Two girls training in Vondelpark

The green gym

Parks turning into playgrounds: How Amsterdam is staying fit during the lockdown

Text by Jelle Voort
Photos by Iben Schmidt

While primary schools, dentists and barbers have re-opened, Amsterdammer’s are waiting for Dutch gyms and sports fields to open 1st of July.

We took it to Amsterdam’s Vondelpark – the park that has been around since 1865 and one of Amsterdam’s most favored public workout spaces – to see the athletes of Amsterdam in their new habitat.
Man playing football
A man living a football dream out among exercisers.
Man playing football in Vondelpark
Vondelpark are not only for kettle bells and running. Some use it as a football field in the middle of the city.
Four men having a beer in Vondelpark
Four men having a beer in Vondelpark after a bike tour: “We used to go to the gym everyday. I honestly think it would be possible to re-open them as long as there are hand sanitizers nearby,” says the guy on the left.
Man playing tennis in the park
Since the tennis lanes are all booked now because they just re-opened, tennis people got to find alternative ways to play.
Two girls training in Vondelpark
Over three million people in The Netherlands have a gym membership, so this means they cannot work up a sweat in their usual fitness center. This picture was taken in Oosterpark in Amsterdam.
Young girl doing sports in park
For many people, the parks became a free space to work out.