense, then, that Scotland’s largest city is the perfect place to find a new sport to try, replacing hours spent on the treadmill with something more exciting. There are plenty of fitness activities in Glasgow that can help you switch up your routine and learn something new, and you never know when you might discover a hidden talent. After all, you’ve still got four years before the next Commonwealth Games…
1. Wakeboarding at Glasgow Wake Park
Wakeboarding is one of the most challenging and exhilarating sports you can try in Glasgow. It has its origins in water skiing, snowboarding and surfing, meaning it’s basically a mix of the three. It’s also one of the fastest growing watersports at the moment, gaining popularity all around the world. You’re pulled either behind a boat or along by a cable mechanism, riding a wakeboard over the surface of the water, making for an adrenaline-fuelled sport that can be extremely rewarding.
Glasgow Wake Park, based at the Port Dundas Canal in the city centre, operates using a cable system. The park caters to all levels, with sessions for beginners and qualified coaches, and varying obstacles for anyone who wants to try performing tricks or jumps.
2. Indoor Ice Climbing at Snow Factor
Ice climbing is a lot like rock climbing… except you’re climbing up a completely different kind of surface. Snow Factor, at Braehead, have one of the world’s biggest urban ice climbing facilities and offer a range of sessions. Whether you’re starting from scratch, want to transfer your rock-climbing skills to ice, or want to practice your climbing skills and try some of the hardest sections, Snow Factor can cater to all abilities.
You’re situated right next to Scotland’s longest indoor ski slope, so you can always grab your skis or a snowboard to hit the slopes at the same time if you want to make the most of your time at Braehead.
3. BMX at Knightswood Park
Knightswood BMX centre is brand new this year, making it the first and only Olympic standard BMX track in Scotland. It was used for the European Championships earlier this year and is only a short distance from the city centre by bus (or bike). It’s home to the Western Titans BMX Racing Club who hold regular club nights and coaching sessions.
4. Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP) at Pinkston Watersports
Unsurprisingly, SUP involves standing on a surfboard and paddling. Boards used for the sport are a lot longer and wider than an average surfboard, making them much easier to balance on, but the sport is still a great way to keep fit and definitely works your core muscles.
Based out of Pinkston Watersports, you can rent paddleboards from the centre to take along the canal. However, if you want something slightly more unusual, the centre also offer SUP yoga sessions that aim to really challenge your balance and are designed to encourage more people to take up the sport. This is one of our favourite fitness activities in Glasgow!
5. Trampolining at Flip Out
Flip Out Trampoline Park is the best place to head if you’re looking for a workout that’s more about the fun than the fitness. The park is one of the biggest in the world, and is home to an adult parkour area, Ninja Obastacle Course, foam pit, and soft play area for children.
For anyone who really wants to break a sweat, Flip Out also have a range of games including dodgeball, basketball, a bungee run and basketball lanes. They also offer Flip Fit classes which are designed to be a full-body workout. The sessions mix trampolining, stunt boxes and gymnastics resulting in an effective toning and strengthening class. This is one of the best fitness activities in Glasgow!
