Whether it is returning to exercise after a break or choosing to take up regular physical activity for the very first time, an outdoor gym is a great place to start.
Not only is outdoor gym equipment from Sunshine Gym easy to operate and designed for all levels and abilities, being outdoors in an engaging environment helps to keep exercise interesting.
When it comes to designing an outdoor gym which offers a solid introduction to exercise, our guide to gym workouts for beginners can help to get results.
Keep workouts simple
The best workouts for beginners have aerobic exercises at their core. This improves circulation, lowers blood pressure and heart rate and helps to maintain a healthy weight.
It works all the large muscles so it’s also a great way to build functional fitness, enabling everyone to carry on doing everyday activities and tasks for longer.
For a simple but effective workout, a Double Health Walker is a must to include.
Similar to an outdoor treadmill, users swing their legs in a walking motion but with less impact on weight-bearing joints like the ankles, knees and hips.
It is a really simple movement which is brilliant for beginners as it helps to build confidence and, because the equipment is so easy to use, there is no fear of intimidation or reason to compare to other users.
Once the beginner is comfortable with the exercise, there is capacity to build stamina by increasing the length of time on the Double Health Walker or increase the intensity of the workout by adding in 30 seconds of ‘sprints’, where the speed of movement is stepped up.
The Rower is also easily recognisable and familiar to most people whether they have exercised before or not.
Including some basic rowing in a workout routine is a brilliant way to start working the upper and lower body together and it promotes good posture.
Another great piece of equipment for beginners is the Bicycle which again is gentle on the joints.
Pedalling at a slow, moderate or intense pace helps to add variety and challenge to a workout and, if weight loss is the goal, the Bicycle is a good calorie burner.
Warm up and cool down
All outdoor gym users should factor in a warm-up and cool down to help prevent injuries and reduce soreness.
A warm-up helps to prepare gym users for their workout physically and mentally and for beginners it is particularly important to warm up for an effective workout.
A warm-up can include exercises performed on or off the outdoor gym equipment such as a gentle walk on the Health Walker or using the Twist N Step to left the legs up and down as well as mobilise the core through the waist.
This can be accompanied by some arm circles and shoulder rolls.
Cooling down aids recovery, bringing the heart rate down gradually, getting the breathing rate back to normal and reducing body temperature.
A cool down aims to prevent the risk of dizziness or nausea by ensuring the body doesn’t just come to a complete stop after exercising.
Again, a combination of stretches and easy, light aerobic exercises can be most effective.
A slow walk or cycle is a good active recovery, coupled with static stretches such as standing hamstring stretches using the Leg Stretch for support.
Create a foundation to build on
Workouts for beginners should aim to ensure good form and the correct execution of movements.
Including outdoor gym equipment which supports simple but effective movements, as well as variety to help beginners stay on track, is a good way of doing this.
A beginner’s outdoor gym programme should include rest days with the potential to gradually progress the number and intensity of workouts as users become more proficient.
At Sunshine Gym we can design outdoor gyms to incorporate the possibility of adding additional equipment at a later date.
Or if space is an issue, a Multi Gym may be a good option for beginners, opening up different types of exercise in one unit.
Our Multi Gyms vary in size and focus and promote good social interaction with other gym users – again, an essential element in making exercise enjoyable especially for beginners who may need a little more motivation.
With an outdoor gym workout for beginners, users will get fitter and stronger and ready to move on to a more advanced workout.