Abstract- 20200201- 14

Outdoor Gyms Aren't Just for Bodybuilders

An EcoChi Vital Abstract

This article was posted September 8, 2019, written by Jill Barker, Montreal Gazette.

Outdoor gyms aren’t new. California’s Muscle Beach, arguably the world’s most famous outdoor gym, was established in the 1930s and has a history of attracting bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. Today, outdoor gyms are trending once again. This time around they’re not designed for bodybuilders, but the average Joe or Jill looking for a gym with a blue sky instead of fluorescent lighting and the sounds of nature versus the clatter of banging weights and rolling treadmills. The fact that most outdoor gyms are free of charge and without opening and closing hours makes them even more accessible to the general public. Most large and many smaller Canadian cities have installed outdoor gyms, which puts us in good company with countries like Chile, Australia, Brazil, the U.S. and Taiwan, which have thousands of these gyms available to their citizens. What constitutes an Outdoor gym? The equipment tends to be simple and durable in design, requires no electricity and is open to the elements, with no walls, roof or doors. The gyms are designed for adult use, which puts them in a different category than a playground. But as more and more cities invest in outdoor gyms, it’s worth reflecting on their use and whether they help build a fitter community. A group of Australian researchers reviewed studies looking at usage trends in outdoor gyms as well as the impact they had on the fitness and health of local citizens The stats that have been gathered, either by the cities or by researchers, have shown very little in the way of clear-cut trends. That said, some details stood out in the collected data. Most outdoor gym users live near the installation, and workouts tend to last 15 to 30 minutes. As for when the gyms are most likely to be used, mornings, late afternoon and early evenings are the busiest times. What the data doesn’t tell us is whether more men or women use the gyms, and what age group is more likely to use the apparatuses. Perhaps more important than the equipment in an outdoor gym is the location. The most-used gyms are in high-traffic areas, as users encourage more users. Lots of municipalities install outdoor gyms close to recreation centres, hoping to capitalize on an already active population. To help educate citizens, the city of Beaconsfield has hired a fitness professional who will offer a free orientation to the new equipment. Other cities have done the same in hopes of encouraging more use. As for Tomeo, he’s taking the outdoor gym business a step further and is starting to install urban obstacle courses. He wants to install equipment that appeals to all ages, and on which people can be challenged physically and still have fun. “The outdoor gym of tomorrow will be an adult playground,” said Tomeo. Maybe the goal of a good outdoor gym isn’t to replicate its indoor cousin, but rather to take full advantage of what the outdoors has to offer.