Outdoor gyms are a great alternative to traditional gyms, offering communities the chance to take part in physical activity, completely free of charge, while enjoying the benefits of exercising outdoors on both physical and mental health, at a time that suits them.
Outdoor gyms have a range of equipment that individuals can use at their own pace to improve their activity levels, strength and fitness.
NHS Lanarkshire’s health improvement team – along with the help of a community volunteer – has put together a series of short video clips to offer straightforward advice on how to use the equipment to improve the confidence of people who have always wanted to give them a try but do not know how. The equipment available at outdoor gyms exercise different muscles, such as leg press or arm bike, allowing variation in a person’s activity. Why not pop down to your local outdoor gym and give it a go. You can find their locations through an interactive map.
Barbara Harding, health improvement senior at NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Some of our local outdoor gyms are often not as well used as they could be, as people who are curious don’t have the knowledge or confidence on how to use the equipment in them.
“I am delighted that, with the support of a local Clydesdale resident, we have been able to produce a series of short video clips to help show communities how to use the equipment and hope that this will go some way to increasing usage of the gyms which are so beneficial in terms of our mental and physical health.”
