Regular exercise is one of the biggest keys to a healthy lifestyle, but many people don’t have access to gyms or home gym equipment. Adding outdoor fitness equipment to parks is a great way to make sure everyone in the community has access to gym equipment.
Outdoor fitness equipment can be expensive, and park projects often have tight budgets. If you don’t have a lot of funding to work with, you can still find cost-effective ways to upgrade your park with fitness equipment. Here’s what you need to know.
Choose the Right Equipment
Before we get started, it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right equipment. Some of the cheaper outdoor fitness equipment can be tempting if you’re on a budget, but quality is a big concern. There’s no point in saving money on outdoor fitness equipment if it doesn’t stand the test of time, and the cheap stuff isn’t always made to last.
At TriActive USA, all of our outdoor fitness equipment features durable construction with a powder coat finish for weather protection. The initial investment might be a little higher than some cheaper brands, but you’re getting quality equipment that you don’t have to replace in a year or two.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s look at some of the most cost-effective solutions for park fitness areas.
Upper Body Equipment
Upper body strength plays a key role in so many everyday actions. Whether you’re tightening a bolt, running, or lifting something heavy, having a strong upper body is important. Here’s some of our favorite outdoor fitness equipment for upper body training.
Rowing Machine
Our Rowing Machine uses some of your body weight to create resistance, helping you get a cardio workout that also strengthens your back, shoulders, and biceps. Rows are one of the best full-body workouts and they’re less demanding thanks to the seated position.
Pull Up & Dip Station
Our Pull Up & Dip Station is a multi-use station that’s great for upper body workouts. You can use this station for pull-ups and push-ups to work your upper body, or you can use the dip bars for dips, leg lifts, and other lower body workouts. Combining multiple exercises into a single station makes this one of our favorite cost-effective options.
Seated Lat Pull
The Seated Lat Pull is another one of our favorites because it’s simple and accessible. Seated lat pulls are a great way to strengthen your upper back, shoulders, and biceps, and they’re a good addition to any workout routine since they’re relatively low-stress. Regardless of weight or age, everyone can enjoy this station.
Horizontal Bar
Our Horizontal Bar is just like the bars you’d find at most playgrounds, featuring a simple design that’s easy for anyone to use. You can use horizontal bars to do pull-ups, reverse sit-ups, and flexed-arm hangs. Horizontal bars are also a great way for kids to stay entertained while their parents are exercising.
Lower Body Equipment
Upper body strength is useful for lots of things, but getting a balanced workout and building muscle everywhere is essential. Luckily, we’ve also got a large selection of lower body outdoor fitness equipment. You can learn more about some of our favorite options below.
Leg Press
If you want to work your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, our Leg Press is the ticket. Leg presses are a simple exercise that most people can comfortably do, which makes our Leg Press an excellent addition to any community park. This machine uses a portion of your body weight to create resistance and strengthen your legs.
Squat Press
Our Squat Press is another favorite when it comes to getting the best lower body workout. Squats are one of the most popular lower body workouts, which is why they’re a staple for athletes and bodybuilders all over the world.
Plyo Boxes
Plyo Boxes are designed for plyometrics, which are designed to strengthen muscles through short, powerful movements. You can use these boxes for box jumps, box step-ups, and other plyo exercises. The substantial weight of these boxes ensures they don’t tip over when you jump or step on them.
Elliptical Cross Trainer
You might think of our Elliptical Cross Trainer as a cardio machine, but that’s not all it does. In addition to getting your heart beating, our Elliptical Cross Trainer also helps you strengthen your hips, legs, and core.
Cardio Equipment
No workout routine is complete without some cardio. At TriActive USA, we’ve got a wide range of cardio equipment so you can find a solution that’s right for your park fitness area.
Exercise Bike
If you’re looking for something simple and familiar, nothing beats a basic exercise bike. Our Exercise Bike is designed for durability and ease of use, so your community can accumulate thousands of hours of cardio without worrying about damaging anything or putting too much stress on their joints.
Air Strider
The Air Strider mimics a cross-country skiing motion to give you a cardio workout while strengthening both your upper and lower body. Like the Elliptical Cross Trainer, this is a great way to get a cardio workout while building strength.
Air Walker
The Air Walker is designed to provide a fun, low-impact cardio workout. Since every step feels like you’re gliding on air, you’re not putting as much stress on your body. The Air Walker is an excellent choice for older communities and senior living facilities.
Miscellaneous Equipment
Now that you’ve got everything you need for a full-body workout plus cardio equipment, let’s take a look at some of the miscellaneous equipment you can use to fill in the gaps.
Accessible Multi-Gym
Our Accessible Multi-Gym combines four stations in one machine: a Shoulder Wheel, a Hand & Foot Bike, a Shoulder Press, and a Rotator. Four people can use this machine at once, so it takes up less space and gives more people access to equipment.
Balance Beam
If you’re looking for something kids and adults can enjoy equally, our Balance Beam is an excellent choice. Balance beams help improve balance and coordination, and trying to maintain your balance helps you strengthen your core. When you need a break from more intense workouts, balance beams are just what you need.
Sit-Up Bench
Sit-ups have stood the test of time as one of the most popular workouts for beginners and experts alike. You can do sit-ups on the ground, but our Sit-Up Bench gives people a clean, convenient station where they can work on their core strength.
Create a Space for Your Community
Your park fitness area should be designed around the people who use it. Think about the community you live in and use your community as inspiration when you’re choosing outdoor fitness equipment.
For example, let’s say you live in a community where most people are older. You don’t need the most intense fitness equipment — instead, look for low-impact machines that everyone can comfortably use.
On the other hand, you may want a more extensive, challenging park fitness area if your community is full of people who love to work out.
When you’re designing a community fitness area, focus on who you’re designing it for.
Keep Your Community Fit With Outdoor Fitness Equipment
Adding outdoor fitness equipment to parks can be costly, but TriActive USA offers cost-effective solutions to help keep your community healthy. Our outdoor fitness equipment features durable steel construction and a thick powder coating for long-lasting durability.
Check out our catalog to start building your park fitness area or contact us if you have questions.
