Self-directed physical activity

Outdoor activities

Helsinki has a number of outdoor routes of various lengths, along which you can enjoy nature and outdoor exercise. Some outdoor routes are also fitted with outdoor exercise equipment suitable for training your muscle strength and balance.

Gym training

Gym training is a safe way to develop muscle strength. The City of Helsinki Sports Services have several gyms all over the city. The gyms are fitted with modern fitness equipment for versatile gym training. 

Weightlifting instruction

If you need support in starting your training in a gym, you can book an appointment for personal weightlifting instruction. Below is a list of the gyms where you can make an appointment for weightlifting instruction.

Service Centre gyms

All City of Helsinki Service Centres (locations with activities for the jobless and pensioners) include a gym with diverse and safe fitness equipment. Pensioners may use all Service Centre gyms free of charge. You can get the required Service Centre card from the centre’s information desk.

Find the Service Centre nearest you 

Swimming halls

Swimming is a great form of exercise that improves the condition of your respiratory and circulatory system as well as your muscle endurance. Swimming halls are located in many different parts of Helsinki.

Find the swimming hall nearest you(Link leads to external service) 

Remote exercise videos

Exercising at home is easy. If it is sleeting outside or you find yourself in need of change in your daily routine, why not utilise the various remote exercise videos available online!

The City of Helsinki's online video service Helsinki-kanava features several approximately 30-minute-long workout videos that you can use to exercise on your own, when and where it best suits you.

The Helsinki-kanava exercise videos include, for example:  

• Body maintenance
• Dance
• Muscle strength
• Chair workouts

Watch the Helsinki-kanava workout videos(Link leads to external service)

Yle Areena exercise videos

Shorter exercise sessions for people of all ages are available at the streaming service of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yle Areena. The videos are a joint project of Yle and the City of Helsinki.

There are as many as 60 different exercise videos lasting approximately 10 minutes each. You can exercise in accordance with your fitness level, either sitting down or standing up.

Watch the Yle Areena exercise videos(Link leads to external service)