COUNCILS
Lightwater Recreation Ground installed the Fresh Air Fitness Big Rig as part of its Outdoor Gym Equipment project.
As phase one of a plan to develop and enhance Lightwater Recreation Ground and it's surroundings, Windlesham Parish Council entrusted Fresh Air Fitness with designing, manufacturing and installing a multi-user, multi-ability, outdoor ‘gym zone’.
The new outdoor fitness facility had to provide the wider community with a provision to get fit for free.
The exercise hub had to look exciting and be intuitive to use, provide clear labelling to help users obtain the maximum benefit from the equipment.
The equipment needed to be suitable for anyone over the age of 11 and be accessible to all - from complete beginners to fitness fanatics and those returning to fitness.
This new ‘outdoor gym zone’ should also encourage social integration, accessibility and inclusion, where friends, colleagues and neighbours can meet up and get active!
Fresh Air Fitness and Windlesham Parish Council worked together to conclude that the Fresh Air Fitness ‘Big Rig’ would be the best solution.
The ingenious ‘Big Rig’ included 8 individual workout stations and multiple pull-up bars. The exercise options would allow the community to have fun but also develop their fitness levels to enhance their quality of life.
Workout stations on The Big Rig included:
• Lat Pull Down - a great exercise station to target your major back muscles. Also, a good alternative to the pullup when you’re not yet strong enough to perform one without assistance.
• Chest Press - this upper body strength exercise station strengthens the muscles of the upper body, including the pectorals, arms, and shoulders. It builds your power and helps you in everyday activities such as pushing strollers, shopping trolleys, or heavy doors.
• Hip Twister - a toning exercise station to target your waistline and strengthen your core
• Sit Up Bench - Sit-ups are a multi-muscle exercise, they target the abdominals, hip flexors, back and neck.
• Leg Lift – this station targets the lower and upper abs, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, and lower back muscles.
• Leg Press - this station develops and strengthens several muscles, such as the quadriceps, hamstring, and gluteal muscles. As the calf muscles play a critical role in supporting these muscles, the calf muscles also get a workout.
• Dorsal Raise – an exercise station which strengthens the muscles in your lower back and there are also benefits for the glutes.
• Step Up – this station activates the muscle groups throughout your lower body, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and adductors. A great lower body conditioning exercise.
The Rig has proved to be a perfect solution for the Lightwater Recreation Ground offering exercise options for local dog walkers through to younger people who use the area to play football. It was installed onto grass mats for good grip and all-weather, year-round, use.
Councillor Turner described the Fresh Air Fitness outdoor gym as “..a fantastic facility”. Following a launch event spearheaded by the Fresh Air Fitness team Cllr Turner went on to say:-“..thank you to Fresh Air Fitness who also provided a comprehensive induction session.”
This is a fantastic community facility. It’s amazing what you can do on the equipment to have exercise, develop strength and even stretch!
CLLR TURNER
Having attended the induction session, I felt more confident using the equipment and will use it again. I would highly recommend attending the next induction session
JO WHITFIELD, PARISHIONER
I was surprised at the number of different exercises/benefits that this piece of equipment can offer. My son was also keen to have a go and thoroughly enjoyed it.
PAUL WAKEFIELD, PARISHIONER
