We know that for people who are new to outdoor gyms they may find the prospect a little daunting and may have a number of questions they'd like answered before their first visit. Here we try and answer some of the questions we are asked most frequently
27th November 2023
This will vary from one outdoor gym to another. Those responible for each facility will have selected equipment based on who in their community will be using it. However, some common options include cardio equipment such as bikes or elliptical cross trainers, typically combined with outdoor gym equipment designed for strength training, plus bodyweight stations such as pull-up, dip and parallel bars.
Most sites offer a range of equipment to provide a full body workout, with various pieces working different parts of the body. At Fresh Air Fitness, we supply more than 40 different pieces of outdoor equipment, aimed at everything from aerobic exercise to serious muscle-building, from cardiovascular fitness (via our cross-country skier, for example) to boosting balance (through our balance beams, for instance), flexibility (e.g. our elliptical cross-trainer) and coordination. We also have resistance equipment including our bicep curl, shoulder press and bench press. And for strength training, we offer products like our Big Rig, horizontal ladder and chin-up bars.
We tailor our solutions to suit the client. Teens and young adults, for example, may want to try the Big Rig; a residential home for seniors might prefer the recumbent bike or hip twister. We also have pieces for two users at once e.g. the double rower and double cross-country skier, allowing people to chat and motivate each other while they exercise face to face. Up to four can enjoy our Cardio Combi and up to 17 people can use our ‘Big Rig’.
For younger children, in primary school settings, we use smaller versions of our most popular pieces, such as the children’s air skier, air walker and our children’s fitness rig.
That depends on the individual facility, so it’s up to whoever runs the outdoor gym. Many will have some form of lighting for early-morning or after-dark visits, to encourage use of the equipment. Or the gym may benefit from other lighting that’s already around, allowing use before or after work on a wintry morning or evening, or at dusk.
Again, this is unique to each location, but is likely to be far more flexible than the opening hours of the indoor equivalents. Typically, an outdoor gym will be open as long as its setting is. For public parks which don’t close their gates, you can go there anytime. Remember though if an outdoor gym is located on private property it may not be available for public use.
You’ll need want to bring some water and a towel plus a spare to wipe down the equipment if it’s been raining. Sunglasses, cap, lip salve and sunblock would be advisable if it's very sunny; perhaps also a snack if you’re going on somewhere post-workout. In winter we'd recommend wearing a hat and gloves, have a read of Making The Most of Outdoor Gyms in Winter for more tips.
You won’t need any money – but bring plenty of energy and enthusiasm for your workout!
Certainly, outdoor gyms should cater for all levels of ability and fitness. However, more experienced users will no doubt work harder for longer or use equipment in a different way to a beginner. Just like any form of exercise or type of gym equipment, you may prefer some of the equipment to others. The key is to get using your al fresco facility however fit or otherwise you may be, starting with the gentler pieces, and build your stamina and strength from there. Products like the recumbent bike, elliptical cross trainer, air skier and air walker are great place to start for a low-impact, full-body workout.
At Fresh Air Fitness, our products are designed for all ages and abilities as part of our drive for a fitter nation.
Once again, this may vary from one outdoor gym to another. Fresh Air Fitness provide extensive signage for each site, with detailed product labelling for every item, outlining instructions for use plus workout suggestions and safety labelling. We also provide QR codes, taking the user to an instructional video.
Additionally, our after-care service includes comprehensive explanations of how to get the best from the equipment, with tools such as demonstrations, workout videos and a free App.
At Fresh Air Fitness we firmly believe that everyone should be able to access the benefits of outdoor exercise. With that in mind, within out range we have the Wheelchair Accessible Combo, a multi-functional piece of equipment, great for low-impact muscular development, building stregnth in the upper body, while our accessible Arm and Pedal Bike gets the heart rate going.
We also support children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities through our line-up of accessible equipment. Wheelchair access should be incorporated into the design of the facility, and made possible from the outset.
Fine your nearest Fresh Air Fitness outdoor gym with our Outdoor Gym Map.
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