Outdoor gyms are on the increase

Outdoor gyms have been installed in a number of council areas in increasing numbers recently. And today’s gym is much more than just a chin up bar with a variety of equipment to suit all levels. It’s a great move by council to help encourage local residents to increase their physical activity & improve their health. Today at Maroubra beach the new equipment with an uninterrupted view of the surf was opened. It’s a great spot & another motivator to help people take charge of their health. Ironically though recently there has been a polarising debate over exercise groups using Maroubra beach with passionate supporters on both sides. Clearly the council recognises the value of physical activity for the community and are spending $60,000 providing new opportunities for residents. Obviously I’m in support of people using the beach for training but I’ll save those comments for a separate blog. It’s a debate I’m sure will repeated in other venues around Sydney. Regardless though the new outdoor gym at Maroubra has been greeted with a positive reception. The gym has several pieces of equipment, which will be suitable for older populations to help improve balance, co-ordination & strength. Let’s hope it is put to good use!

UPDATE: Check out Steve’s Introductory Cardio/Strength Circuit and the Advanced Cardio/Strength circuit at Maroubra Beach.

I’ve also recently noticed the new equipment at Camperdown oval is very popular. I managed to take these pictures at a quiet time but most mornings & evenings there is 4 or 5 people independently using the equipment. It’s great to see. Often with these sort of council spends the good intentions are not followed through with practical applications for residents. One concern I usually have is the lack of information on how best to use the gym. While there is a description on using each piece of equipment some people may struggle to put it all together… however I don’t need to worry at Camperdown as the many people using it all seem to be working hard & making the most of the new facilities. Let’s hope the Maroubra residents do the same.

To help anyone looking for some structure to an outdoor workout I’ve written 2 formats below. You can substitute in your own exercises according to what’s available at your outdoor gym (or home set up).
In the coming months our team of trainers at OUTFIT will be posting their own workouts for a variety of Sydney’s outdoor gyms so we’ll keep you updated with new challenging workout ideas.

Workout 1 –Super set strength exercises

Bike/elliptical or oval run/walk

Strength exercise 1
Strength exercise 2

Strength exercise 1
Strength exercise 2

Strength exercise 1
Strength exercise 2

Bike/elliptical or oval run/walk

Repeat for additional exercises…

Workout 2 – Circuit style

Oval run/walk

– Strength exercise 1
– Strength exercise 2
– Strength exercise 3
– Strength exercise 4

Bike/elliptical or oval run/walk

– Strength exercise 1
– Strength exercise 2
– Strength exercise 3
– Strength exercise 4

Oval run/walk

– Strength exercise 1
– Strength exercise 2
– Strength exercise 3
– Strength exercise 4

Bike/elliptical or oval run/walk

Send through your favourite workout format to help spread some inspiration for others getting started.