City gyms don’t come cheap, they come free

08 February 2018

 

It’s the second month of the year and you have failed to live up to all your New Year resolutions.

But last year’s excesses have resulted in unfamiliar bulges, bumps and bruises and not to mention low bank balances, so anything free is a welcome relief.

 

There’s simply no need to dig deep into your pockets, counting your rands and cents for an exorbitant gym contract, when you can pop into an outdoor gym in one of the many parks in Joburg, absolutely free!

What better way of plotting your next move to a newer and focused you, than having fresh air fill your lungs, birds busying themselves in the shady trees, laughter from children on swings while you and the step machine become one.

With the recent unveiling of the 27th free-to-use green outdoor gym, Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo prides itself in promoting healthy lifestyles to the citizens of Joburg at no cost at all. 

Strategically placed in parks, the outdoor gym equipment is designed in such a way that users are able to comfortably pace themselves while using their own body weight, thus posing a lower risk of injury.

These green outdoor gyms boast full body work-out pieces, cycling and step machines, designated rubberised areas for aerobics, yoga and more. They encourage citizens and especially the youth, to adopt more meaningful past times, making exercising less formal and more enjoyable and beneficial.  Outdoor physical activities enhance mental wellbeing while creating cohesion amongst neighbours.

Shocking statistics of obesity in South Africa show a phenomenal and frightening increase, with almost 70% of women and 40% of men either overweight or obese. Four girls and one in five boys between the ages of two and 14 years are overweight or obese.

Life-threatening diseases such as heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, stroke but to name a few, account for 43% of deaths in South Africa.

Parks and green spaces play a vital role in significantly improving the wellbeing of people living in fast-paced cities. Green spaces reduce daily stresses where he presence of trees, water, birdlife and natural surroundings, brings calmness to those who frequent these spaces.

The city’s parks are critical in creating liveable and active communities where people are drawn to supporting, caring and protecting one another.

Visit our website on www.jhbcityparks.com and for your nearest green outdoor gym or take a drive to one of the many around Joburg.