A new study by sporting goods company Reebok has ranked Amsterdam as the sixth-greenest city in the world for working out, due to the high number of cycling and running routes in the Dutch capital.

The world’s greenest cities for fitness

With gyms around the world forced to close their doors as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Reebok decided to look into which cities provided the most (green) spaces for working out outdoors. The study researched cities from around the world, analysing:

• The percentage of bicycle users
• The number of running routes
• The amount of sunlight
• The number of hiking trails 
• The crime rate
• The pollution index
• The search volume of eco-friendly exercise terms

The results of the study were compiled into a ranking, identifying the most sustainable global cities for working out. Tokyo claimed the top spot, performing well in six out of the seven categories. According to those involved in the study, this performance wasn’t a surprise, as “the city boasts one of the lowest crime rates, as well as over 1.500 running routes.”

Sydney and London took second and third place respectively, with London performing particularly well when it came to the number of running routes and the search volume of eco-friendly exercise terms. Stockholm, Oslo, and Seoul occupied the bottom three spots in the ranking. 

Outdoor workouts in Amsterdam

According to the study, Amsterdam is the sixth-best city in the world for its environment for sustainable outdoor workouts. With such a high percentage of the population cycling on a regular basis, over 1.500 running routes, and over 1.600 hours of sunshine per year, this result is perhaps not too surprising. 

Categories that let the Netherlands down were the low number of hiking trails - with the Netherlands being such a flat country, this is unsurprising - the crime rate, and the pollution index. 

As part of their research, Reebok also investigated which European cities were the most eco-friendly when it came to fashion. Amsterdam managed to nab a top-ten spot in this ranking too, coming in ninth place - but the city still has “a lot of work to do to ensure environmentally conscious choices are at the forefront of the conversation.”

The greenest cities for fitness fanatics 

According to the study, these are the top 10 cities for fitness fanatics:

1. Tokyo
2. Sydney
3. London
4. Copenhagen
5. Vancouver
6. Amsterdam
7. Tel Aviv
8. Montreal
9. Lisbon
10. Helsinki

For more information about the study, click here.