Calisthenics parks provide missing UTD fitness solution

Outdoor

The UTD gym does not provide enough space for students. This crowding problem will only get worse as the university grows, but all hope is not lost. Consider the idea of using the outdoor space already available on campus, instead of the hundreds of thousands of square footage involved in building a new facility. This space would then be home to a few pull-up bars and dip bars. What we have is a cost effective and timely solution: a calisthenics park.

UTD is a fast-growing university. In 2008, the student population was approximately 14,000. Today, the student population is just over 29,000 Comets. With this in mind, it makes sense that the school’s largely unrenovated gym facilities can no longer accommodate students properly. The Mercury article, “More waits than weights” explores this capacity issue in more detail. Naturally, it would be nice to have another gym; if only it were so simple. A project for a new facility could take years to generate funding and approval. It would cost a lot of money to build, as well. As an example, Texas A&M recently approved the construction of a new recreation center, with an estimated cost of $35 million. Even if there were sufficient funding for a similar project at UTD, the facility has to be filled with treadmills, weight racks, weight plates, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, cable machines, benches and bicycles; all of which would be very expensive. By comparison, a calisthenics park would be much less expensive and significantly quicker to build.

First of all, it would be a waste not to take advantage of UTD’s beautiful campus and nice weather. An outdoor environment encourages people to interact. The calisthenics parks that I have visited always have a friendly, open vibe. There is a strong sense of community and willingness to learn from each other. These parks are also accessible to all levels; from advanced athletes doing planches to those just learning pull-ups, everyone is welcome. It is all about using the environment to make the workout challenging for you. This is one of the most unique and beautiful things about this sport.

Calisthenics parks come in all shapes and sizes. An ideal calisthenics park, such as the ones in Europe, have large monkey bar-like structures for pull-ups and a long dip bar. However, a good workout park does not need to be that fancy. A simple pull-up bar and a dip bar is all that is necessary, with the addition of more bars to accommodate more people. A great thing about calisthenics is how easy it is to share with others, because one does not need to occupy a station for a long period of time. The sport also benefits from group trainings, circuits and similar routines. Besides, even a crowded park feels much more open than a closed, stuffy gym.

Activity Center expansion

An ideal location would be in the Student Union courtyard. This space is open and in a perfect meeting spot. This area is generally noisy anyways, so a workout station would be a good fit. I can just picture students working out there; having fun, blasting music, and getting food afterwards. The only downside is that this area is sometimes used for UTD events, so it could get in the way. However, a simple station shouldn’t be too intrusive, and it is a large area.

Alternatively, the patch of grass right behind the area, around the food truck park and ECSN, is also a fantastic spot. A few trees may need to be removed to make a more open space, but this area is otherwise unused. It perfectly accommodates a few pullup bars, a dip bar and maybe even a pushup bar. A small, simple calisthenics station would be ideal here, right in the heart of the UTD campus. Only the squirrels and rabbits would be bothered.