Published on: 2026-10-18
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Autumn outdoor workouts will help tone your figure, increase endurance, flexibility, and improve coordination. They will also boost positive energy and strengthen the immune system. Those wishing to exercise in October and November are awaited in the parks of Moscow, subordinate to the capital’s Department of Culture. All conditions for training in various sports have been created here: there are workout and team game areas, convenient tracks for running and Nordic walking. You can also practice breathing exercises, attend dance and horseback riding lessons.
Running and Nordic walking along scenic paths
Cool autumn weather is not a reason to give up running. Regular runs in the fresh air train the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, harden the body, preparing it for the winter cold. And for those who prefer a moderate load, Nordic walking is suitable. It maintains joint flexibility, improves the function of the heart and lungs. Everyone can engage in this sport, regardless of age and fitness level. All you need is comfortable clothing, seasonal footwear, and special poles selected according to your height.
In the park by the Raduga ponds, there is picturesque nature and well-maintained embankments — excellent spots for jogging and Nordic walking. A two-kilometer track for athletes starts from the main entrance on Yunosti Street and extends to the embankment and amphitheater. It runs along the scenic ponds — the Big Grafsky and the Italian. Terletsky forest park, with its centuries-old oak groves and quiet alleys, is suitable for long-distance running and walks. Dirt paths run along the cascade of Terletsky ponds.
In Izmailovsky Park, runners and Nordic walking enthusiasts can choose different route options. These include asphalt paths in the central part of the park or trails in the forest.
The terrain of the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve delights athletes with its variety, and the beautiful landscapes and architecture add a special aesthetic to training sessions. Running workouts and walks here can be held along the open embankment or on paths among the trees. For all those interested, as part of the project “My Sports District” running training sessions are held (on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays). In addition, the museum-reserve organizes free friendly races every Saturday for the “Five Versts” community. The five-kilometer running route starts near the palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (the nearest metro station is “Kashirskaya”). No special preparation is required to participate. It is enough to have comfortable clothing and suitable shoes. You can run at any comfortable pace: jogging or walking. At training you need to register in advance. You can also join the weekly five-kilometer runs at Sokolniki Park.
In the nature and historical park “Bitsevsky Forest,” running and Nordic walking paths have all types of surfaces — soft forest soil, crushed stone, asphalt. Ascents, descents, and small ravines diversify the workouts and make them more interesting.
Gym and team games in the open air
In the fall, you can stay in shape in Moscow parks by doing regular workouts or outdoor gymnastics. Exercises on parallel bars, rings, horizontal bars, and workout machines develop body flexibility and strengthen the muscles of the arms, legs, and core. Many parks have facilities for such workouts.
Those who need serious strength training should visit the park by the “Raduga” ponds. There are several sites with sports equipment here. One of them is located opposite the Large Grafsky Pond on the side of Yunosti Street. The main feature of this site is that it is equipped with exercise machines with adjustable levels of resistance. The athlete independently selects the required number of weight plates for the barbell or dumbbell of the appropriate weight. In total, more than 20 different types of sports equipment are installed throughout the park.
You can also practice street gymnastics at any convenient time in Sokolniki Park, Bittsevsky Forest Natural-Historical Park, Izmailovsky and Vorontsovsky Parks, the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve, and many other places in the capital.
Cross-training sessions held in Sokolniki Park are suitable for intensive workouts. This is a new sports training method that combines exercises from various sports: light and heavy athletics, gymnastics, kettlebell sport, bodybuilding, powerlifting, and plyometrics. Cross-training allows for harmonious body development and helps you feel healthier in a short time.
Playing football or volleyball with friends, practicing tennis serves, training accuracy in basketball shots — all this can be done in the capital’s parks even during the autumn months. Many modern sports areas allow playing sports games even in cool and rainy weather. Football fields with artificial turf, volleyball and basketball courts, tennis courts with rubber coating are located in Izmailovsky Park, Sokolniki, the park by the Raduga ponds, the nature-historical park Bitsevsky Forest, Terletskiy forest park, and other green areas.
Ballroom dancing and traditional Chinese gymnastics
For good health and physical fitness, it is also recommended to take up dancing. It develops a sense of rhythm, the ability to hear and understand music, trains the torso and legs, improves the flexibility of the arms, adds grace and expressiveness to movements. You can learn to dance beautifully to your favorite music in Vorontsovsky Park. Here, participants will learn steps, basic elements, and combinations from the most popular dances: waltz, tango, salsa, bachata. Ballroom dance classes are open to everyone in Izmailovsky Park.
Traditional Chinese gymnastic Qigong is suitable for those who prefer calm workouts. This ancient practice combines breathing techniques and special exercises that help to relax, restore inner balance, and learn to cope with stress. Free sessions take place at the Kolomenskoye museum-reserve, the Hermitage Garden, and Izmailovsky Park. In Vorontsovsky Park, Yangshen gymnastics training is held. This is a set of exercises that improve joint function and strengthen all body systems, requiring no special physical training.
Another option for relaxed activities is horseback riding. At the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve in the Stable Yard, you can take riding lessons and go for a ride. The routes pass through the historic territory — a great opportunity to combine sports, interaction with animals, and acquaintance with the museum-reserve. Horseback rides are also available in the Bitsa Forest Natural-Historical Park. Nearby, the Bitza and Provence equestrian complexes operate, where horseback riding lessons are held year-round, and regular horse outings into the forest are organized.
The program of events in the capital’s parks contributes to the implementation of the goals and objectives of the national project in Moscow “Family”. More details about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found at special page.
“Parks of Moscow” — is a large-scale urban initiative aimed at creating comfortable, modern, and multifunctional recreational areas for residents and visitors of the capital. The project unites more than 50 park areas, which have been transformed into attractions for sports, culture, family leisure, and connection with nature. The initiative not only preserves unique landscapes and ecosystems but also fills the parks with new infrastructure.
To find out how the capital has changed in recent years, what initiatives aimed at making the lives of city residents even more comfortable are currently being implemented, and what awaits Moscow and its inhabitants in the near future, one can look at a large-scale special project on the mos.ru portal, dedicated to the development of key sectors of Moscow. These include transport, industry, healthcare, education, sports, and construction.
On the project page “Sport” Information is presented about the renovation of dozens of historic sports facilities, including the Olympic complex “Luzhniki”, the ski complex “Vorobyovy Gory”, and the equestrian complex “Bitsa”, as well as about sports infrastructure accessible to every city resident.
Get the main news quickly on the official Moscow city channels in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
Please be advised; This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.