FNR-106
Parcours or fitness trails have become fixtures in many American parks. They can be added to existing properties at relatively low cost while adding a useful recreational dimension. A fitness trail project may be of interest to groups such as conservation clubs, Izaak Walton League parks, 4-H Clubs, Future Farmers of America, industry parks, youth camps, resorts, commercial recreation enterprises, and public parks.
In this publication you can learn what a parcours trail is, how one is set up, how to finance a new trail, and where to get further information.
A parcours is a fitness exercise trail. The French word "parcours" means "course or journey." Adaptations of the original idea have been established by park and recreation departments, industries, and universities throughout Europe and North America. The trails offer a recreational way to promote physical fitness in natural surroundings.
The parcours system incorporates a series of exercise stations along a loop trail that averages about one mile in length. At each of 15-20 stations, a sign is posted designating an exercise and a recommended number of repetitions. Participants run and walk along the trails, pausing to walk across an elevated log or to do push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, and many other exercises. Some trails have additional connecting loops for further jogging and trail running.
Most fitness trails are located in park or forest settings. Natural turf, bare soil, or wood chips are used for the trail surface. This type of trail offers a place to run with freedom from road hazards and associated exhaust and noise pollution. It provides some privacy for the participant, encouraging calisthenics, without offering a spectacle for neighbors and relatives.
The aesthetic experience derived from using a parcours trail may surpass that of simply jogging. A soft, springy running surface combined with a variety of muscle-stretching movements, give the participant a fairly complete but pleasant workout. While the same basic course may be set up in several different locations, each trail remains uniquely interesting in design because of the arrangement of natural topography, vegetation and the placement of exercise stations within the terrain.
The origins of the idea are Swiss. in 1967, three professionals with backgrounds in forestry, recreation planning, and physical training came up with the idea of positioning several exercise stations along a woodland running trail. They approached the VITA Life Insurance Company of Switzerland with the idea. That company provided financial support to install short loop trails along highways to provide a place for motorists to stop and revive their minds and bodies and possibly to reduce their chances of having accidents. The insurance company provided free signs to all groups desiring to build a fitness trail. Today, 450 VITA parcours systems exist in Switzerland and another 1,300 are spread throughout western Europe.
In the United States, private enterprises have developed a number of variations on the concept which they sell to schools, parks, and industries. For a number of years, the J. C. Penney Foundation and the Junior Chamber of Commerce supplied free signs for local groups wanting to install exercise trails.
An exercise trail theoretically helps the user maintain high standards of physical fitness and may aid in weight control. It affords progressive measures of fitness by allowing the person to improve upon personal completion times and to increase the number of repetitions for each exercise. The person can strive for individual goals and easily assess improvement in a noncompetitive situation. A properly established trail meets the need for muscle overloading and for flowing motion on a fairly continuous basis. It also affords the opportunity for systematic stretching and flexing of joints and tendons. A well planned trail promotes both muscle development and cardiovascular efficiency.
The usual length of a fitness trail is about one mile. There is no fixed length requirement, however. Courses range from one-sixth of a mile to two and one-half miles, varying with space available, financial backing, and terrain. The combination of running and exercising will generally take about 30-45 minutes per circuit in most trails.
The course is not simply a haphazard hodgepodge of exercises. It is actually a very carefully ordered series incorporating warm-up and warm-down within the course. Signs are laid out in a specific sequence that will scientifically give the participant appropriate physical activities. Thus, a designer of such a course should follow principles of physical fitness. The stations should be located so that the exercises gradually increase in strenuousness and decrease rest times between activities. Both walking and running between stations can be incorporated into the course for specific advantages.
A typical sequence of exercise stations might include the following:
Warm-up and Stretching * Jumping jacks * Torso twisting and arm swinging * Toe touches * Beam walking Heavy Muscle Activities * Knee bends * Pull-ups * Hopping * Vaulting * Climbing * Squatting and jumping * Sit-ups * Push-ups * Stair running Warm-down * Swinging from bars, rope or rings * Leg lifts and stretch * Twisting and toe touches * Walking
This particular sequence is not a recommendation, but rather a suggestion of the general flow. If an organization is developing its own trail stations, a qualified physical educator or exercise therapist should be made a part of the planning team. Use experts to study the terrain, distances, and other conditions and to match the exercises to the actual trail route. Do not set up the trail and the stations without careful analysis in the field by experts. Likewise, before purchasing ready made trails, get experts in physical exercise to help evaluate alternative products in relation to the site.
The explanatory signs positioned at each exercise station may be as simple or as complex as desired. One U.S. manufacturer markets signs featuring a simple picture depicting the exercise to be done. Others have a written explanation of each exercise, its purpose, and the number of repetitions suggested for beginning, intermediate, and advanced participants. The signs often also specify whether to walk or to run to the next station. Signs are securely fastened to stout posts and must be maintained and protected from vandalism.
Most commercially sold trail systems include signs plus special physical structures used in performing the exercises. A group setting up its own system may prefer to design its own structures, since they are generally made out of logs securely bolted together. Care must be taken that equipment is smooth, splinter-free, and strong.
The trail route can often be designed to take advantage of old roadbeds or existing trails. A key to any trail design is to keep the path on dry, well-drained ground that is not erosive. This standard keeps maintenance costs low. A very satisfactory springy trail surface on dry ground is chipped wood and bark, often available from power companies or wood products firms.
Parcours trails generally are not very expensive. The major cost comes in the signs (buy an extra set for replacement), the building of the exercise structures, and the labor to prepare the trail and its surface.
Several possibilities exist for financing a fitness trail. Signs, equipment, and labor may come from do- nations by local businesses and civic organizations. After the trail is laid out by a professional designer and an exercise expert, a group of volunteers or public labor program workers can pitch in to get the trail established.
Land and Water Conservation Funds, Community Development Block Grants, general revenue sharing funds, and donations from health organizations may be important sources. The enthusiasm of insurance companies for these trails has been strong, and they have contributed considerably to their promotion and development. Running clubs and exercise groups may also supply labor and equipment. Various industries may wish to establish trails for their employees and the community.
The more people who are involved in developing the trail, the more likely it is to have enthusiastic use. There is naturally some inhibition by first-time users about running around a trail and doing calisthenics. A sense of community support and involvement for the idea should encourage interest and participation. Sponsorship of exercise or fitness days, picnics, and other celebrations should help stimulate interest and familiarity among the people. Progress reports and event coverage by local newspapers, radio stations and television will keep the public informed. An annual competition among employees of the different media would keep alive interest and awareness.
Before a group or agency installs a trail on its own, it should study samples and examine other trails. Commercial sources should also be checked closely. Their products may actually be less expensive and of better quality than homemade products.
A number of firms supply signs and equipment for fitness trails. The following firms are not listed as recommendations nor have they been studied for their content. They are among the several U.S. firms that provide trails similar to the parcours concept.
1. Game Time, Inc., P.O. Box 121, Fort Payne, Alabama 35967. "Wood Fun `n Fitness Trail." This company provides an 18 station set of signs and equipment. The equipment is made of wood with metal connectors and bars. The signs are simply diagrams of the exercises.
2. Landscape Structures, Inc., 300 Dawn Heather Dr., Delano, Minnesota 55328. Telephone: 612 972-3391. This is a complete course with up to 20 different exercise stations. The company also has a model designed specifically for individuals in wheelchairs.
3. Par Course Outdoor Fitness Sport, P.O. Box 99589, San Francisco, California 94109.
Other designers and sellers of these courses can be identified through advertisements in recreation and park magazines. Make comparisons among the different types of facilities and prices to determine the most suitable combination for any particular area.
Indiana has a number of fitness trails. Visit them to see examples of established courses.
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Cooperative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, State of Indiana, Purdue University and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating: H.A. Wadsworth, Director, West Lafayette, IN. Issued in furtherance of the acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914. The Cooperative Extension Service of Purdue University is an equal opportunity/equal access institution.