SF Schools Ready for New Fitness Program: MuniFit

Joggers, Tram, Early morning at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Photo by Lambert Wolterbeek Muller

In the face of a nationwide child obesity epidemic, the San Francisco Unified School District announced Thursday that it will start a new fitness program involving another city agency — SFMTA (which runs Muni). The new program, called MuniFit, aims to integrate urban activities such as sprinting across platforms, running after buses, and scaling the top of the bus, much like San Francisco Giants fans did during 2010’s World Series run.

San Francisco schools plan to integrate the program in physical education classes starting this fall.

A spokesperson from the SFUSD said that MuniFit is designed to improve children’s attitude toward exercising by combining exercise with activities that young people are already familiar with, such as out-walking the bus.

SFMTA and SFUSD officials say that they hope MuniFit will become popular with adults, not just children. The program, officials say, has the potential to become a citywide fitness trend. A source at the SFMTA told Muni Diaries that once the program catches on with San Francisco residents, it can even make Muni safer. After all, the federal government has recently said that it may consider revising safety rules for buses because of the increase in expected weight for overweight passengers.

At its current speed of travel, Muni can be an effective fitness program component. Trainers who designed the MuniFit program say that an average adult can burn off 1,000 calories (approximately the amount of calories in half of a burrito or five tablespoons of maple bacon latte from Pirat Cat Radio) with 50 minutes of MuniFit activities.

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7 comments

  • JC

    And depending on the route, more interesting and attractive people than the gym (although MUNI could DEFINITELY use dispensers sani-wipes or spray). Well played MD, well played [slow clap].

    • An unnamed source tipped off Muni Diaries that Fare Inspectors will soon be asked to perform some additional tasks involving sani-wipes and spray, as a preventative measure for the summer flu season.

    • Rachel! Just because it happens to be April Fool’s day doesn’t mean that we can’t bring you hard-hitting transportation news — and in this case, a very important public health issue facing our next generation!

      • True. Out of all the challenges young people face today, this is definitely one that’s been lingering in the background for too long…

  • Ryan G

    I think this is an excellent way to get kids more exercise. And with all the railings, shelters and platforms bus stops and the metro stations provide, students can train for parkour – and then use those skills later in life jumping fare gates. I can imagine a dynamic parkour league, as well, leaping from tops of streetcars to buses and back again up and down Market Street, flipping over homeless peoples’ shopping carts and climbing those public bathrooms and other items in the streetscape.

  • Dexter Wong

    Watch out for the raised trolley pole or pantograph on streetcars, wouldn’t want our kids to get a nasty shock while practicing parkour, now, wouldn’t we?

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