Outdoor Gyms

Ironé

I work on a town committee and we have received a grant to install an outdoor gym in our local area. I was wondering if anyone has used these outdoor gyms and if they are worth while. Are there any pieces of equipment you feel would not be worth getting?

I have heard that some of them can be very poor quality - has anyone come across this? Or know where I could get independent reviews of equipment?

Zamboni

This would be a good idea to copy.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.211370808886269.51122.211369468886403&type=3&__adt=2

South Dublin County Council have set up similar but not as elaborate equipment in Cabinteely and Deer Park in Dublin.
They have details of suppliers.
Just remember good procurement guidelines...

Ironé

I have already gotten 3 quotes for 10 different pieces of equipment. The company we were hoping to go with looked great but I was told by the man supplying our playground equipment that they are very poor quality - he even went so far as to show me photos. Now he easily could have a vested interest as he quickly followed this by saying he could get me a better quote

I have my funding ready I just need to pick a company and get the equipment installed. I just want to make sure we get the best quality equipment and the best pieces.

Transform

Ironé wrote: »

I work on a town committee and we have received a grant to install an outdoor gym in our local area. I was wondering if anyone has used these outdoor gyms and if they are worth while. Are there any pieces of equipment you feel would not be worth getting?

I have heard that some of them can be very poor quality - has anyone come across this? Or know where I could get independent reviews of equipment?

The one in greystones looks really really impressive and the way forward by a mile

ferike1

+1 for Primrose Park.

We need Bar-starzz/Bar-Barbians Irish Branch!

Ironé

Thanks will check those out.

discus

Ironé wrote: »

I have already gotten 3 quotes for 10 different pieces of equipment. The company we were hoping to go with looked great but I was told by the man supplying our playground equipment that they are very poor quality - he even went so far as to show me photos. Now he easily could have a vested interest as he quickly followed this by saying he could get me a better quote

I have my funding ready I just need to pick a company and get the equipment installed. I just want to make sure we get the best quality equipment and the best pieces.

Very good of you to check boards.ie, this forum is a good sounding board for ideas like this. Unlike the man you mentioned above, none of us have vested interests.

Is there a possibility of you outlining what equipment, layout and size you are looking for? We could all put our minds together, design an ideal version, and you could see how your current tenders fit into it!

Here's the equipment and installations I would like to see:

1) Pull up bars, of various heights would
2) Parallel bars, if possible have various widths
3) Horizontal monkey bars
4) Sit up stations (as seen in zambonis post)
5) Rings (see this link)
6) Benches - for people who bring their own dumbells or kettlebells to sit on and use etc., they could be wooden ones even.
7) A simple track for sprinting - 100m
8) A track (of cement, or concrete) of ~50m for people to push a prowler along (see link)
9) A number of rubbered areas (2mx3m) for people who bring their barbells.... bit of a push this one, but it could also be used for people as stretching areas.

That would be an easy design, simply constructed and cheap to maintain, within a small area.

A request and a warning - Take a look at Clontarf Promenade... They have a number of very useless pieces of equipment along the way, which they announced with much fanfare. Of the 9 or so stations, only 2 provide any sort of fitness use. The rest are useless bits of metal for the very old or very young to get a whirl at.

Such as this
Or this
Or this
All fairly useless - someone sold this to the CC as elite fitness equipment :mad:

People in positions such as your own are usually less proactive that you, Ironé, and so their lack of research means they purchase expensive equipment that gets little use. I hope more people come online to give their own ideas, and that you bring along a project that will give much more to their area. Best of luck.

Ironé

So here is what the 3 separate quotes included:

Quote 1
1) Surfboard (Double Unit)
2) ThiChi Pushing (Double Unit)
3) Seated Pedal Machine (Double Unit)
4) Pull Down Trainer (Double Unit)
5) Shoulder Joint (Double Unit)
6) Waste Movement (Triple Unit)
7) The Rider
8) Massager (Double Unit)
9) Cross Trainer
10) Parallel Bars (Double Unit)
11) Air Walker

Quote 2
Cross Trainer
Air Walker
Double Rider
Sit Up Board
Surfboard
Tai Chi Spinners
Leg Press
Waist Twister
Dip Bars
Shoulder Builder

Quote 3
Fitness Rider
Low-impact Walker
Elliptical Cross Trainer
Shoulder Flexor
Standing Rotator
Leg Press
Back Massager

I know this says nothing about the quality - but your feedback would be hugely appreciated.

ferike1

Sorry but I don't see any pull up bars there? Or Monkey bars.

Those should be the cornerstone of any outdoor gym.

All you would need really is a set of parallel bars and pullup bars. The rest is just expensive window dressing. Btw, I think its great what you are doing, just giving honest feedback!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3MTqRWPiZU

Those are playgrounds in Budapest and they have it pretty much spot on.

Pace2008

ferike1 wrote: »

Those are playgrounds in Budapest and they have it pretty much spot on.

I'd probably leave out the giant turquoise phallus your man's standing beside though, personally.

ferike1

I meant the pullup bars :rolleyes:

There is always one wiseguy lol

meijin

Ironé wrote: »

So here is what the 3 separate quotes included:

None of these. Most are pretty useless. Does anybody actually use that?
Website price for one of the packages around 16K :eek::eek::eek:

What "discus" listed makes more sense.

PS should I provide links to their websites?

Jarren

Go on....

Ironé

None of this stuff is made in Ireland either. It would be a good business venture.

I have to go with one of these unfortunately.

It's been great to get your advice.

Next year we're hoping to plan a lot of events and initiatives to promote health and fitness so I will def be picking your brains then too.

meijin

Ironé wrote: »

None of this stuff is made in Ireland either. It would be a good business venture.

And any of the quoted is? Not in China?

I have to go with one of these unfortunately.

Just waste of money IMO... better save it for something else.

Ironé

You misunderstood me - none of the quotes are made in Ireland is what I meant.

The money is mostly a grant specifically for this. We don't use it - we get nothing.

WalterMitty

What i always want but cant find in Dublin is stairs with non slip type surface that you can walk up to work your legs/sprint up . Step heights could vary so older people could even use them.

meijin

Ironé wrote: »

The money is mostly a grant specifically for this. We don't use it - we get nothing.

Sports Capital Program? Then somebody else can use it for something better, why waste it on equipment like that? And why is your choice limited only to those 3?

And it all sounded so promising at the start...

The Davestator

This equipment is designed to cater for people who don't exercise at all at the moment so chin up stations etc are not suitable. Most Dublin parks have very easy stuff which encourages participation instead of a free gym for SQUATS DEADLIFTS CHINS AND DIP people!

Hanley

The Davestator wrote: »

This equipment is designed to cater for people who don't exercise at all at the moment so chin up stations etc are not suitable. Most Dublin parks have very easy stuff which encourages participation instead of a free gym for SQUATS DEADLIFTS CHINS AND DIP people!

100% this.

The amount of people who'd get actual use out of the equipment would be minimal.

Be careful of proximity bias, everyone

ferike1

Ah that is a shame, well at least one has parallel bars in there I think. Get that one. Its a start

Ironé

meijin wrote: »

Sports Capital Program? Then somebody else can use it for something better, why waste it on equipment like that? And why is your choice limited only to those 3?

And it all sounded so promising at the start...

It's a leader grant and we worked our asses off to get it so I won't be walking away from it. I live in a rural town - not Dublin so there aren't anywhere near the range of facilities.

We are not limited to these 3 but these were the only companies I could find. If you know of any that do this better please send me on their details.

ferike1

You could try

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Limerick-Strongman-Club/102398083717

Limerick Strongman Club

These guys custom build gym equipment. I am pretty sure they could throw together a few freestanding pullup bars that can be placed in the group and some parallel bars. Probably cheaper but definitely infinitely more useful than all that fancy airwalker stuff.

Plus you are supporting the local economy

cc87

Ironé wrote: »

So here is what the 3 separate quotes included:

Quote 1
.......

Quote 2
........

Quote 3
.........

I know this says nothing about the quality - but your feedback would be hugely appreciated.

I dont know about anyone else......but I dont what half the pieces of equipment there do but it does sound like they will have a lot moving parts. Moving parts and the irish weather tends to mean a lot of upkeep.

Would you be able to supply links or anything to give a better indication of the equipment?

What are the limitations placed on you in terms of how to spend the money? Is there any health promotion units or sports partnerships in your area you could look to for advice? Or even local companies/tradesmen you could approach and work with?

meijin

my guess (and for anybody curious what these machines actually look like):

Quote 1
http://www.dynamx.ie/#/outdoor-exercise-range/4544790743

Quote 2
http://www.onlyoutdoors.ie/packages/10-piece-standard-set.html

Quote 3
http://www.outfit.ie - website is a bit slow... videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/outfitireland

Ironé

Thanks for the feedback so far - i'm going to look into the suggestions you have made tomorrow.

Another thing to bear in mind and what I should have outlined from the start is the aim of this 'outdoor gym'. We want to encourage people to get active and get fit. We want there to be something for people of all levels of fitness and ability. We wanted to include stuff in there for older people too.

If you want to get an idea of the stuff we had looked at, google outdoor gym equipment and look at pages from Ireland. They have more stuff than what was included in the quote so I will go back and see if they have some of the items you have suggested.

With regard to how can we use the money - it is specifically for an outdoor gym. I will talk to some local sports people to see what they think.

Ironé

meijin wrote: »

my guess (and for anybody curious what these machines actually look like):

Quote 1
http://www.dynamx.ie/#/outdoor-exercise-range/4544790743

Quote 2
http://www.onlyoutdoors.ie/packages/10-piece-standard-set.html

Quote 3
http://www.outfit.ie - website is a bit slow... videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/outfitireland

Impressive

I didn't think I could name them as I thought I might be breaking some board rule.

WeeBushy

There's a lot of people on here who are very creative at creating gym equipment, maybe someone on here could put together a proposal

Zamboni

The Davestator wrote: »

This equipment is designed to cater for people who don't exercise at all at the moment so chin up stations etc are not suitable. Most Dublin parks have very easy stuff which encourages participation instead of a free gym for SQUATS DEADLIFTS CHINS AND DIP people!

Fair point but with so much unused equipment in the outdoor locations in Dublin there is definately a middle ground to be reached.

Thud

Have you spoken with the people from dublin parks?
Might be able to tell you what usage has been like on the stuff they bought etc. Any downsides too (vandalism etc)

You'd probably get more bang for your buck by including some pull up bars and parrallel bars, plus they'll last a lot longer than stuff with moving parts.

The equipment in your quotes have a great novelty factor and kids love to jump on them but doubt the get a lot ot repeat users....might be wrong


Don't know if you saw this thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056590410

Hanley

Cabinteely Park is absolutely AWESOME. Definiately check that out.

Photo credit to http://www.irishfitness.ie/