The outdoor gym is the perfect way of combining the physical intensity of a proper workout with the joy of being out on a beautiful, sunny day. Here is our look at the most famous outdoor gyms out there.
1. Muscle Beach Gym, USA
Probably the most famous outdoor gym in the world, Muscle Beach sits just few paces away from the boardwalk in Venice Beach, California. It became famous because of prominent bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno who used these facilities in order to sculpt their award-winning physiques. Nowadays, the gym has modernized equipment and trained staff on hand to help anyone interested in getting buff. The renown of the gym has led to it becoming a tourist attraction which is visited by people who are not regular gym goers and those who are taking advantage of the day passes available to customers.
2. Kachalka Outdoor Gym, Ukraine
In stark contrast to the gym in Venice Beach is the Kachalka Outdoor Gym in Kyiv, capital of Ukraine. Located on the banks of the Dnieper river, this 10,000-square meter facility was opened 35 years ago and since then it has been providing free access to everybody who wants to get in shape. Without people training in it, Kachalka would look more like a junkyard than a gym with all of the equipment being made from old, recycled components from cars and other machinery. However, this provides an opportunity for everyone to train on equal footing, regardless of social status.
3. Tiger Muay Thai, Thailand
Located in Phuket, Thailand, Tiger Muay Thai is the perfect gym for MMA aficionados. This is a place where people can learn the popular martial art of Muay Thai, a staple in all MMA fights. Like Kachalka, it relies heavily on old, simple equipment such as punching bags, truck tires and sledgehammers. Members of this gym who are not interested in learning Muay Thai can simply focus on regular fitness and strength training, as well as yoga classes. As a bonus, the trainers can also provide foreign customers courses immersing them in Thai culture.
4. Pure Austin Gym, USA
Located near Quarry Lake in Austin, Texas, this gym seeks to provide its customers with a more adventurous experience, thus earning itself the nickname “the gym for outdoor people”. It would be foolish to situate an outdoor gym as a lakefront outpost and not take advantage of it. That is why members can participate in swimming, kayaking and paddleboard yoga classes. Traditionalists can use the outdoor studios to work on classic conditioning exercises, while the rest of the members can use the 1 K trail next to the lake for running and biking.
5. Outdoor Gyms in China
China is a country that has showed great success when it comes to improving the well-being of its citizens using outdoor gyms. In 1995, the country passed the “Physical Health Law” which opened a fitness program and encouraged people to partake in it. Since then, participation numbers have been steadily increasing, with over 40% of the nation’s population of 1.4 billion people using the gyms to exercise regularly. At the moment, there are over 600,000 outdoor gyms and stadiums in the country, encompassing over 37 million square feet. Most of them are located in parks, squares and other public locations and access is free for everyone interested.
6. Open Air Gyms in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is the country’s biggest tourist attraction. It is renowned for its beaches and the outgoing and active lifestyle of its residents. Part of that way of life is exercising regularly. At first, this was mostly through beach sports such as volleyball, but it did not take long until gyms started sprouting up at the beach to the excitement and approval of the people. It’s not hard to find these gyms as they are located all along the beaches of Rio. Most of them are free and access is granted at almost any time of the day.
7. CrossFit in San Francisco, USA
CrossFit is a major chain with gyms in most American large cities, but the one in San Francisco stands out because it is predominantly an outdoor gym. Founded in 2005 and located under the Golden Gate Bridge, this gym has a wide range of programs covering different types of fitness (weightlifting, cardio, gymnastics) and it caters to different age groups (adults, kids teens).
8. TGO Green Heart, United Kingdom
The Great Outdoor Gym Company has built hundreds of gyms all over the UK, but it is their Green Heart gym in Shaw Park, Hull that has something unique. Smaller than any of the other gyms on this list, all of the equipment in the Green Heart gym is capable of converting the energy provided by human power into usable electricity, thus making it the greenest gym in the world.