Working out in South Korea has been a pretty interesting part of my routine. When I was studying my MBA, the University had a really affordable gym for $20 a month. Recently I relocated from Gwangju (Korea’s 5th Largest city) to the capital city, Seoul. During my time in Gwangju the gym goers varied from 80 year old grandparents, average Joes just looking for some exercise, occasional meathead and a few expats. The overall mentality about fitness in Korea is one the US could take a few pointers from. Working out seems to be more of a daily routine just to stay active. The majority of people in the gym were there to get their dose of daily exercise.
I have seen some pretty crazy exercises while at the gyms over here, but as long as they are putting in their time and burning calories, having fun and maintaining consistency who cares if it doesn’t look pretty. The large majority of Koreans are skinny and I think a large part of this is their philosophy on exercise and of course diet.
Recently in Seoul I have been exercising at an outdoor gym with a beautiful view of the city. The outdoor gym is actually pretty nice and it’s FREE! South Korea has a ton of outdoor gyms all across the country. I believe these were all installed by the Korean governments. They seem to get a lot of use, so it seems like a good idea.
If you had an outdoor gym near your house would you use it? If you are traveling make sure you check out these 8 Tips for a Healthier Traveler!
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