Discover the free mega gym in Barcelona

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
08 April 2024 Monday 10:34
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Discover the free mega gym in Barcelona

* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia

The Parc Bederrida in Barcelona is a magnificent public sports complex, where outdoor sports are practiced for free. The initiative to locate this equipment arose through a neighborhood demand in the participatory process of the Municipal Action Plan (PAM) of 2016.

The Bederrida public park is a free-access sports space. It was inaugurated on February 26, 2019. Previously, there was a parking lot preferably for students and it was also used by those who came on the days when Barça played.

It is located on Pascual i Vila Street, nº 2, in the Les Corts district of Barcelona, ​​in the heart of the university area, flanked by the Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, the Barcelona Science Park (PCB), the student residence and the cemetery and funeral home of Les Corts.

It consists of sports facilities where different sports disciplines such as athletics are developed in the same place, on a four-lane, 200-meter asphalt track, which converges with a track with 6 lanes of 60 meters, which are located on the perimeter of the facilities.

Within the sports perimeter we find two basketball fields (one in each corner); In the center, a handball and indoor soccer field, which coexist on the same court.

Right next to the entrances to the sports area, a Futtoc table and two table tennis tables. On the other side, it has two independent calisthenics spaces (it is a training system with physical exercises that are performed with your own body weight), which help improve the development of agility, flexibility and confidence, to tone the groups. muscles and improve physical strength.

It is considered the largest sports area in Barcelona of these characteristics, with a total of 7,000 square meters, where you can practice sports freely and free of charge.

In La Vanguardia's Readers' Photos we interviewed Martí, who is the driving force behind the Parc Bederrida space. He is a 4th year student of Primary Education Sciences, at the University of Barcelona, ​​on the Mundet Campus.

How long have you been working on this project?

Two years.

What does it consist of?

In the organization, dynamization and evaluation of social, cultural and tourism intervention projects, aimed at promoting the autonomy and active participation of people and groups.

What is your function?

Mainly:

What do the athletes who come ask you most for?

Mostly they ask me for soccer balls and basketballs.

What is the average age of users who come to the park?

People aged between 16 and 36 years.

I understand that they provide sports equipment for practicing sports. What kind of material are we talking about?

The facility provides sports equipment (soccer and indoor soccer balls, basketballs, rackets and table tennis balls...) to all those people or groups that request it. In order to access this loan of material, your DNI or similar document must be deposited.

Within what time?

On weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and in the afternoons from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and in the afternoons from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. In summer, weekdays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays in the afternoons from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

What are the preferred summer times?

Users' preferred time in summer is 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Would you highlight something about this park?

The opportunities it offers for practicing outdoor sports, the balance between the sports space with its elements, which create a harmonious and welcoming environment for people, and above all the family atmosphere that is breathed on holidays and weekends. .

To ensure that everyone can make good use of the facilities, a series of operating rules have been drawn up that all users will have to comply with. To all effects:

In relation to coexistence in space.

In relation to sports practice.

We asked Benjamín, a futsal player, about his experience as a user of the Parc Bederrida in Barcelona.

Have you been coming to this park for a long time?

Practically since they opened it.

Because?

It is a perfect place to practice this sport and make new friends.

Raúl is another user, we also asked him about his experience: What benefits does futsal bring you?

From improving physical fitness and strengthening muscles to promoting mental and emotional health, this sport is a fun and effective way to stay fit and enjoy numerous benefits.

And what advantages?

Not only does it help you maintain an active lifestyle, but it also improves your social skills, cognitive ability, and overall quality of life.

And also Andreu, who is a computer scientist and who goes to the park. What does futsal promote?

Futsal is a team sport that encourages social interaction and working together. By playing on a team, you learn to communicate, collaborate, and trust your teammates.

What social skills are developed?

To show a button: Today Benjamín, Raúl, Joan and I met at the indoor soccer field and we played a game. Team play encourages socialization, cooperation and the development of social skills, which contributes to greater self-esteem and a sense of belonging. These soft skills are transferable to other aspects of life and are essential for personal and professional success.

Joan, a 4th year physics student, also explains her opinion about this sport that she practices in this park.

Futsal involves a combination of explosive movements, such as sprints and jumps, as well as more subtle movements, such as dribbling and changes of direction.

Is it healthy to play futsal?

Futsal is an intense physical activity. This helps increase caloric expenditure and promotes fat burning, which contributes to body weight control. In addition, constant play in small spaces improves agility, coordination and balance, thus strengthening motor skills, physical condition and a wide range of health and well-being benefits.

Catalina and Sebastián are a couple of Chilean contemporary dance professionals who have been residing in Barcelona for four years.

Catalina, what does contemporary dance consist of?

It is the natural evolution towards freedom of expression and movement, eliminating the barriers of more classic styles.

What is it based on?

In transmitting feelings and experiences, avoiding representing only the concept of traditional beauty.

Where have you studied contemporary dance?

At the Institut del Teatre de Barcelona, ​​where I learned the mix of styles that are based on classical ballet, freedom of movement, body expression, good technical mastery, and improvisation.

Sebastián, what are you looking for with contemporary dance?

Mainly, transmit feelings and emotions through dance. Unlike other styles, within dance, contemporary dance is considered a type of expression with its own style and very personal interpretation.

I have observed that they combined stretching with calisthenics exercises. Because?

Having good technique is essential to perform contemporary dance, without forgetting physical preparation. Calisthenics is a system of physical exercises in which one's own body weight is used to strengthen the different muscle groups (biceps, triceps, pectorals, abdominals), together with fun and improvisation, which make it compatible with dance.

We also interviewed Faust, one of the athletes who are training on the athletics track, to whom we asked, How long have you been practicing this sport?

Many years. I started running small races, then half marathons, and currently I run marathons and trail running, mountain races on foot in the middle of nature.

What is your specialty?

Running marathons and now I'm incorporating trail running.

How many days do you train a week?

Usually two or three days. When I have to compete, a month and a half before, I dedicate myself more intensely and I usually train every day.

And hours?

An hour and a half when I don't have a competition, and two to three hours a day when I prepare to compete.

Requirements to run a marathon?

I think that before running a marathon you should have attended shorter races to know your performance in the last year. It is advisable to do between 40 and 60 km weekly. control the time.

And before the race?

Get enough rest, relax, run with comfort, motivation, and above all try to enjoy. It is convenient so that you do not get any scares, that you do blood tests, an electrocardiogram and a stress test.

Right next to the Bederrida Park is the Bederrida Municipal Sports Hall, where the federated teams of the Les Corts neighborhood play their competitive matches.

The Joventut Les Corts club is one of them. It was founded in 1991, currently, the club's sports activities of dance, basketball, soccer, and volleyball have more than 700 members.

In 2020, the entity was created in the health area, with professionals in physiotherapy, sports psychology, sports performance, and dietetics and nutrition. From the club's new health area they work with all the athletes and workers in the different sessions:

At the time of writing this report for La Vanguardia's Readers' Photos, the volleyball match was being played between the teams of Club Juventud Les Corts and Unió Esportiva Olot, of the second male cadet, group C, of ​​the Catalan Federation of Volleyball (FCVOLEI).

A suggestion. In addition to the park's wide range of sports activities, they should consider incorporating shaded areas adapted to the environment and toilets at the height of the facilities.

It only remains for me to thank Martí, Benjamin, Raúl, Andreu, Joan, Sebastian, Carolina, Faust, Manel and Josep, all the people who have collaborated in this report.