11 Great places to exercise in the Grove

Finding time to break a sweat in the middle of a busy schedule might not always be easy, but working out doesn’t need to be a hassle in Coconut Grove. The neighborhood is brimming with great places for people of all ages and exercise-styles to stay active. From structured studio classes, to independent training, indoors, outdoors, on land and at sea, there is something to supply everyone’s workout fix.

So shake up an old, boring routine, or start kicking calories today at one (or more) of these lively places to exercise, get in shape, and stay active in The Grove.

David Kennedy Park is a 29-acre park that borders Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove. The park includes includes various features such as hiking and biking trails, exercise stations, volleyball courts, a playground and a dog park. Photo by Jessica Hodder

David Kennedy Park
South Bayshore Drive and 22nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33143

305-575-5256

With 29 acres of grassy fields that supply volleyball courts, a disc golf course, exercise stations and an entirely rubberized 1.1 mile running and walking path – all steps from breathtaking bay-front views –Kennedy Park is the perfect place for those who love the outdoors. Operated by the  Miami’s Department of Parks and Recreation and always full of people, this clean, well-kept park is great for both beginners and more experienced members of the fitness world alike. Admission is free and so is parking – that is, if you can find a spot. Tip: Avoid crowds and parking woes by planning your workout for a weekday afternoon.

Denillo Mantillo, 19, who has been skating in South Florida for six years, frequents the Coconut Grove Skate park in Peacock Park. "I worked at the park for like a month, that's how I met some of these guys," he said, as he motioned to some of the other people he was skating with at the park Oct. 8, 2010. Mantillo and his friends come here every week. Photo by Jessica Hodder

Coconut Grove Peacock Park

Skate Park rates and times

Mondays-Thursdays 3-7 p.m.

Cost: $10

Friday 3-8 p.m.

Saturdays and Sundays 11:30 a.m.- 8p.m.

Cost:$13

Rentals / $3.00
Private lessons: $45 per hour

A spacious grassy field overlooking Biscayne Bay, Peacock Park is home to the award-winning Grove Skate Park, operated by the One Cool World Adventure Sports Learning Center. The only nonprofit skate park in Miami, the 10,000-square-foot, indoor-outdoor facility offers lessons, rentals and even scholarship programs for those interested in skateboarding, inline skating or BMX biking. It’s a great place for kids – including teens — to improve their extreme-sport skills while getting exercise at the same time. Peacock Park itself is also host to several sports competitions every year and, with its waterfront location, serves as a great spot for both kayaking and fishing.

Alex Marulanda, a student, and Michael Olusczak, the instructor and owner, hold a bamboo pole used in jumping drills. Malik Symonette, a Whitebelt student, jumps over the pole. Photo by Chelsea Matiash

School of the Warrior Light

3805 Grand Ave.

Miami, FL 33133

305-432-2866

With everything from cardio-conditioning classes to vinyassa yoga, the School of the Warrior Light Karate Center offers a disciplined approach to staying in shape. Classes focus on self-motivation, self-relaxation and self-defense, and are offered daily to both children and adults for $10 a session. Memberships and “class packs” are also available. The full class schedule can be found online at www.karatemike.com/schedule.

Jovani Santos, a client at Rock n Body Wellness, runs sprints during his training session. All sessions are held outdoors usually at a local park or a client's yard by owner and certified personal trainer Ashley Matejka. Photo courtesy Ashley Matejka

Rock N Body Wellness

Coconut Grove, FL 33143

305-392-0687

Costs vary with the programs

Move your workout outdoors with Rock N Body Wellness, a personal training company that has broken free from the confines of gym walls to bring exercise back into the fresh air with outdoor training sessions at parks and on the pavement. You can choose sessions in Coconut Grove, Brickell or Coral Gables. Recognizing the need to keep clients both relaxed and engaged, trainers organize challenging, yet fun, workouts to maximize each individual’s potential in the form of three core programs: Empower personal training, Mind Over Muscles small group training, and the Play Harder outdoor social club, where members scuba dive, canoe, camp, hike, bike, and more.

Dharma Yoga Studio in Coconut Grove opened in January of this year. Instructor and co-owner Natalie Morales describes this Monday evening "Funyasa" class as "challenging but not treacherous." The class is a variation on Vinyasa yoga. "We do alot of challenging poses, but hardly ever at a frantic pace," Morales said, "It's a rigorous class, but doing yoga just gives you this additional layer of concentration, focus and balance while exercising." Morales has taught various classes at the studio since its opening. Photo by Jessica Hodder

Dharma Yoga Studio

3170 Commodore Plaza

Coconut Grove, FL 33133

305-461-1777

$15/class, $70/5 classes, $130/10 classes, $150/monthly unlimited

Contrary to popular belief, yoga is more than fancy stretching. In fact, the opposite is true; practicing yoga regularly is a great way to tone your body and to break a sweat. A sanctuary in the midst of the bustle of The Grove, Dharma builds each of its classes on the exercise of hatha yoga, a challenging physical practice, involving body, breathing, and psyche. Some sessions focus on breath awareness and mediation, others on physical-alignment, strength and flexibility. All guarantee a great workout of mind, soul and body that will calm you down and work you out at the same time. Really want to push the limit? Try the physically exerting sequences of Vinyasa yoga, or challenge yourself with a YogAthletA^® program to achieve a perfect form.

"We get about 25 bikes in each month for maintenance and repairs--of course, in addition to the bikes that come in every week with minor repairs that are easier to fix such as flat tires," says Gustavo Walder as he installs new cables to this yellow bicycle. Walder has worked at High Gear Cycling as its USA Cycling Certified Mechanic since the specialty store opened about a year ago. Photo by Jessica Hodder

High Gear Cycling

3210 Grand Ave.

Miami, FL 33133

305-444-2175

Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Closed Sunday

High Gear Cycling opened in the summer of 2009, with the aim of providing family-oriented adventures. Bike rental prices range from $35 a day or $10 an hour for a hybrid or a cruiser to $60 a day or $12 an hour for a road bike. If you’re not sure what bike is right for you, don’t worry, High Gear Cycling does bike fittings as well, according to your height and weight. The store hosts regular group rides from Wednesdays to Sundays, all starting at 7:30 a.m., to a variety of sites, from Key Biscayne all the way to Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. A list of all their organized events can be found at http://www.highgearcycling.com/rides_and_events.

Grove residents Chad and Barbara play tennis in the late afternoon at the Kirk Munroe Tennis Center in Coconut Grove. "We are both University of Miami alumni and have been Grove residents our whole lives. We have been coming here a long time to play tennis," Chad said of the park on October 24, 2010. Photo by Jessica Hodder

Kirk Munroe Tennis Center

3101 Florida Ave.

Miami, FL 33133

305-461-6806

7 days a week, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

$3/hr. residents, $4/hr. nonresidents; $100 annual passes available.

Featuring five lighted tennis courts and a hitting wall, the Kirk Munroe Tennis Center is ideal for working on your game, whether you want to play tennis during the day or at night. Though memberships are available, the public courts welcome walk-ins for just $3 per hour for residents ($4 per hour for nonresidents). The center hosts several tournaments throughout the year.

Shaq 24 Hour gym. Photo by Jessica Hodder

Shaq 24-Hour Gym

2982 Grand Ave.

Miami, FL 33133

305-448-2416

Open 24 hours

$31.99/month for the most basic membership (packages vary/basic fee doesn’t include start-up fees)

Do you hate pumping your guns when the gym is packed? Shaq is a 24-hour gym, located steps away from Cocowalk. You won’t have to rush your workout because the gym is about to close, because, well, Shaq never shuts the doors. In addition to state-of-the-art equipment, training programs and nutrition counselling, the gym features a variety of studio classes, including aerobic and step, boot camp, cycling, dance, kick boxing, strength training, water exercise, zumba and more.

Adventure Sports Miami has a concession stand in Matheson Hammock Park. The stand gives lessons to people who want to kiteboard in a safe environment, but it also rents equipment for more experienced riders, as well as kayaks and paddleboards. Barbie, one of the instructors at the stand, said "We created the concession (for kiting) to keep it safe. The park needed someone to take care of it so we stepped in. We've been operating here for about 8 months." Photo by Jessica Hodder

Adventure Sports Miami

2750 SW 26th Ave.
Coconut Grove, FL 33133

305-591-3559

Mondays-Saturdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sundays, 10a.m. to 6 p.m.

Land not really your style? Head over to Southwest 26th Avenue, where you’ll find Adventure Sports Miami (ASM), one of South Florida’s best water sports centers. Boasting Miami’s largest selection of stand-up-paddle, kite surfing and windsurfing equipment, ASM strives to get its customers out on the water “with a smile.” Check out their water sports concession at Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables for rentals, excursions and lessons, if you’d like to give a new sport a shot before purchasing larger equipment. They’ll take you right to the water and ensure that you’re ready to go.

Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Photo by Jessica Hodder

Coconut Grove Sailing Club

2990 S. Bayshore Dr.

Miami, FL 33133

305-444-4571

Mondays-Fridays 9 a.m.-5 p.m.  (Office)/Launch Service 24hrs a day/365 days a year

Set sail in the seas off Coconut Grove – you may even bump into Captain Jack Sparrow. Situated on the waterfront of Bayshore Drive, it doesn’t matter if you’re a child or an adult: Coconut Grove Sailing Club has beginner, intermediate and advanced sailing courses for all ages. They also are the host of several international events and are a great place to train for both club and distance racing alike.

Screenshot of the route prescribed by mapmyrun.com

Mapmyrun.com

Bayshore Drive

Miami, FL 33133

Structured facilities not your thing? Mapmyrun.com offers a great alternative for those who want to exercise independently, without the formality of organized group runs. Break out your running shoes and search the database for a run in the area, by distance, location, difficulty and route type. You can even create and share your own route with other users. Several of the site’s featured routes lie on scenic Bayshore Drive. Take in the bay, burn some calories and run free along the waterfront. It’s a great way to stay active and in control. Check out the best Bayshore routes at http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/fl/coconut-grove/718737361.