Why is the outdoor gym equipment industry booming, particularly in the UK? There are many reasons, but only one of them is related to the recent COVID pandemic.
In fact, long before 2020 and the great global lockdown, the industry for this popular kind of exercise equipment was already taking off like never before. How profitable has it become for manufacturers, and why will the upsurge in interest continue for at least a decade? Here are some insights that shed light on those key questions.
Multiple Clients
One of the main reasons that safe, versatile, outdoor-friendly workout equipment has gained in popularity is its widespread use. Most people know about its use in public parks, but other places you’ll find it include senior centers, hotels, spas, corporate campuses, holiday parks, ageing centers, hospitals, and prisons. Just about anywhere people congregate makes an ideal venue. One manufacturer recently installed a 3000th installation. The gyms offer fresh air, multiple ways to get fit, include workouts for people of all levels of ability, and are built to last, even in places where the weather is not exactly tropical and outdoor gym equipment in the UK represents one of the fastest growing segments of the recreation industry.
A High Dose of Fun
If you’ve ever spent time on an air walker, arm and pedal bike, balance beam, parallel bars, sit up bench, monkey bars, bench press, recumbent bike, shoulder wheel, or any of the other units, you already know that outdoor gym equipment offers fun, all-around, effective workouts for people of all ages, weights, and abilities. The industry is profitable because it caters to nearly every demographic, both in terms of age and size.
Fully Accessible
One of the problems with many of the old-fashioned, indoor weight machines and complex devices found in traditional health clubs is that they were designed for just a few people, namely those who were willing to pay monthly membership fees and were already in pretty good physical shape. Today’s new generation is just the opposite. It’s designed to be fully accessible. Indeed, many of the units, like the disabled arm and pedal bike, are specifically built for individuals who face physical challenges of varying types but who want to stay healthy.
Don’t Consume Energy
One of the more subtle reasons for the profitability is that none of the units use any kind of energy, except for the human power imparted by the users. That means no carbon footprint, no electricity consumption, and no need for power sources of any kind. If necessary, an entire outdoor gym could be placed in the middle of a wide-open field in the wilderness.
Improve Public Health
Accessible, low-cost, fun exercise improves public health. That’s a huge benefit in the eyes of national and local governments that are always on the lookout to reduce healthcare expenses and help people feel their best. For many adults and children, just having access is an incentive to get fit. It’s hard to resist the natural attraction of a set of parallel gym bars or a big shoulder wheel when the units are right in front of you. There’s something innately human about wanting to move about, feel move alive, and have fun while doing so.
