Minneapolis is an amazing playground for sports and fitness. When I moved here from Los Angeles in the mid 1990's, people were astonished that I would move by choice to a colder climate and a "less fit" city. At the time, I was working to certify fitness instructors and personal trainers for work in health clubs. I quickly learned the Twin Cities is a playground for athletes. This is a city built for fun. There is a workout around every corner, in the gym and out on the street, for beginners, veterans, solo athletes and groups.
This site is a field guide to navigate the city's fitness terrain. This is the spot where you'll find news about local events, cool new classes at the clubs, and the inside scoop on trends and products that will make your workouts more fun and effective. You'll find countless outdoor workouts to keep you busy when the weather cooperates, and "best of" lists for yoga, spinning and Pilates for days when you choose to stay inside. With your help, we'll assemble iPod playlists to sustain long hours on the elliptical, tips for taking new classes, motivation for your can't-get-out-of-bed days, and words of wisdom for the starting line.
So dust off your tracksuit, grab your pals and prepare to sweat.
For more info: Check out Men's Fitness Magazine's Fittest and Fattest Cities
Comments
Well said. Located in its frigid, artic climate, Minneapolis is the clear location of the US's fittest city.
I don't think there is a fitter city. Having lived in 4 other major cities... I didn't get sucked into fitness until I moved to Minneapolis. An Ironman later...
Hey Malia,
About time somebody took on this question. I think Boulder Colorado would give Minneapolis a good run for its money. It's a bit younger town with CU there so maybe it's not a fair comparison but everybody in Boulder bikes, runs, hikes, skis, boards, blades, meditates and stays annoyingly fit. Also they don't swill as many brats and beers. (No state fair saves 12,234 calories alone.)
I'd like to know where you think the best yoga place is in Nordeast Minneapolis. I keep threatening to try someplace but never get around to it.
I would love to see for myself the fitness level of the folks in Minneapolis, so I must admit I have no experience to make the following statements:
New Yorkers are the most driven to fitness of any city in the US, possibly the world. Why?
Because of how competitive NYers are. Appearance here is an absolute essential in every concept of success and opportunity. People spend all of their time in public, on the street, comparing themselves to others, and an appearance of trim youthful vitality as well as cutting edge body-conscious fashion sense are essential to a sense of "making it" here in the Big Apple.
Add to that the fact that most NYers don't own a car, do most of their traveling by hoofing it, and successfully deal with more stress due to life in the chaos of the city than anybody in a car-devoted culture anywhere else in this country have to, and you again must have basic stamina levels that far surpass anywhere else.
Several years ago, there was an article about great concerns about lowering testosterone levels in men worldwide, but with the focus on the US. Oddly, they found that the averagae NY male's testosterone level was high normal to above normal as opposed to the other groups tested who were low normal to hypo-gonadal . . . any thoughts on that?
Plus, the longest-lived people in the US are in . . . yup . . . NYC.
Signed: Open to Minneapolis NYCite
seriously???!!! NYC ranks highest in longevity???? Are you sure that it's not just because when someone bites the bullet in new york it takes the police a really long time to find the body? In any event, I understand your point about new yorkers but there is a difference between looking fit and being fit. "Skinny" looks great in clothing but "fit" will win the race.
Yes, seriously, NYC ranks highest in longevity. First of all, state by state statistics do show that Minnesota ranks higher in longevity: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/mpr_04.htm.
However, NY ranks first in gains in longevity, this is year over year rises in longevity.
The study I was referring was a city study which I am having trouble finding, but it found that on average older individuals with the most fitness and mental acuity were to be found in NYC. I'll look for the study.
Anyway, I concede your point on the state level, but on the city level, I do not back down!
And, um, lest I upset any of your readers, fit in NYC means fit in the bedroom if you get my drift. Not skinny. Perhaps you should define what your notion of fitness is, or perhaps we could agree to create different groupings. As far as I'm concerned, toned and low body fat win that race. Obesity is the number one killer in the US, isn't it?
OK, back to looking for that study on NYC longevity . . . oh, and you didn't respond to that testosterone mention!
NYcite
I wonder if cities where there is better public transportation are fitter. I despair sometimes at the fact that I have to commute 9 miles each way to work and because I am also in school my time is too precious to take 2 hours to ride the bus. I know that's a priority thing but I wish I was in Toronto or NY where I could hop on the train or the streetcar.
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