Active Trail
What is the Active Trail?
The Active Trail is a 1.7mile journey around University Park Campus connected by five separate workstations.
The Active Trail allows you to perform body weight and callisthenic type exercises either as an individual or as a group. All stations allow for both strength and aerobic exercises targeting the upper, lower body and core, giving you a full body workout.
Each station is installed on a soft rubber surface allowing for safe exercise in all weather conditions. Stations 1, 3 and 4 have large connected pieces of equipment, while Station 2 and 4 have smaller singular options.
Download the Active Trail map
Get involved
You can use the Active Trail for FREE! There is no need for a Sport Membership, simply just show up and get active! The Trail is perfect if you're working out on your own or with a group of friends or with a sports club.
Guidance
- Make sure you wear suitable attire for the weather when using the Active Trail.
- Use of weights' gloves may help with grip in wet weather and also prevent blisters and calluses.
- To avoid injury please ensure you warm up before using any equipment.
- If you haven't used the equipment before, we suggest attending one of our classes (details below) to be shown how to exercise safely.
- Check out the Active Trail map and suggested workouts below for how to use the equipment correctly
You can find plenty of videos covering a range of exercise at the Life Fitness Academy YouTube channel, plus playlists covering activities for every station on the Active Trail.
Suggested exercises
Burpee and tap
- Stand in front of the station, drop down into a press-up position
- Drive your knees into your chest, jump up to tap the bar with both hands
- Back to standing position then repeat.
Travel across (alternating hands)
- Stand below arc bar at one end and jump up to hold onto the bar
- Swing in a controlled manner, moving one hand in front of the other and travelling to the other side
- When you reach the other side, let go and repeat to travel back.
Hand walk ups
- Start in a press-up position with your hands on top of the bars and your feet out from the station
- Move your hands, one at a time, to the bars below
- Reverse the movement back to the top, whilst you remain on your toes with your head, neck and shoulders in alignment.
- Use any of the grips and move your feet outwards from the station
- Stay on your toes with head, neck and shoulders aligned
- Lower yourself towards the station, bending the elbows
- In one explosive movement, push away from the station, allowing your hands to come away from the bars
- Catch the bars, returning to start position and repeat.
Squat, jump and grab
- Stand facing the pull up station, feet hip width apart
- Lower yourself down into a squat position and then jump
- Grab and hold onto the pull up bars for five seconds
- Let go, drop back into a squat and repeat.
Knee raise
- Hang with straight arms, holding onto the pull up bar
- Lift your knees up towards your chest, keeping body still
- Hold for two seconds, lower knees back down and repeat.
Travel Across
- Start at the side of the monkey bars, jump up and hold onto the handles
- Swing in a controlled manner, from one side to the other using the handles.
Hanging Oblique Knee Raise
- Hang with straight arms, holding onto the monkey bars
- Lift your knees up, alternating to either elbow, keeping body still
- Hold for two seconds, lower knees back down and repeat.
- Stand side on to the handle, holding the handle for support with your right hand
- Lean onto left leg, straightening your right leg in front of you
- Bend at the left knee, squatting as low as you feel comfortable
- Stand up, and repeat with other leg.
Single Step Jumps
- Face the lower step, with knees slightly bent
- Jump with both feet on and off the step
- Sidestep to the higher step, and then repeat
- Sidestep back to the lower step