Exercise in Style in Chiang Mai

For good travel, it’s important to exercise, and I often quote the late martial artist/philosopher Bruce Lee to that effect:​

"Things move to live, the more they move, the stronger they get."

In some places I’ve traveled to, I‘ve paid to join a private gym and spent some productive time with helpful trainers. But being the budget traveler that I am, mostly I normally exercise on my own with a combination of aerobics, body weight stuff, bending and stretching.
You may like to go full on with weights and sophisticated apparatus in a gym, and that's fine, but if you prefer to practice yoga, dance, acrobatic, conventional exercises, or whatever you like for your workout, and you like doing it outdoors, the northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai has just the place for you -- Buak Hard Public Park.

As I think back, I don’t recall much of this in the public parks in my home country, which is sad. But most of the countries I’ve visited in Central and South America, and Southeast Asia, make a strong commitment to their public parks. They are well-used and maintained, and many have simple, outdoor exercise machines that are popular.
It's no different in Chiang Mai.
​I’ve gotten used to these generous, useful and free facilities that serve as a happy alternative to the admittedly much better equipped private gyms. These free public exercise parks fill an important public need, improving public health and community life for large populations of people living in marginal economic circumstances.
Buak Hard Public Park is a beautifully maintained public park, used by foreigners and locals alike, individuals, groups and classes, all in pursuits of healthier, happier lives.
Busy morning to night, there is a paved, curving running/walking track through the trees around the perimeter, large ponds that help alleviate midday heat, a large covered all-purpose pavilion and ample green grass-covered spaces for exercise. There is even a small coffee shop and a few convenient concession stands where you can rent straw mats (15 baht/USD.50) to exercise on, buy water and fruit, and purchase food to feed the fish.
Adults practice various forms of juggling, yoga, tai chi, acrobatics, and conventional exercise, either on their own or in groups. Many use the many simple machines and bars for pushing, pulling and twisting for flexibility and abdominal/core work. There is also a dedicated playground and sandy area set aside for children. 
Unfortunately, I was making good progress on my workouts but my downfall tends to be my enthusiasm and lack of respect for body years. I start to do too much. My mind says Yes! and the body says, uh, No!
This time I strained my lower back. So I’m currently taking time off. Now the back’s getting better but it may take a while.
​Nevertheless, I still go to Hard Buak Public Park most days. It’s a short walk from where I live, located just inside the southwest corner of the Old City.
​There are monuments, statues, fountains and lovely Thai-styled bridges over the water, making it all a wonderfully comfortable and serene place just to hang out and soak up the surroundings.
​Life is still good.