When Snoop Dogg passed through Willie Nelson’s neck of the woods during South By Southwest in March, he took some time to pay tribute to his unlikely friend.Anyone who’s tried to exercise outdoors through an Indiana winter knows there will come a day – make that many, many days – when it will be icy, snowy, below zero, windy, rainy, foggy or some combination of the above.
There are plenty of places around Fort Wayne to get in some occasional exercise indoors, without forking over the price of a gym membership.
Fore! fitness
Want to work nearly all the muscles in your body? Fort Wayne has a climate-controlled indoor golf driving range at The Plex South, 5702 Engle Road. Bang out a bucket of balls noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday for $5.50 (small) to $9.50 (large) – 50 cents less for seniors.
Climb time
In the basement of Earth Adventures Unlimited, 1804 W. Main St., you’ll find bouldering walls you can climb around – and feel the burn – for only $1.
Not a stroll in the park
Indoor walking is available at Glenbrook Square, 4201 Coldwater Road, during mall hours. The Academy of Sports and Health Centre, 1701 Freeman St., has a free walking track around an indoor football field open 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Check other walking sites at Fort4Fitness.org; click on 4YOURHEALTH, Health Tip Sheets and Indoor Exercise Options.
Speed-bowling
Bowling doesn’t have to be mostly sedentary. Sign up for a lane and roll that ball as fast and accurately as you can as soon as it returns. The ol’ heart will really get pumping. Check lanes near you for open bowling times and prices.
Swim like the fishes
For $3, you can use the pool at South Side High School (3601 S. Calhoun St.; 467-2660; www.fwcs.k12.in.us/natatorium/natatorium.php) or the Crossroads Swimming Pool (2525 Lake Ave.; 484-4153, ext. 6) during open swim times. Pools at Carroll High School (3701 Carroll Road; 637-0340; www.nacs.k12.in.us) and Summit Middle School (4509 Homestead Road; 431-2560; www.sacs.k12.in.us) also offer open swims.
Roll out
Roller Dome Skating Center (444 Coliseum Blvd. W. or 4540 Bluffton Road) has open roller skating with times listed at RollerDomeNorth.com. The cost ranges from $5.50 to $7.50, usually with skates included.
Buddy system
Have a relative or friend with a gym membership? Some gyms allow members to bring a guest for free or a small fee. If you have an America on the Move card (available free at Fort Wayne Cardiology, 1819 Carew St.) the fee is halved at Greater Fort Wayne YMCAs.
Put it on ice
You can ice skate indoors at Lutheran Health Sportscenter, 3869 Ice Way. Call 387-6614 for open skating times. Cost is $5 to $7, plus $3 skate rental.
Just drop in
You won’t feel odd coming for an occasional class at hour-long drop-in yoga or Zumba at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, 1100 S. Calhoun St. Classes cost $7, or $5 for conservatory members. Yoga starts at 5:30 p.m. and Zumba at 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday.
In a pickle
Play easy-to-learn pickleball 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays on a drop-in basis for only $1 at Franke Park Pavilion 1 on Sherman Boulevard.
