This morning’s edition of The Times features an article on outdoor gyms to which I was asked to contribute. Their journalist gave me free reign to chose a venue for testing the effectiveness of such equipment and I chose to meet her at the outdoor gym in Cantelowes Gardens, Camden, north London
This site was designed and installed by Georgie Tarrant of the Great Outdoor Gym Company. Hew own indoor gym membership led her to decide to emulate the fitness equipment found in mainstream indoor gyms and the pros and cons, as I see it, of this approach are neatly summed up in the article.
However, there is no disputing that it is possible to achieve excellent fitness results from outdoor workouts. I myself have been using such equipment with my clients and in my own training, since 2005.
I’m also always very happy to see a well-respected platform like The Times cover a fitness story that isn’t just a fad piece of equipment or wonder supplement. It is the proximity and accessibility of these outdoor gyms that make them a key component to a successful fitness programme.
Finally, it’s always fun introducing someone new to the advantages of outdoor exercise. The Times’ journalist, having only experienced indoor gym training before, was sceptical at first. But by the end of our session, she really seemed to appreciate the alternative this outdoor experience can offer.
