Park managers take notice: When are picnic tables and park benches more than just pieces of outdoor furniture? When they become part of a workout routine.
In fact, park benches and picnic tables seem to be taking on new functionality as outdoor fitness equipment promoted by fitness experts on sites such as YouTube and Pinterest.
It's a great concept. The routine motivates people to go outside, breathe fresh air and work out with Mature Nature. And rather than just jogging in a park, with these routines you can turn a park into a virtual outdoor gym and enjoy a complete workout.
Outdoor workouts are a simple yet fantastic concept. Of course, you probably don't just want to run to the nearest park and just start cavorting like a monkey on top of picnic table benches, park benches, playground equipment, walls and trees.
Picnic tables and park benches need to be safe and secure for exercise buffs
The first priority exercisers might pay attention to is that you probably want to be sure to pick a solid commercial-grade metal picnic table or metal bench first. Concrete benches and concrete picnic tables would work. You can even use wood or plastic outdoor furnishings, just be sure they are solid and durable. (Attention Park Managers: Members of the public might currently be using benches and picnic tables in your park to exercise. Be sure your park furnishings are not rotted or unsecured.)
Strong and secure metal park benche
If you start doing gyrations on a flimsy old, unsecured bench you might find yourself spending the rest of the day in the hospital instead of enjoying the burn at home.
Metal benches, concrete benches, aluminum benches and picnic tables must also be securely mounted into the ground and not damaged or loose. If you find benches in disrepair, tell your parks department. They certainly don't want to see people getting hurt.
So you found some great metal benches with pleasant surroundings. Lots of trees, lots of quiet and lots of fresh, clean air. Now what do you do?
The great thing about the web is that you can find an encyclopedia of videos, articles and photos displaying a bunch of proper exercises you can perform outside with specific movements and the specific muscles they target.
And wow, are there a multitude of exercises you can perform.
Here's a list of just some of the exercises we came across:
Step-ups - to get your heart pumping.
Sit to Stand - squats for your lower body
Box Jumps - another grueling workout for your core
Single-leg Plyometrics - for the legs, thighs, calves, knees
Plyometric Push-ups - for the biceps and upper body
Dips - works those triceps
Bench-bridge - a muscle burner for the butts, hamstring and core
Elevated lunge and Twist - core
Power Burpees - cardio machine that helps coordination
Just the names of some of these routines could probably burn some calories. Most of the routines we've seen are simple, basic and safe. Such as push-ups off a metal bench. Be sure to stick to those. You don't want to be tumbling off a picnic table and landing on your head or jumping off a bench and twisting an ankle.
Strong and secure metal picnic table
There are plenty of other exercises as well. Look them up. Just go to Google and type in "park bench workouts" and you will find a bunch of instructional tips. Check YouTube and Pinterest as well.
This is a craze park managers might pay attention to. It would be super-easy and inexpensive to promote an outside workout circuit using park benches. With the right promotions, it could also prove to be a very popular program. Get a local personal trainer to teach a class.
Using a professional would also ensure that people do the workouts correctly and don't injure themselves or damage the furniture.
This outdoor exercise movement is certainly interesting. It counteracts the trend today of people staying inside and spending more time sitting than moving. This also adds another dimension to plain old jogging and provides exercise that can target certain muscles and build the upper body and core.
It gives people more reason to go to parks and after all, isn't that the goal of park manager?
Here's a list of recommended links for videos, articles and pictures we've seen on how to use metal picnic tables and metal park benches to work up a sweat.
We've also included Park Catalog links to an array of commercial-grade, tough metal picnic tables and metal benches or products manufactured with other materials. If people in a park are going to be doing these exercises, and they probably are already, park managers want to be sure they have solid and durable site furnishings on the premises.
Article on park bench exercise.
Another video on park bench exercises.
The Park Catalog metal benches.
The Park Catalog metal picnic tables.