Adult Fitness Playground

The heart-healthy activity and strength building movements found on playgrounds are not just for kids. Adult fitness playgrounds enable grownups of all fitness levels and physical abilities to challenge themselves and work toward improving their health.

Demanding schedules and new at-home routines create obstacles when looking for the time and space to workout. But many communities across the country are proving that exercise doesn’t have to involve a gym, fitness class, or lifting weights. Physical activity that provides tremendous health benefits can be found at a nearby park or playground.

What is an adult fitness playground?

The difference in an adult fitness playground and a playground more suited for children is most often seen in the size and scale of the playground equipment along with the challenge level of the activities. A playground for adults doesn’t exclude children but makes the park multigenerational, allowing adults to interact with kids on the playground or in the same vicinity as children playing.

According to Harvard Health, adult-friendly swings are sturdy and roomy, like the 5000 series swings, and slides are a little wider with a gentler slope, like the Roller or Alpine slides. An adult fitness playground could also include ergonomically shaped bars to hold on to for squats or modified push-ups; leg presses and recumbent bicycles to build leg, hip, and core muscles; an overhead press to build shoulder and arm strength; and even elliptical-like machines for a total body workout. Events like the parallel bars and hand cycler are also wheelchair accessible, making it a great way for people of all abilities to build strength and coordination.

Along with our freestanding adult fitness equipment, we also offer adult fitness playground systems. Our HealthBeat® Outdoor Fitness System and FitCore™ Extreme can be added to your adult fitness area through one of our predesigned courses, or you can design your own to create a new challenge based on your unique needs. Each activity includes recommended age groups for the movements or event and comes with helpful signage to ensure proper use. And with many inclusive equipment options to choose from, everyone in your community will have the opportunity to improve their health. Your local Landscape Structure playground consultant can help you design an adult fitness playground with varying equipment that appeals to a wide variety of age groups and ability levels.

What are the benefits of adult fitness playgrounds?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reporting adult obesity rates at the highest they’ve ever been in recorded history, with 40 percent of American adults being classified as obese. With nearly half the country battling excessive weight, playground fitness equipment that promotes healthy activities are an invaluable asset to a community or organization. Adult fitness playgrounds offer a fun way for adults to get moving and improve their health.

The physical activity experienced on adult fitness playgrounds leads to increased blood flow, improved heart health, and cardiovascular endurance, along with improved strength and flexibility. Our patent-pending resistance technology on all of our HealthBeat adult fitness equipment challenges any fitness level, leading to improved muscle capacity and increased range of motion. Balance and coordination can also be improved when following the suggested workouts and exercises. To ensure proper usage, signs with instructions and illustrations can be posted near each exercise station. The signs also include links to instructional videos that can be viewed on a smart device.

The fresh air and vitamin D delivered through natural sunlight gives outdoor exercise the added emotional benefits of reducing stress, anger, tension, and increasing energy. Adult fitness playgrounds also make physical activity fun, increasing the likelihood of continual use. And with a convenient location and no gym membership fees, the barriers that often keep adults from starting a physical fitness routine are removed. Adult fitness playgrounds meet adults where they are — catering to their busy lifestyle and budgetary restrictions.

Types of Adult Playgrounds

There are several different types of adult and multigenerational playgrounds popping up in communities around the country. Adult fitness playgrounds can range from just a few stations of exercise-focused equipment to entire fitness challenge courses. Extreme fitness courses or “ninja courses” continue to gain in popularity based on current TV shows.

The possibilities are endless, and no matter which type of adult fitness equipment you decide to incorporate into your park or playground design, you’ll be adding opportunity for adults in your community to improve their health through healthy physical activity.

Adult fitness playground experts

We’re committed to designing and manufacturing the best adult fitness playgrounds in the world. It’s a commitment that means we never cut corners, from industry-leading design to manufacturing techniques that deliver unparalleled quality. Our employees and playground consultants are passionate about bringing fun to fitness and making it accessible to everyone.

Our partner, KABOOM!, is a nonprofit organization that helps communities build playgrounds and is an industry leader in creating inclusive, multigenerational parks. As the primary supplier of playground equipment for KABOOM!, we’ve worked together to add play spaces into communities across the country that everyone can enjoy.

Their philosophy to give adult caregivers already spending time at playgrounds the opportunity to be active alongside the kids they’re with pairs perfectly with our mission to bring accessible play and activity to children and adults of all ages and abilities.

Examples of Adult Playgrounds

In Salamanca, N.Y., we worked with KABOOM! to create a playground with play areas for kids ages 2 to 12 plus an adult fitness playground space. The Highland Avenue Park features our Netplex® playstructure for kids ages 5 to 12, which includes slides, playground net climbers, overhead events, and balancing activities. It also includes a PlayShaper® for kids ages 2 to 5, delivering age-appropriate fun and challenge with slides, interactive play panels, and climbers. The FitCore Extreme obstacle course means teens and adults have the opportunity to stay active and engaged while visiting the park as well.

Sycamore Creek Park in Pickerington, Ohio incorporates all 15 of the FitCore Extreme outdoor fitness stations for a full body workout. The Quintuple Steps challenge the lower body, agility, and motor planning skills, while the Wheel Bridge requires upper body strength and momentum to swing across the three wheels from the low end to the high end. This course is designed to challenge all fitness levels and help them reach their fitness goals.