Ever thought about trying an outdoor gym? Read our top reasons for why you should.
23rd July 2020
Outdoor gym equipment is for the whole community. It is free and accessible to everyone of all ages and it lasts for years. Outdoor fitness equipment can be fitted to any surface, assembled using the latest production techniques and is safe and easy to use. An outdoor gym is a ‘green’ gym, it is an environmentally friendly way of providing people with an opportunity to get fit, whilst enhancing an outdoor space. Outdoor gym equipment also appeals to people who might not normally want to visit a conventional gym making it accessible to all. Some outdoor fitness equipment is also accessible for children, seniors and wheelchair users.
Being outdoors surrounded by open space and nature makes fitness fun, relaxing and enjoyable. Outdoor exercise can help ward off seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression and anxiety because sunshine naturally increases serotonin, a hormone that affects your mood. Using outdoor gym equipment and exercising in the fresh air also delivers a boost of oxygen and Vitamin D to the body. Physical activity outdoors is also known to lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Fresh air helps insomnia and gives you a better night’s sleep.
An outdoor gym is a marvellous opportunity to catch up with friends and family in the open air and do something healthy together. It is also a great place to meet new friends. Meeting up in the park, for example and using your local outdoor gym equipment creates a natural space to socialise as well as providing mutual encouragement and motivation. It creates an opportunity to combine socialising and fitness and work it into the daily routine.
Outdoor fitness equipment is great for warming up ahead of a bootcamp or PT session or warming down after a run.
It is ideal for cross training, circuit training, a street workout, cardio, improving balance and calisthenics. Outdoor gym equipment also allows you to improve your dynamic strength – such as bicep curls and squats as well as your isometric strength – which is where your muscles produce force but do not lengthen – when you do planks or wall-sits, for example.
Going to the gym to get fitter, healthier and in shape is great, but it can be expensive. Before locking yourself into a costly gym membership – why not see if there is any outdoor gym equipment near you?
There are thousands of local, council-funded, outdoor gyms in the UK. They are completely free-to-use, open all year round and weatherproof, as councils want to encourage healthy communities and remove the cost barrier for those who want to enjoy fitness but do not want to tie themselves into an expensive indoor gym contract.
Outdoor gym equipment is mostly found in open recreation areas and parks, often near children’s playgrounds, so you can combine a workout while the children are happily playing.
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