Health Centres
Alberta residents are ranked as one of Canada’s youngest and fittest populations. You’ll see why in our gateway cities—home to hundreds of kilometers of bike paths, superb urban parks & recreations systems and world class facilities for casual users to serious athletes-in-training. You’ll find lots of ways to keep in shape, from marathon running to yoga classes. Hike through one of our river valleys or a paddle on a local waterway. Take your fitness indoors or out—the choice is yours.
Calgary Fitness Centers
At the Talisman, one of North America’s largest athletic centres, you might just find yourself working out next to an Olympic athlete, many of whom use the Talisman’s five pools, two running tracks, five gyms and studios for sports medicine, cardio and weight training. There’s even a demo kitchen where nutritionists give cooking classes that are open to locals, children and visitors alike.
Other health and fitness facilities include the speed skating Olympic Oval at the University of Calgary, which has public skating and running tracks. The public luge at Canada Olympic Park’s Ice House is very popular. This facility has a mountain bike park, mini-golf, a eurobungee trampoline and a climbing wall, and offers week-long summer day camps for children.
The Calgary Recreation Department provides fitness classes, one-off workshops, training sessions and day camps. Other opportunities to flex your workout muscles can be found at the Eau Claire YMCA, the nearby YWCA and a host of private gyms.
Edmonton Fitness Centers
In Edmonton, the premier fitness magnet is the Kinsmen Sports Centre, where you’ll find personal trainers, nutritional consulting, two indoor tracks, a pool, babysitting services and more. The Centre is located in Edmonton’s forested river valley; you can step outside after your workout and go cycling on one of the many nearby mountain bike trails.
Other Edmonton fitness classes, workshops, training sessions, wellness programs and day camps are offered through the Edmonton Recreation Department. The YMCA has aquatic programs, and the University of Alberta’s Fitness and Lifestyle Centre encourages use of its facilites by visitors.
Around Alberta
Both the Canmore Nordic Centre and the Collicutt Centre in Red Deer have cross-country ski trails that double as mountain bike trails. Particularly family-friendly, kids can whoop it up at the Collicutt’s water park and wave pool while adults can jog around its indoor track or take a fitness class.
Visitors will find fun runs, triathlons and mountain bike races that cover all sorts of terrain throughout Alberta. Two of the best known are the annual HSBC Calgary Marathon (July) and Edmonton’s ING Marathon (August). Want unusual or extreme? Check out the Canadian Death Race in Grande Cache, Canmore’s 5 Peaks Trail Run or the Powderface Run out of Bragg Creek.
Gentle Fitness
Take a class at one of our many yoga studios, meditation or pilates studios around the province. Some are tucked into strip malls or appear as classes at resort hotels, recreation centres or local gyms. Canmore, an hour west of Calgary, is becoming one of Canada’s premier health and wellness towns, with health facilities and spas popping up at every new hotel. A few facilities in the Rockies offer heli-yoga, where a chopper swoops a class up to a mountain summit. Breathe in that pure mountain air.
