Outdoor fitness: a how-to guide

The most personal trainer is a fan of free outdoor fitness across the UK and gives tips on getting the most from them.

Have you seen urban outdoor fitness in a park near you? In recent years, local councils have been trying to tackle our national couch potato problem by investing in obstacles and machines in public outdoor spaces that are free and easy to use.

These gyms have now become a regular sight in open spaces across the UK, often near children’s playgrounds, encouraging parents to use them while their kids play. You can usually find your nearest one on your local council website.

These spaces have been designed to provide low-impact training intuitively and easily. The various machines target the lower body, upper body and core, not to mention cardiovascular and weight-based strength exercises. Some boast wooden obstacles – parallel bars, hurdles, leapfrog, step-ups, pull-up bars and benches. Others feature more recognizable fitness equipment – cross-training machines and weights for resistance work. Some areas also have changing rooms. The spaces appeal to individuals who struggle to find the time or money to attend a regular fitness session, and 26% of users are new to exercise.

Once you’ve located an outdoor fitness, how does a beginner get the best?

Here’s a guide to the machines you’ll find in your local park fitness, what they do and how to use them. All the devices should be labeled with their target areas, making them easy to identify. If you are unsure whether to use a machine or how to use it properly, always seek advice before embarking on your workout. Always include a mixture of upper body and lower body exercises and aim to cover all the body’s major muscles. Warm up with gentle cardio and mix it with strength machines to keep your heart rate up. Aim to go three to four times a week for at least 30 minutes, and ensure you finish with some stretching to guard against aching muscles the next day.

Cross-trainer, treadmill or bike:

Start on these machines to give your joints and muscles a gentle warm-up and help them get ready for the workout. Cardiovascular exercise is essential to ensure heart health, weight-management and has also been proven to aid symptoms of depression, amongst other things. To increase your endurance, aim to push yourself until you feel a good burn in the muscles, are breathless, and are a bit red in the face, but stop at any sign of physical pain.

Chest press or shoulder machines:

These work the upper torso and are a great way to build strength in the chest, shoulder and triceps muscles. Sit down on the machine, push the handles forwards or over your head, and lower them slowly. As a beginner, start with two sets of 10 to 15 reps, then work up to four sets of 15 to 20.

Lat pull-down machines or pull-up bars:

The lats (latissimus dorsi) are the muscles outside your shoulder blades on your upper back. Using either the machine or the pull-up bars will strengthen your lats and give you a good bicep workout. On the lat machine, grab the handles and pull them down by squeezing your shoulder blades together and using your back muscles. On the pull-up bars, lift your chest to the bar while keeping your shoulder blades back and down. Start with two sets of 10 to 15 reps and gradually build up to four sets of 15 to 20.

Benches or oblique machines:

These pieces of equipment target your core by challenging your midsection. After a few sessions on these, you should build a solid set of abdominal muscles that will help you look good and protect your back and improve your posture. The benches are great for sit-ups and crunches:

1. Lie down, hook your feet under the bars, and lift your torso by engaging your abdominal muscles.
2. Use the oblique machines to strengthen the sides of your core by rotating your feet.
3. Start with two sets of 15 and build up to 4 sets.

Leg press machine:

This machine works out not only your quads but also your glutes and hamstrings, so it is excellent for toning the lower body. Sit down and push your body off the platform using your feet, keeping the heels down and your abs engaged. Start with two sets of 15 reps and work up to four sets of 15 to 20.

Once you get comfortable using the machines, you can start getting creative with your workouts. Draw up your routine, run there and back, and maybe even bring a bunch of friends. Sticking to your exercise routine is to make sure you enjoy it. Learn to feel each movement, connect with people around you and enjoy the sensations of being outdoors. This will help you be more consistent with your workouts, and in no time, you’ll be smashing your weekly target – and hopefully inspiring others around you to do the same.

 

Have you tried outdoor fitness? Let us know your thoughts below.

Interested in finding out more about how you can live better? Take a look at our products here.

 

CERIA is a front-runner of outdoor fitness equipment design for people of all abilities. CERIA supplies a large number of all-in-one services and ensures the quality of goods, helping customers to save time and money.

• CUSTOMER SERVICE: +44 870 875 9383
• VISITOR ADDRESS: 1 Old Street Yard, London EC1Y 2AS, United Kingdom
• MAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]