Get moving!!

That’s the word from the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), which has teamed up with more than 20 community partners to offer a wide-range of free fitness activities in several of the Downtown Detroit parks programed.

There are challenging, high-energy Workout Wednesdays with First Responders For Fitness and Quicken Loans Sports Zone at Cadillac Square, pop-up programs at Grand Circus Park and Capitol Park. Check out the volleyball leagues and yoga at Beacon Park.

All the programs give people of all ages and ability levels the chance to get fit, build strength, find calm and compete.

Programming ranges from workouts, such as cardio and yoga, to the unique, such as an afro-Brazilian martial art offered by Detroit Capoeira on Saturday mornings at Grand Circus Park and dog yoga at Capitol Park every other Tuesday.

Along with the scheduled activities there are also opportunities for recreation every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Quicken Loans Sports Zone, which offers pick-up basketball and yard games available for free play.

Workout Wednesdays offer a variety of workout options led by powerful instructors, including Ivy Mitchell, Patti Dukes, Bianca Hopes, Coach Kiwi and DJ Steel. Pop-up “sweat” sessions at Grand Circus Park on Tuesdays, and select days at Capitol Park, include Bring on the HEAT, a football training camp style program, FUSE 45’s sustainable, no-equipment H.I.I.T. fitness program, and a Pilates and cardio class from Live Cycle Delight.

Yoga enthusiasts can find their inner calm in classes held at Grand Circus Park, Beacon Park and Capitol Park. YMCA and Citizen Yoga lead classes at Grand Circus Park on Monday evenings at 5:30 p.m., Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Beacon Park offers yoga classes from Living Waters Yoga Detroit on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Capitol Park also offers “Doga” (yes, yoga for people and their dogs!) with City Bark every other Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

A mat class to increase strength through slow repetitions from Pure Barre Detroit occurs on second Tuesdays of the month at Grand Circus Park.

For the competitive at heart, Beacon Park hosts volleyball leagues organized by Come Play Detroit on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings with more than 60 participating team members. There is also something for the pee wee set with Detroit City Football Club Soccer Tots.

Beacon Park also offers Saturday outdoor spin classes with Pulse Fitness at 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

“Downtown Detroit has not seen a free fitness initiative of this magnitude ever before,” says Robert Gregory, DDP’s chief planning and public space officer. “We strive to provide something for everyone by offering a variety of classic, as well as fresh and unique, activities throughout the day and week at multiple locations across Downtown.”

Fitness programming at Downtown Detroit Parks collaborates with many additional community partners, including Figure Skate Detroit, Inspire 2 Move, Inc., Yoga Lab Midtown, Michigan Tai Chi, Pulse Fitness and Motor City Knockerball.

More information about fitness initiatives can be found on the events page at www.downtowndetroitparks.com.

Lead photo: Workout Wednesdays Photo: courtesy of Downtown Detroit Partnership