JOIN USThe open-air gyms that have been coming up in parks across the city have a lot of takers. They appeal to those who don’t believe in exercising in closed spaces. The ambience has made these set-ups popular across all age groups.
People don’t shy away from working out in the open any more. The sight of others from their age group working out serves as a motivation to get out there and keep fit. M N Krishna Rao Park in Basavanagudi, open air gym in Sankey Tank park in Sadashivanagar and other lung spaces in Koramangala, Coffee Board Layout in Hebbal and Jayanagar are among those that boast such infrastructure.
The equipment has been installed through a public-private initiative and one finds air walkers, sit-up benches, air swings, stair steppers, equipment for leg press, chest press, bench press, parallel bars, sit-up stations and cross-walkers.
What was initially set up on an experimental basis has caught the fancy of the people living in the vicinity of these parks. Vijayaraghavan V, CEO of Aeronutrix Sports, observes that this concept is popular in China, where people are enthusiastic about gymming in the open.
“The equipment you find in these parks is not of the heavy kind like those in gym rooms but lighter variants. I’ve seen a lot of older people using them because it offers good exercise for the hands, legs and shoulders,” reasons Vijayaraghavan.
He adds, “These open air gyms are slowly becoming popular because people find it claustrophobic to workout in a room with 60 others,” says Vijayaraghavan.
Jupsy, an IT professional, is a regular at the gym in a park in Hebbal. “These gyms are indeed very popular among the residents here. People are not charged for using these machines. This serves as an added incentive for them to turn to fitness. The gyms are packed between 6 and 8 in the morning and between 5 and 7 in the evening,” says Jupsy.
He also points out that there’s nothing complicated about learning how to use these equipments. “They are not heavy, easy to use and well-maintained,” he adds.
Jyothy C A and her husband Kushalappa P M, both over 55 years, admit that they’ve developed a liking to the gym in the park in Coffee Board Layout. The husband-wife duo used to be active sportspersons in their younger days and these gyms have given them the opportunity to relive a time when they were physically active.
Jyothy says gymming doesn’t merely help her stay fit, it also gives a structure to her day. “I visit the gym at the park for an hour in the morning and evening. It has now become an indispensable part of my routine and I find something missing on the days that I skip it,” says Jyothy. She says the equipments help in basic exercise, in overcoming body stiffness and infuses a lot of energy. Kushalappa runs his own business and ends up sitting for almost eight hours a day and the gymming sessions help him stay active. “Gymming in the park has left me happy and healthy. I’ve also made a lot of friends in the process,” he says.