Fitness
8 free places to exercise in the Las Vegas metro area
![8 free places to exercise in the Las Vegas metro area 8 free places to exercise in the Las Vegas metro area](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/images/10BEST/2025/01/28/USAT/77986132007-10BEST-420073-GettyImages-1470749989.jpeg?auto=webp&crop=989,557,x0,y51&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Inchworm exercise can be done during daily walks
The inchworm is among the exercises that can improve your walking workout.
Angela Peterson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Renoites might be considering a trip to Las Vegas but don’t want to compromise their fitness goals while traveling. Luckily, there are multiple places in and around the Las Vegas metropolitan area where you can exercise for free.
Here are eight places you can exercise for free in Las Vegas.
The Charlie Kellogg and Joe Zaher Sports Complex, located at 7901 W. Washington Ave. near Summerlin North, features 11 soccer fields, a tennis center and a multi-use 2.44-mile track that’s perfect for a quick practice or run before exploring Las Vegas. If you’re traveling with children or pets, the park also has three dog runs and two playgrounds.
Long-distance runners and walkers will feel right at home at Bill Briare Park, located at 650 N. Tenaya Way near North Summerlin. The 10-acre facility features open space with a walking and jogging path that connects to Kellogg Zaher Park. If you’re looking to add more than cardio to your workout, you can visit the park’s fitness course, which offers staff-led workouts at 9 a.m. every Tuesday and at 2 p.m. every Friday. If you want to exercise with friends, you can also hit one of the park’s four pickleball courts.
Kids can also enjoy the park’s playground and water area, perfect for cooling off during Southern Nevada’s hot days.
Palo Verde High School football field
One long-time Las Vegan told the RGJ that many locals run the steps of the Palo Verde High School football field for an intense workout. The field is located at 333 Pavilion Center Drive in Summerlin.
For people looking for a stroll rather than an intense workout, check out the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve at 350 E. Galleria Drive in Henderson. The 80-acre specialized habitat is home to more than 270 bird species. There are also Americans with Disabilities Act accessible trails that weave through the preserve’s multiple ponds.
The preserve’s hours vary by season. It is open March through May from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., June through August from 6 a.m. to noon, September through November from 6:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. and December through February from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The last entry is 30 minutes prior to closing. Admission is free.
Silverado Ranch Community Center, located at 9855 Gilespie St., not only has a wide variety of classes but also has free amenities for people looking to exercise indoors. The one-tenth-of-a-mile indoor track is free to use and located inside, perfect for Northern Nevada visitors who may not be used to the Las Vegas heat but still want to get a run in.
The community center also offers a free open gym for anyone 55 and older. It also has a free toddler gym for kids younger than 5.
If you want to escape to the wilderness without leaving the city, Pueblo Park offers an easy 3.1-mile trail system that is teeming with wildlife. The trail starts at 7663 W. Lake Mead Blvd. and winds up to Rampart Boulevard in Summerlin. Popular among locals, the part is a favorite spot for retirees, parents and pet owners.
There are also various stops along the trail that include benches, playgrounds and exercise equipment for people looking to add more than cardio to their workout or need a break along the way.
This 120-acre park located at 7101 N. Buffalo Drive is home to sand volleyball courts, two pickleball courts, soccer fields, water playgrounds, a jogging and walking path and plenty of other open space. It also has a dog park for people traveling with their four-legged friends that may need some exercise after a long day in the car.
Located at 1600 Wigwam Parkway, this park has opportunities to play basketball and volleyball. Cornerstone Park also has an exercise course, exercise stairs and a path around the park’s lake for running or walking.
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Fitness
Black Girls RUN! Seattle/Tacoma Is More Than Just A Run Club – It Is A Sisterhood
![Black Girls RUN! Seattle/Tacoma Is More Than Just A Run Club – It Is A Sisterhood Black Girls RUN! Seattle/Tacoma Is More Than Just A Run Club – It Is A Sisterhood](https://seattlemedium.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Chism-and-Gates-Running.webp)
By Ashlyn Bowman, The Seattle Medium
Sisters, friends, community.
Those are the foundations of Black Girls RUN! (BGR!), a unique running club in Seattle/Tacoma that seeks to spread the joy and benefits of working out body and mind on the pavement.
The national BGR! organization was founded in 2009 to provide Black women a supportive space to embrace running and walking, to pursue a healthy lifestyle and to address health disparities affecting Black women, according to Sharon Chism, co-ambassador of BGR! Seattle/Tacoma.
According to the Black Girls RUN! website, African American women in the U.S. have some of the highest overweight and obesity rates compared to other groups. BGR!’s mission is to lower that number through a safe, supportive and empowering environment centered around fitness.
![](https://seattlemedium.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Jiquanda-Nelson-Solo.webp)
“One of the biggest things I love the most is the sisterhood,” said Jiquanda Nelson, co-ambassador of BGR! Seattle/Tacoma. The Seattle/Tacoma chapter was established in 2013. Now, the group has grown to about 1,700 members.
Each week, BGR! hosts two to three run/walk events across Seattle, with distances between 3 to 10 miles. Memberships and events are all free, with run information posted on their Facebook page.
Nelson and Chism said they strive to make the runs accessible to all women, regardless of their running abilities or skill level. “So, even if you’re not running, because running isn’t for everyone, what we really want to encourage is for people to move their bodies,” Chism said.
Nelson said BGR! ensures the events focus on movement over running, so more people feel welcomed. “We’re hyping up everybody. We’re not just hyping up the person who has the 8-minute mile pace, right, but we’re also hyping up the person with a 17-minute mile pace,” Nelson said.
Nelson joined BGR! after moving to Seattle in late 2018. She said aside from her husband and children, she had no other family or friends in the area.
“They were my first family here,” Nelson said about the BGR! women.
Today, Nelson has built a strong community and lifelong friendships with BGR! women; she even got a matching tattoo with a fellow BGR! member: The word “Believe,” with the “B” designed as a “13.” and the “i” as a “1” to represent 13.1 miles.
But Nelson was initially hesitant to start running.
“When Black women want to run or walk, the first question they ask me is, ‘What do you do with your hair?’” Nelson said. “And that’s usually a barrier for them even trying sometimes.”
Nelson and other BGR! members wear a Gymwrap headband, a Hairbrella or a BGR! Bondi Band when they run to absorb sweat, shield against rain and protect their hair.
“There is something about being able to connect with women who truly understand your experience,” Nelson said. One thing she appreciates most about BGR! is always having someone to talk to – whether it is about life milestones or issues at work or in relationships.
![](https://seattlemedium.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/MeKyel-Bailey-panel.webp)
Me’Kyel Bailey, a BGR! member since 2021, describes Nelson as a big sister and mentor. The feeling is mutual among other BGR! members.
“I would say from many of the friends I met through the group, a lot of us do think of each other as sisters and having a sisterhood and really caring for each other,” Bailey said. Support for one another is ingrained in BGR! Seattle/Tacoma’s culture. “There is just a sense of we have each other’s back, we’re family, we’re girlfriends,” Bailey said.
Together, BGR! women will take yoga classes, explore coffee shops or attend concerts. They also go on race vacations, which they refer to as “race-cations,” where BGR! members travel together to complete a race.
In November, Bailey ran her first marathon alongside two BGR! members in Savannah, Georgia.
“Once you are a part of BGR! Seattle/Tacoma, you are always part of it,” Bailey said.
No matter the city, BGR! women offer friendship and exercise partners, welcoming women from different areas to join in on their local events through the “Find a Community” page on the BGR! website, according to Chism.
![](https://seattlemedium.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Panel-with-audience-.webp)
“Knowing that they are there to support you and cheer for you, is just really, really nice and really warm and really welcoming,” Chism said about BGR! women. “It’s like having that familiar anchor that you can go to if you are in a different city.”
BGR! women live by the motto “no women left behind” in a race or an event. “We’re going to wait until the last lady finishes and then we’ll leave,” Bailey said.
This sense of support and inclusivity is what makes BGR! more than a running club. It is a community, according to Bailey.
“If someone has anxiety, we want to let them know that they’re not alone and this is more than just a run group. We’re a supportive group and we are here for them,” Bailey said to those who may be nervous to join BGR! or start running. All it takes is showing up.
To become a member Black Girls RUN! Seattle/Tacoma, request to join the local Facebook page and answer a few short questions.
Fitness
High-intensity exercise provides short boost to brain protein in PTSD sufferers
![High-intensity exercise provides short boost to brain protein in PTSD sufferers High-intensity exercise provides short boost to brain protein in PTSD sufferers](https://www.psypost.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/exercise-brain.jpg)
A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research has found that a single session of high intensity interval training can temporarily increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a brain protein important for memory and learning, in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the research also found that neither high intensity nor low intensity exercise led to sustained increases in BDNF over a period of nearly two weeks. These findings suggest that while intense exercise might offer a short-term biological boost, more research is needed to understand how exercise can best be used to support long-term brain health in people with PTSD.
PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop after a person experiences or witnesses a terrifying event. These events can include serious accidents, physical or sexual assault, war, natural disasters, or other life-threatening situations. People with PTSD can experience a range of distressing symptoms that significantly interfere with their daily lives. These symptoms can include re-experiencing the trauma through nightmares or flashbacks, avoiding reminders of the trauma, negative changes in mood and thinking, and feeling constantly on edge or hyperaroused. While effective treatments like therapy exist, many individuals with PTSD continue to struggle with their symptoms, highlighting the need for additional and complementary approaches to care.
Researchers are increasingly interested in biological factors that might contribute to PTSD and its treatment. One such factor is BDNF, a protein that acts like fertilizer for the brain, helping to support the survival, growth, and connection of brain cells. It plays a key role in brain plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
Studies have shown that individuals with PTSD often have lower levels of BDNF in their bloodstream compared to people without the condition. This reduced level of BDNF may play a role in some of the difficulties faced by individuals with PTSD, such as problems with processing and overcoming traumatic memories. For example, BDNF is thought to be involved in the brain’s ability to ‘extinguish’ fear memories – to learn that a previously feared situation is now safe. If BDNF levels are low, this process might be impaired, potentially contributing to the persistent fear and anxiety seen in PTSD.
Because of BDNF’s importance in brain health and its potential link to PTSD, researchers are eager to explore ways to increase BDNF levels in individuals with this condition, hoping to find new avenues for improving treatment and recovery. Given that physical exercise has been shown to boost BDNF in other populations, the researchers sought to determine whether exercise could be a way to raise BDNF levels and potentially alleviate PTSD symptoms.
To conduct their research, the team recruited 40 adults who had been diagnosed with PTSD. Participants were carefully screened to ensure they met specific criteria, including having a confirmed diagnosis of PTSD according to established guidelines. Individuals with certain other serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, those with current substance abuse issues, or those at immediate risk of suicide were excluded from the study. People who were already engaging in a significant amount of regular exercise were also not included, to ensure that the exercise interventions in the study would be the primary factor influencing any changes. Importantly, individuals who were taking psychiatric medications or undergoing psychotherapy were allowed to participate, as long as their medication doses and therapy type had been stable for at least two months prior to the study.
Once enrolled, participants underwent a thorough physical examination, including a fitness test to determine their individual exercise capacity and maximum heart rate. This personalized assessment was important to tailor the exercise programs to each person’s fitness level and to ensure safety. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of two exercise groups: high intensity interval training or low intensity training. The exercise period lasted for 12 days, with participants engaging in exercise sessions every other day, for a total of six sessions. Each session was 30 minutes long and consisted of a warm-up, 20 minutes of the assigned exercise type, and a cool-down period.
The high intensity interval training involved cycling on an exercise bike. During the high intensity intervals, participants were encouraged to cycle at a pace that elevated their heart rate to above 77% of their maximum heart rate. This high intensity period was followed by a recovery interval where they cycled at a lower intensity allowing their heart rate to drop below 77% of their maximum. Each high intensity interval training session included ten cycles of high intensity and recovery. The low intensity training was designed to be less strenuous. It consisted of a series of gentle movements and stability exercises inspired by yoga, but without the focus on breathing or mindfulness that is often part of yoga practice. The goal was to keep participants’ heart rates below 70% of their maximum during these sessions. Throughout all exercise sessions, participants wore heart rate monitors to ensure they were exercising at the correct intensity.
To measure BDNF levels, the researchers collected blood samples from participants on the first and last days of the exercise period. On each of these days, blood was drawn both before and immediately after the exercise session. These blood samples were carefully processed to measure the amount of BDNF in the serum, which is the liquid part of the blood. Because BDNF is also found in platelets, blood cells that help with clotting, the researchers also measured platelet counts in the participants’ blood and took these counts into account when analyzing the BDNF data, to get a more precise measure of BDNF levels. In addition to these biological measures, participants also completed a questionnaire each day to track their PTSD symptoms.
The study’s findings revealed that high intensity interval training did indeed lead to a short-term increase in BDNF levels. Immediately after a high intensity interval training session, participants in this group showed a significant rise in BDNF in their blood, both on the first and last days of the exercise period. This increase was observed even after accounting for platelet counts. In contrast, the low intensity training group did not experience a similar increase in BDNF levels after their exercise sessions.
However, the researchers also found that neither type of exercise, high intensity or low intensity, resulted in a sustained increase in BDNF levels over the 12-day exercise period. When comparing BDNF levels from the beginning to the end of the study, there was no significant change in either exercise group.
Finally, while the study explored whether the short-term increase in BDNF was related to improvements in PTSD symptoms, no strong link was found. There was a slight suggestion that individuals who experienced a larger increase in BDNF after exercise might also report slightly greater day-to-day improvements in their symptoms, but this trend was not statistically strong.
The researchers concluded that high intensity interval training “might be a beneficial form of exercise for individuals with PTSD regarding serum BDNF levels,” but “further studies are needed to investigate whether transient and long-term BDNF increase contributes to a reduction of PTSD symptoms.”
In particular, future research could build upon these findings by examining larger groups of individuals with PTSD and specifically considering potential gender differences in the response to exercise. Longer-term studies are also needed to investigate whether regular high intensity interval training, or other forms of exercise, can lead to sustained increases in BDNF and, importantly, whether these increases translate into meaningful reductions in PTSD symptoms over time. Understanding how exercise affects BDNF in individuals with PTSD could pave the way for developing more effective and personalized exercise interventions to support their recovery and well-being.
The study, “Effects of high intensity interval training on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in individuals with PTSD,” was authored by Annabell Jäger, Anima Pieper, Kathlen Priebe, Rainer Hellweg, Kristina Meyer, Sarah Herrmann, Bernd Wolfarth, Maximilian Grummt, Andreas Ströhle, and Nikola Schoofs.
Fitness
Working out with the one you love this Valentine's Day
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