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Street workout areas

Find a street workout or outdoor fitness area and train in the fresh air.

Street workout and outdoor fitness areas bring together bars, wall bars and machines to build strength, flexibility and cardio, free of charge. They suit beginners and experienced athletes alike. Here are the most common stations, the rules for sharing them and the safety basics.

Also known as: outdoor gym, calisthenics park, pull-up bars, outdoor fitness equipment.

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Overview

Street workout means training with your own bodyweight: pull-ups, dips, push-ups, core work and static holds. A street workout area combines pull-up bars at several heights, parallel bars, wall bars and sometimes rings or monkey bars. Outdoor fitness equipment leans more towards guided machines: cross-trainers, rowers, leg presses and sit-up benches.

This equipment is anchored into the ground and built to stay outdoors all year round. It falls under European standard EN 16630, which covers permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment. Under the high bars, impact-absorbing flooring reduces the severity of falls.

A good area has steady bars with no play or flaking rust, impact-absorbing flooring in good condition and signs explaining the exercises and levels. Bars at different heights let everyone find the right one. The stations along a fitness trail follow the same standard and fit nicely into a running session.

Where to find street workout areas

54 street workout areas listed in 31 towns.

By country

Best-equipped towns

Who it's for

Street workoutPull-ups, dips, muscle-ups and static holds such as the human flag or the planche. You can train alone, with friends or in a group.
Strength trainingFor every level: incline push-ups, Australian pull-ups on a low bar, planks. You make it easier or harder by changing the angle or your support.
Guided fitnessOutdoor fitness machines guide simple, controlled movements. They work well when you are getting back into exercise or keeping in shape.
Older adultsGentle machines such as walkers, bikes or shoulder wheels let you move at your own pace to keep up mobility and balance.
Runners and cyclistsA stop at the end of a run or ride for some extra conditioning: core, calves and upper body.

Rules of use

A street workout area is shared by people of all ages and abilities. These rules, often printed on the signs, help everyone get along.

  • Read the information sign if there is one: it may give a minimum age, the exercises on offer and instructions for use.
  • Follow the opening hours and rules posted by the local authority.
  • Free up the station between sets if someone is waiting, or offer to take turns.
  • Each station is designed for a specific use: don't repurpose the machines, and don't pile several people onto equipment built for one.
  • Don't attach straps, bands or ropes to the bars if the rules forbid it, and take your kit away when you finish.
  • The stations are not designed for young children: don't let them climb on them as if they were play equipment.
  • Report any wobbly, broken or rusty station to the town hall.

Safety and gear

  • Warm up before you push hard: joints, shoulders and wrists first.
  • Before you hang, check the bar doesn't spin and isn't loose in its fixings.
  • Avoid wet or frosty bars: your grip will slip.
  • In hot weather, test the temperature of metal bars before grabbing them.
  • Build up gradually: master the basic movements before trying dynamic moves.
  • For exercises at height, check that the safety surfacing is in place with no holes.
  • Stop if you feel unusual joint pain.

Regulations

EuropeEN 16630

Published in 2015, this European standard covers permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment: street workout, fitness machines and fitness trail stations. It is the benchmark for judging whether this equipment is safe.

EuropeSafety surfacing: EN 1177

EN 1177 covers impact-absorbing surfaces. It is the reference for flooring under equipment used at height.

EuropeOutside the scope of EN 15312

EN 15312, the standard for free-access sports equipment, explicitly excludes outdoor fitness, which is covered by EN 16630, and parkour, which is covered by EN 16899.

FranceOpening hours

In France, the mayor can set access hours for facilities by municipal order, as part of their policing powers. These are usually posted on site.

SwitzerlandSwitzerland: SN EN standards

In Switzerland, European standards are adopted under the SN EN reference. Compliance is voluntary, but after an accident, courts check in practice whether they were followed.

MonacoMonaco: MonaMove stations

Monaco has two connected open-air fitness areas, the MonaMove stations, free to use and solar-powered. You will find them at Port de Fontvieille and Port Hercule. Go by the rules posted on site.

European standards are voluntary, but they are the reference when an accident happens. The rules posted on site always come first.

Etiquette

  • Share the bars: offer to alternate sets rather than holding on to a station for your whole session.
  • Leave the low bars and gentle machines to beginners and older adults when they need them.
  • Keep your music in your headphones.
  • Wipe the bar down if you used chalk or worked up a heavy sweat.
  • Encourage beginners, and only offer tips if they ask.
  • Take your rubbish with you, bottles and bands included.

Glossary

Pull-up bar
A high horizontal bar for pull-ups and hangs. Several heights are often available.
Parallel bars
Two bars side by side at hip height, used for dips and balance holds.
Wall bars
A vertical ladder of rungs used for stretching, core work and leg raises.
Australian pull-up
An inclined pull-up under a low bar with your feet on the ground. A good step towards a full pull-up.
Dips
Lowering and raising yourself between two parallel bars, working the triceps and chest.
Muscle-up
Going from a hang below the bar to a support above it in one movement.
Plank
A static hold that strengthens the core muscles.
Safety surfacing
Soft tiles or poured flooring laid under equipment to cushion falls.
Did you know?

In Monaco, the MonaMove stations are two connected open-air fitness areas, free to use and solar-powered, at Port de Fontvieille and Port Hercule.

What to bring

  • Training gloves or chalk for a better grip
  • Resistance bands
  • Exercise mat for core work and stretching
  • Towel
  • Water bottle

FAQ

Are street workout areas free?

Yes. The ones listed on Oukonjou are free-access, with no fee and no booking. The local authority may set opening hours.

Do I need to be fit to train there?

No. Low bars, wall bars and guided fitness machines let you start at any level. The information sign sometimes suggests exercises for beginners.

Is there a minimum age?

The sign on the equipment may state a minimum age or height. These stations are not play equipment: below the stated age, a playground is a better choice.

Can I use resistance bands or rings?

Often yes, as long as the posted rules don't forbid it and you remove your kit afterwards so the station is free for others.

What is the difference between street workout and outdoor fitness?

Street workout uses bars and wall bars for bodyweight training. Outdoor fitness relies on guided machines, closer to what you find in a gym. Both fall under EN 16630.

A bar is loose or a machine is broken. What should I do?

Don't use it, and report it to the town hall or the operator, who is responsible for maintenance.