outdoor fi tness
THE GREAT
Why aren’t health clubs and leisure centres offering more outdoor fitness? Rebecca Douglas investigates
W
ith lighter evenings now upon us, exercising outdoors can be far more
appealing than a visit to the gym for many people. A good outdoor workout provides both physical and mental stimulation, and they say a little time spent getting muddy is good for the soul. A local park provides an ideal
workout ‘playground’, and in recent years we’ve seen a transition from individual park-runners and those enjoying a stroll with the dog to groups of fi tness enthusiasts all working out together. Individual personal trainers and bootcamp- style sessions have picked up on this opportunity, but commercial operators are yet to really move into this area of the market. Why is this? We ask our panel of experts
OUTDOORS
RICH COWLEY group health and wellbeing manager DC Leisure
A
s leisure operators, it’s our responsibility to provide local communities with an array of
opportunities to engage in an active lifestyle, both indoors and out. Fitness enthusiasts are increasingly seeking innovative exercise options that allow them to escape their hectic lifestyles and maintain a balanced state of mind. Operators must look past the
ordinary studio classes and inject variety into their programmes. Through a diverse offering, a wider audience will be attracted to the facilities, increasing footfall and income. We recently launched a six-month
DC’s Nordic Walking pilot is suitable for all fitness levels
42
Nordic Walking pilot. An activity that can be completed in rural and urban environments, Nordic Walking is suitable for all ages and fi tness levels. It can be used to improve general mobility, facilitate increased calorie burn for the fi tness enthusiast, or even act as a method of cross-training for dedicated sports men and women.
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital The initial interest in DC Leisure’s
Nordic Walking sessions has been impressive and demonstrates the changing leisure demand nationwide. Four of our sites – Fleming Park, Xcel, Castle Place and Ferndown – now offer local residents taster sessions as well as the ‘Learn to Nordic Walk’ course which takes place over a four-week period. The 30- to 60-minute sessions teach participants how the activity can be used to achieve desired fi tness and weight-loss results. Participants can then attend regular adventure walks suitable for all ages and fi tness levels. However, I think many operators
are prevented from pursuing activities such as walking and running clubs due to the health and safety risks associated with activities that leave the premises. Anything that includes crossing roads entails many more risks from a health and safety perspective, and in many cases means these activities are excluded from the timetables.
may 2011 © cybertrek 2011
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