Exercising on the Cheap

By Matthew Witter, Winter 2011

So now that I am buying healthy foods on the cheap it's time to exercise! I like to stay in shape so I head to the public library. There are tons of videos I can rent, from yoga to a nice dance workout video. I drop my awesome videos at home, high five my roommate, and turn around to head outside for a run. Hmmm but where? My neighborhood is too hilly and not fun. Well, I could run in Golden Gate Park. It's a beautiful 6.4 mile run from Academy of Sciences to the ocean and back. To get to Golden Gate Park from campus just take the F-Line to Embarcadero, then transfer to the N-Judah to Irving and 9th Ave. and walk toward the park. I can also run on Embarcadero. I could start at school and run down to AT&T Park and back, which is around six miles round trip.

Anja Bircher, a first year Clinical Psychology PsyD student, told me about an awesome bike trail I can consider. "The Wiggle is a wiggly bike route to get to the park with the least amount of incline." Damn; I gotta try that!

Amanda Walters, another first year PsyD student, loves to unwind by hiking in Glen Canyon Park. One entrance to get to the park is on Bosworth St. and Elk St. From campus easily take the F-Line to Embarcadero station and switch to the BART train toward Daly City. You get off at Glen Park station and walk on Elk St. for four blocks. "It's a neat place that's a park randomly in the city." Amanda also likes Golden Gate Park because it has some "cool stuff like free archery lessons and a disc golf course."

Erin Heath, a first year PsyD student in the Clinical Forensic Psychology program, likes to stay active by "hiking around Lake Merced [almost a 5-mile loop]. The Presidio also has a nice trail along the water but it can get really windy." Erin feels that "these places are nice because they are populated enough that a woman can go there alone to exercise and feel safe." Originally from Colorado, Erin is definitely appreciating the chance to exercise outside.

Ok so what about stairs? I got to get my gluteus maximus in shape, baby! The Greenwich Street Stairs are AMAZING. You start at Greenwich and Telegraph. These stairs go across Montgomery Street and up to Coit Tower. They are three blocks of sweating goodness and a great workout. Yurivia Cervantes, another first year PsyD student, really likes the stairway walk on 16th Ave. and Moraga. These 163 steps are a great workout. Just take the F-Line to Embarcadero and hop on the N to 16th and Judah, then walk four blocks to Moraga.

If you are itching for cheap yoga, Felix Caraballo, an athletic third year PhD Organizational Psychology student knows of a cool place. "Yoga to the People on 16th and Mission charges on a sliding scale. If you say you're a broke student, you can practice for free."

Rexford Bloxsom-Carter, SGA Co-chair and third year moderated PsyD student, recommends the "stairway in the Alliant building, four floors of sweaty glory. Or a walk up to Coit tower."

So you see that there are tons of great options to stay fit in San Francisco. Remember: self-care is vitally important, so take the time to exercise and feel great doing it on the cheap.