Sport Machen In Deutschland

[False Friend alert: Sport machen in German is closer to "doing exercise" in English, not necessarily playing sport!]

After all the delicious breads and beers and cakes that Germany has in such abundant supply all around you, your body might start sending you certain signals - certainly if you are here for more than a few weeks. The Lederhosen you bought in October might start looking mighty tight in January. You might need to do that only non-fad thing that works: eat less and move more. The eat less I'll have to leave up to you; but for the "move more" there are plenty of good exercise options, so I'll cover a few of those that I have tried, or at least have been informed are good by locals.

Is cycling popular in Germany?

Firstly, the humble bicycle - well, not so humble here in Germany. I was amazed at the availability and varied types and configurations for all sorts of purposes. And I was also amazed at some of the prices. There is everything from the proper cyclist style to twin-baby plus shopping-carrying three-wheeled carthorses.

Plus, the bike paths are very well laid out, so it's a much safer way to get around than in my home country: Australia. (Just watch out for them when you're out walking.) So, you get around Germany and you get some exercise at the same time!

The only problem is that, if you are not going to be here for a long time, you might not want to fork over the euros they are asking for new bikes in most shops. Buying second-hand can work out well though, and most bike shops offer a relatively inexpensive servicing option.

What are German gyms like?

These Fitnessstudios range from the typical brands you see everywhere, with all the typical top-of-the-range contemporary equipment, right down to the more localised and municipality-funded Turnvereine, which are cheaper but not quite so well-decked out, and generally cater to older populations. (I saw throw-back equipment dating back to the 70s - but in excellent working order!)

They do have all the basics covered, and I certainly got a solid workout at my local. But memberships tend to be very lock-in oriented. If you're not going to be around for more than a few months, the casual rates are very high.

(Ready to take a break and check out that bread we mentioned earlier? Have a look here - don't worry, we won't tell!)

Can you exercise outdoors for free in Germany?

I got involved in calisthenics while I was here (and, no, not the dancing kind!) which is a fancy word for exercise using predominantly your own bodyweight. Germany has a number of calisthenics parks dotted around the countryside, so you can lift and run in the open air.

From calisthenics, you may one day want to try one of the Parkour parks Germany has to offer, running and leaping and spinning around and over and through urban objects and landscapes that becomes both spectacular and death-defying at its highest levels. The park level at least gives you a safer environment to work on basic movements before going out into the urban jungle.

Germany also has many public facilities for exercising, like mini soccer fields and basketball hoops usually attached to parks and gardens. They are generally very well-maintained and you might only be up for the cost of a ball and a pump and you are up and moving.

It's also a great way to meet others and start socialising - maybe trying out your Deutsch on some fittere Deutsche?

Getting around Germany is easier when you speak the language. Try my free A1 course - you'll pick up enough to ask for directions to the nearest Fitnessstudio in no time.