Steps in Santa Monicaby Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger 11 Mar 2009 12:28 PM It's one of the most popular fitness destinations in the United States. The "Steps in Santa Monica" provide runners, walkers and climbers with a workout that's second to none. The stairs were installed in the 1920's so children who lived at the top of the steep incline could get to the school down below. But about a decade ago the staircase became an exercise destination, and now on any given weekend 1,500 people make it their workout destination of choice. In addition to the vigorous workout the stairs yield, the 172 steps also lead to some of the most gorgeous views in the state of California. The views and the promise of muscular legs keep fitness fanatics flocking to the outdoor gym each day, much to the chagrin of homeowners whose multimillion-dollar mansions border the massive staircase. The step workout may burn hundreds of calories and do the runners' bodies good, but it has left neighbors fuming. According to infuriated homeowners, dozens of personal fitness trainers use the steps to whip their clients into shape. At times there are more than 300 people scaling the steep stair mountain at the same time. The crowds of sweaty scalers have made the stairway to heart-rate heaven a hell on earth for neighbors whose driveways pass over a landing on the staircase. These homeowners have been in the news a lot recently. They tell reporters that they are fed up with people pounding on the hood of their cars while they are trying to back out of their own driveways. In addition, the irate residents say they are sick of exercisers tossing their empty water bottles on their properties and making their neighborhood more congested than Disneyland on a weekend. Currently, the residents are imploring the city to limit access to the stairs to certain hours of the day and ban all personal trainers, who are making money off the popular staircase. Have you scaled the "Steps in Santa Monica?" Do you think the staircase should be closed during certain hours? Related Articles: Spring Into Spring with an Outdoor Workout Creating an Affordable Fitness Plan More Tips on Staying Fit During the Winter How to Make Workouts a Priority During the Winter How Often Do You Use Your Home Gym? Bad Things Happen When You Stop Going to the Gym Staying Ahead of Your New Year's Fitness Resolutions Learn more about Michele Cheplic  Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. Relevantfitness tags ideas | family | Kids | weight loss | relationships | Food | children | pregnancy | parenting | holidays User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags exercise, Santa Monica, steps Discuss this article
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