Kickstarting Healthy Lifestyles

The addition of nature and fresh air helps make exercising fun and therefore more effective. Combining outdoor exercise, natural light and sensory stimulation reduces stress and encourage healthy behaviors.  

Most of the clients' equipment used in Public Fitness Playgrounds requires no electricity, is low maintenance, and uses very little human resources.  While burning off calories, some systems use technology that harvests all that people power, and converts it into useable electricity. A majority of the materials used in their construction, including aluminum, steel, and sustainable plastics; are recyclable. The minimal impact on the natural environment is attractive to the developer, the funder, and the end user. Many participants may link positive environmental contribution, with greater enjoyment of exercise. 

People who use Public Fitness Playgrounds often socialize while exercising, strengthening community and interpersonal relationships. These relationships may then support increased use, as participants more readily interact with each other while offering encouragement, motivation, and support.   

Though there are numerous indoor fitness options, they can be costly and inconvenient. Public Fitness Playgrounds can remove these barriers, which is especially attractive in lower income neighborhoods. In fact, residents of high-poverty counties in the U.S. have obesity rates 145% greater than those in wealthy counties. By increasing the number of Public Fitness Playgrounds available, there is an increased likelihood of creating positive change in overall fitness and health. 

Regular physical activity is essential to health and longevity. Many people report preferring exercising outdoors, which may also have a greater effect on mental and physical well-being. Outdoor exercise is also rated as being more restorative compared to indoors since natural environments reduce emotional and physiological stress. Exercising outdoors provides all the physical benefits of indoor exercise (blood flow, improved cardiovascular health, improved strength, flexibility, endurance, etc.) and can also provide vital exposure to sunlight that increases important levels of vitamin D, unlike indoor exercise. 

Public Fitness Playgrounds provide additional opportunities for adults to recreate and participate in physical activity outdoors. People who exercise regularly may be attracted to these new outdoor locations, and create a true fitness “destination” within a neighborhood. This may also help attract more non-users to the new and popular destination. 

Trainers who wish to provide fitness classes in outdoor environments can generate revenue from attendees, with no cost to rent the work-out space. Trainers can provide organized classes with an alternate environment, instead of the typical indoor gym setting. 

Public Fitness Playgrounds are ideal locations for people with physically demanding jobs to augment their training. Firefighters, police teams, and college athletes, among others can benefit from the “real world” environment, and the ability to set up training exercises in adverse weather.