Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 9 September 2015 | Page 16

An entirely unique way of
keeping fit, outdoor gyms –
or adult playgrounds – have
been growing in popularity in
recent years and have swiftly
made their mark across South
Africa,
Residential Estate communities are ideal locations
for outdoor gyms and newer estates and those still in
developmental stages are realising the importance
of these like Woodland Hills Wildlife Estate in
Bloemfontein for example, which is pushing the
boundaries of outdoor training even more with the
inclusion of outdoor gyms since 2012.

TRAIN @

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An entirely unique way of keeping fit, outdoor
gyms – or adult playgrounds – have been growing
in popularity in recent years and have swiftly made
their mark across South Africa, with more than 200
located in parks and public spaces across South
Africa, with the aim of getting to 2000.
“As the majority of outdoor gyms already in South
Africa have been positioned in public areas, they
help create social gatherings and community
cohesion,” says Sarit Qwabe of World Outdoor
Fitness, SA. “The benefit of an outdoor gym in an
estate community is that it helps bring the estate
community together and interacting in a way not
seen before.”
According to World Outdoor Fitness, SA, more than
half of those already using outdoor gyms had never
exercised before. “Cost and accessibility are the two
main barriers for people wanting to exercise. The
idea of an outdoor gym is to place it in people’s way
so to create regular uses. That is why they are often
installed next to kids’ playgrounds or in parks and
other open spaces that people cut across on the way
to the clubhouse or lifestyle centres, for example”.

As one of the earliest companies to specialise in
providing the equipment in South Africa, World
Outdoor Fitness SA drew inspiration from the UK
Government, which was achieving great success
from doing something very similar and installed
the first outdoor gym in the country at OR Tambo
Narrative Centre in Ekurhuleni. Since launching in
2011 they have gone on to fit 275 units of outdoor
gym equipment in 11 districts in KwaZulu-Natal for
The Department of Sports and Recreation.
“The outdoor gym complements the indoor gym
by allowing users who are not ‘gym bunnies’ to get
used to working out without facing the sometimes
intimidating environment of the indoor gym and
without needing to leave the safety of the estate”
says Qwabe. Furthermore, the ongoing maintenance
of an indoor gym can run up to thousands of rand
per month. The outdoor gym is a great alternative
and allows estates to provide residents with exercise
facilities that have minimal cost.
Free, open at all hours, environmentally friendly
and convenient, outdoor training creates a pleasant,
healthy and optimal environment that can easily
become part of the daily routine for the whole family.
No matter what outdoor pursuit takes your fancy this
summer, residential estates across the country are
guaranteed to have it, or have it soon enough.
For more information on World Outdoor Fitness
www.outdoorgym.co.za
011 477 2023