Far-out Fitness: Alternative Workouts in Dublin

Tired of reps, sets and personal bests? Looking to forego the personal trainer or the relentless rowing machine for something a little more fun? There’s wild, wacky and downright childish ways to keep fit in Dublin and we have the inside scoop on how you can make fitness fun again with these alternative workouts.

Hard as a Rock

Dexterity at the ready, use just about every muscle group imaginable and test your inner spiderman by climbing up walls in Inchicore. Gravity Rock Climbing offers the largest indoor rock wall in the country (in fact one of the best in Europe) with over 1,000 square metres of rocky wall in every shape, size, angle and incline to challenge climbers of every level.

Keep Lean and Trampoline

Remember how much fun you had trampolining as a kid? You didn’t even realise you were sweating and getting a good burst of exercise! Channel childhood at Jump Zone (Sandyford and Santry). Boasting 20,000 square foot of trampoline to somersault, vault and launch yourself higher and higher, jump to a fitter lifestyle with hour-long entry from €10 per hour and classes every Monday – Thursday as well as Sunday mornings. Also available for private hire (epic grown-up birthday party, anyone?) Jump Zone also offers mixed league trampoline dodgeball tournaments!

Sight jogging

Haven’t seen the best bits of your own city? You Dubliners should be ashamed! Combine a sightseeing tour with keeping fit as you jog around Dublin’s best sights led by an experienced tour guide from Sight Jogging Dublin. No maps, no guidebooks, no open-top buses and soggy rain macs. Designed for groups of 12 or smaller, take your pick of a city highlights tour (run daily at 7, 8 and 9am), a waterside jog at the weekends or a run through the city’s parks every Sunday. Meet new people, keep up your fitness levels and learn a little bit more about the city you live and love in.

Save the Rave

Following in the footsteps of fitness raves seen in New York, Paris and London, Dublin is bringing together fitness and nightlife with wild raves hosted at the crack of dawn in secret locations around the city. Get the blood pumping as you showcase your best moves to electrifying music, down nourishing juice shots, skull gourmet coffee and even take time out for a much-needed massage at the dedicated station. Sound too good to be true? Best believe it, the next early morning rave from Morning Gloryville takes place at Hangar at Andrew’s Lane Theatre in early January with monthly events planned throughout the year – keep an eye on their social media for details of future events.

Clown Around

Ever had a dream of joining the circus? Test your trapeze skills at Taking Flight, a school specialising in a range of fitness-testing verticals including rope, fabric, trapeze, cocoon and hoop. Located on the first floor of the Chocolate Factory on King’s Inn Street (just off O’Connell Street), different classes take place Monday to Wednesday between 6pm and 10pm, open to all skill levels, from explorer to improver to skilled. Your first taster class is complimentary, drop-ins begin at €25 (subject to availability) and a four-week term with a class per week is €70.

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Hoop It

Hoop your way to happiness and health with the Dublin Circus Project. The brand new Dublin Circus Centre facility at the Bannow Business Centre in Cabra offers weekly hula hoop classes on Tuesday evenings for two-month terms at a time. A great way to master this smooth movement (plus pack in a few quirky tricks), terms cost as little as €55/€60.

What clever ways are you challenging your fitness? Let us on know on Twitter what your favourite alternative workouts are!