Exercising outdoors helps to boost mood, keep bodies and minds fit and healthy and it’s a great way to socialise and make new friends.
Sunshine Gym works to break down common barriers to fitness such as cost, location and accessibility.
All of our equipment is free to use once installed and is created for use by people of all fitness levels and abilities.
We design outdoor gyms which bring people together to motivate and encourage each other, removing feelings of intimidation some users might feel in a traditional indoor gym.
And with as little as 10 minutes of exercise a few times a week being shown to be an effective way of keeping active, having access to an outdoor gym is a brilliant way to grow healthy communities.
A guide to outdoor gym equipment
We understand that for beginners, those returning to exercise and anybody who hasn’t used an outdoor gym before, it can be a little daunting when making that first visit.
We put safety at the heart of everything we do and every piece of equipment we supply features a stainless steel label giving instructions on how to use the equipment, the main functions of the machine, weight limits and other safety information.
These plaques are clearly visible on every item to ensure users can access information about how to use the outdoor gym equipment and who it is suitable for.
In addition, the launch of the free Sunshine Gym app includes user guide videos as well as workout guides which can be accessed at the touch of a button from a mobile phone.
And to support our clients and end users further, we’ve published two written guides to Sunshine Gym equipment – one detailing how to use the children’s outdoor gym equipment, and one explaining how to use our standard and wheelchair accessible range of outdoor gym equipment.
These outdoor gym user guides are free to download or view on the Sunshine Gym website here.
Outdoor fitness equipment is generally very easy to use and Sunshine Gym equipment is all operated independently by the individual.
Working against their own bodyweight, the intensity of the exercise is increased by focusing on speed, endurance and the number of reps, or length of time, spent on the machines.
Getting the most from an outdoor gym
Whether we are designing an outdoor fitness area for a school or university, workplace or healthcare site, residential or recreation area, we discuss with our customers what they and their users want to achieve to ensure the most effective equipment features in the gym.
It could be that the equipment is intended to support those recovering from injury or going through rehabilitation and so we would include products like the Double Health Walker, Tai Chi Discs and Bicycle which get the body moving but are gentle on the joints.
For areas such as workplaces or commercial sites, where users may be looking for a quick outdoor gym workout, we would suggest a combination of strength building and cardio equipment to work the whole body.
And for schools we focus on fun, helping to teach children that staying active is essential for a long and healthy life. The Children’s Horse Rider and Children’s Double Slalom Skier are big favourites here.
As well as helping customers to maximise their budget and achieve their aims, we consider the best layout for an outdoor gym to make it as accessible and inviting as possible to users.
This might include featuring a Multi Gym to get the most out of a small footprint, installing equipment in a circuit arrangement for class and individual use, or focusing on inclusive outdoor gym equipment to ensure the needs of as many users as possible are met.
Outdoor gym workout plan
To help users understand how to use outdoor gym equipment, we have produced a series of workouts.
These include how long to spend on each machine, how many reps and sets to include in a workout, and which equipment to focus on depending on the type of results each user hopes to achieve.
We have also included PE lesson plans for teachers and coaches to expand their knowledge of outdoor gym equipment and suggest new ways of increasing school sports capacity and variety for pupils through the use of an outdoor gym.
The Resources section of our website also includes a Product Video Gallery, Operation & Maintenance Manual, FAQs and our free to download Buyers’ Guides.
These free resources are all designed to inform users how to operate outdoor gym equipment.
Alternatively, contact our team who can provide more information about how to use Sunshine Gym outdoor gym equipment and the benefits it brings to communities.