How to Take Your Gym Routine Outdoors

Video Transcription

TV Presenter: It can be really hard to convince yourself to go to the gym when it’s a beautiful sunny day outside, so why not use an outdoor facility?

Outdoor gyms have been big in Europe for decades and now they’re growing in popularity in North America. We went to one in Mississauga Ontario with our fitness expert, Libby Norris.

Libby Norris: You can get a total body workout using regular playground equipment and park space, but one of the emerging and amazing trends is outdoor fitness equipment and gym spaces, and these are popping up across Canada. They may look a bit intimidating at first and you’re not quite sure what to do, but there really is something for absolutely everyone.

We’re here at Lake Wabukayne, and I’m going to show you just a few of the exercises that you can do. It’s functional exercise, it’s fresh air and it’s free.

I’ve caught Colin and Regina here with me to demonstrate just a few of the exercises that can be done on the parallel bars, Colin is doing some more advanced exercises with some tricep dips here, along with tucks.

Now the tacks are going to be working the abdominals, the core and the upper body.

Regina’s brought a band along with her and it really shows how you can add to the exercises with just this light, inexpensive piece of equipment.

First she’s doing some rows for the upper body and back, and then some rotations which again, works in the core which everybody wants to work.

These outdoor gym spaces are specifically designed to be multifunctional so that people can bring other equipment like bands or a suspension system like the TRX that Regina is using right now to demonstrate pull-ups.

She can also use these straps for squats, which make it great to go anywhere from beginner to advanced movements. If you haven’t got equipment though, Colin is demonstrating squats with the same kind of technique and form using the bar, and that’s a great place to start that exercise.

To put them on the spot a bit, we will get them to do a more advanced movement, like a pull-up. So it’s something that you can work towards.

This may look like a regular bench but the height and width are specifically designed to make it safe, easy and provide a lot of options for absolutely every level. For example Regina is doing some squat ups here, which is a great place to start. I’m also going to get her to show some tricep dips, very comfortable, very easy. Colin on the other hand, we’re going to make him work a little harder doing lunge-ups, and it’s really a stable bench so he can even do plyometrics or box jumps on it, go Colin.

The different heights of the bars and benches are specifically designed to provide a lot of variety and options for any fitness level.

Regina is doing push-ups on this bar at the mid level which is a great place to start. Colin on the other hand we’ve gone a bit lower, so gravity is working against it more form depending on how you put it, and he’s adding in some different leg workout. You can also start at even a higher level, which makes it a lot easier reducing the resistance.

We’ve just shown you a few of the exercises that you can do in these outdoor gym spaces, but one of the great features is most of these parks have these instruction boards right there to give you additional ideas.

If you’ve got your smart phone with you, there’s even QR codes that’ll give you access to a lot more exercises and information.

TV Presenter: That’s really cool, okay you can read more in Libby’s blog on our website.