1. Vertical Climb
Climbing is a great way to get your heart pumping, work on balance and build strength in your arms and legs. A vertical climb provides the perfect place for climbing up and down. This simple piece of equipment can be used in a number of ways. In addition to climbing, you can also stretch arms by gripping overhead rungs or stretch legs by hooking an ankle over a lower rung like a ballet bar.
2. Rope Climbs
For a more challenging climbing experience, rope climb equipment is a great option. This piece of equipment includes a thick rope hanging from the middle of an archway. Pulling yourself up the rope can help develop grip and upper body strength. This can also be an effective activity for building endurance. Unlike a ladder, where you can rest with each step if you want, a rope requires you to keep your muscles engaged throughout the climb up and the descent down the rope.
3. Beam Jump
A beam jump consists of narrow beams placed low to the ground. Whereas balance beams are made to be walked on, beam jumps are designed to be jumped over. You can jump horizontally back and forth or can also move forward or backward as they jump. These movements can provide aerobic exercise and balance practice as you shift your center of gravity. Lateral jumping is also a great way to exercise muscles in your legs, especially the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.
4. Balance Beam
As the name suggests, a balance beam is an ideal piece of equipment for developing your sense of balance. Keeping steady as you walk across the balance beam also engages the core. Balance beams don't need to be high off the ground as you might imagine at the Olympics. They can be placed close to the ground so a misstep or loss of balance is a mere hiccup rather than a fall. Playground users can keep trying again and again to improve their core strength and balance.
5. Sit-Up Benches
Sit-ups involve lying on the back and lifting the torso repeatedly to a sitting position. This simple exercise can help adults strengthen and tone their core muscles along with muscles in their chest, lower back, neck and hips. Sit-up benches provide an elevated flat surface for lying back and doing sit-ups. On a sit-up bench, you can also do similar exercises like crunches, which isolate the abdominal muscles.
6. Pullup Bar
If you really want to build upper body strength, a pullup bar is a go-to piece of fitness equipment. The outdoor training system pullup bar from Miracle Recreation is designed with two handles that extend off the main bar for comfortable gripping. Users strive to support their own weight by hanging from the bar or further challenge themselves by pulling their body up above the height of the bar and lowering themselves back down repeatedly.
7. Chin-Up Bar
A similar piece of equipment to the pullup bar is the chin-up bar. This equipment features two textured horizontal bars at different levels to accommodate different heights and abilities. The difference between a chin-up compared to a pullup is that you grip the bar with your palms facing toward you. This subtle difference makes this exercise engage different muscles in the upper body. Chin-ups are a challenging exercise that fitness enthusiasts will love getting to include in their workout.
8. Dip and Leg Raise Station
A dip station is a fun and easy piece of equipment to strengthen arms. Two parallel bars extend out from a vertical pole. By gripping both bars and raising legs off the ground, the user can then raise themselves up by straightening their arms and lower themselves back down again. This exercise is known as a dip and is a great way to build upper body strength.
You can also lean on the concave seatback on this piece of equipment as you grip the side bars and raise and lower your legs while keeping them straight. Leg raises can build both upper body, core strength and leg strength - especially in the hip flexors and hamstrings.
9. Leg Lift Poles
Another piece of equipment that helps with leg and arm exercises is the leg lift pole. Simply grip the protruding ring at the right level for your height and lift your legs off the ground. From here, you can do a variety of exercises to work your legs. You'll also be working your arm muscles as you support your own weight.
10. Ab Station
When you want to focus on your core health, the ab station should be your go-to piece of equipment. This equipment has an arched seat for you to lie back on while doing exercises like sit-ups and bicycle crunches. A horizontal bar at one end of the seat provides a spot to brace yourself or hold your feet down during sit-ups and crunches. Many exercises engage the core, but the ab station allows you to focus on your abdominal muscles to give them a good workout.
11. Step-Up Platforms
Step exercises with a step-up platform can be a great form of low-impact aerobic exercise. In other words, it gets your heart pumping to help you burn calories and doesn't put much stress on joints. Step exercises can also help you build strength in your legs. The step station provides two steps that are open on one side, allowing for lots of different exercises. You can step up to the first step and back down repeatedly, or step up and down to the side.
You can also use both steps or raise legs higher, marching-style, as you step to increase the challenge. You can also jump instead of step. Whatever level of intensity you're looking for, the step-up platform can accommodate it. It even includes a handlebar, which provides support and helps you balance as you use the equipment.
