By Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — As the weather warms, fitness enthusiasts begin the annual ritual of fighting over the last treadmill or weight bench at local gyms.
But one Washington Heights fitness instructor says there is no need to wait in long lines or pay expensive gym memberships when most New Yorkers have a park bench close to their home.
Nancy Bruning, a fitness instructor who regularly leads outdoor fitness classes like walking, tai chi, qi gong and even gardening in Fort Tryon Park, released a video this week showcasing "101 Things To Do On A Park Bench," which is now available on YouTube.
"The video is something to remind people that you don't need a lot of equipment to be fit," said Bruning, a 62-year-old author of 25 books who has a master's degree in public health, noting the video is not instructional per se, but is meant to be more of a motivational tool.
The fast moving 15-minute video, which was made with support from the Ft. Tryon Park Trust, shuffles through an array of suggested exercises like bench-assisted static squats, side stretches and sky kicks.
Bruning said the video was inspired by "parkour," a type of physical training in which athletes utilize everyday outdoor objects to perform extreme feats of aerobics.
"They find ways to move through space in the most interesting efficient way possible," she said. "I like to think I am introducing people to use what is in your environment to have fun and get some physical activity."
Bruning, who is a New York native, said she hopes to screen the video at outdoor film festivals and events, such as the Parks Department's "It's My Park Day" in May, adding that the video is her "next step in converting the world to this free wheeling notion of what constitute fitness."
