OUTDOOR GYM DESIGN for hotels, resorts & residences
EXPERTS IN outdoor gyms & outdoor fitness equipment
Client List
![Sani Sports Club, Sani Resort, Greece](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5696733025981d28a35ef8ab/cd579242-a7bd-4d24-8283-e43716975f93/sani+sports+club+outdoor+gym+1.jpg)
Sani Sports Club, Sani Resort, Greece
![Sani Club outdoor gym, Sani Resort, Greece](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5696733025981d28a35ef8ab/62a5de84-fbf4-4675-8545-d832190705f7/1.jpg)
Sani Club outdoor gym, Sani Resort, Greece
![Sani Beach outdoor gym, Sani Resort, Greece](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5696733025981d28a35ef8ab/28eb86c9-08bc-464e-bccf-69d8711d019b/1.jpg)
Sani Beach outdoor gym, Sani Resort, Greece
![Ikos Olivia Resort beach gym, Greece](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5696733025981d28a35ef8ab/8e17b984-09ef-41ca-8fd6-e25935f9982f/3.jpg)
Ikos Olivia Resort beach gym, Greece
![Ikos Aria Resort, outdoor gym, Greece](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5696733025981d28a35ef8ab/eabb6e79-4055-4758-9575-f3e978479b5f/ikos+ARIA+outdoor+gym.jpg)
Ikos Aria Resort, outdoor gym, Greece
![Porto Montenegro beach gym, Montenegro](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5696733025981d28a35ef8ab/e6a63b82-293f-4933-861c-0a42704aff48/68.jpg)
Porto Montenegro beach gym, Montenegro
let’s take this outside
outdoor gyms SITE SELECTION
As expert outdoor gym design consultants, our job is to first understand the site context, including the type of soil we’re working with as well as sun, wind and rain considerations; access to power and a neary bathroom; perimeter fencing for security; available shade; air lift for bringing in equipment; local land conservation laws and more.
We have designed outdoor fitness facilities in the African savannah, a man-made beach, in a coastal forest, on a sand beach and in the English countryside. Each had its own unique characteristics and taught us something new.
green exercise = natural fitnss
NATURE GYMS
An outdoor gym design is as close as we can get to working out in nature. It comes with its own challenges too of course but post-COVID the world has woken up to the health benefits of training in the fresh air. We work with hotels and resorts to create innovative outdoor fitness facilities such as calisthenics gyms, fitness trails, jungle gyms and beach gyms.
Connecting with nature (biophilia) is known to have mental and physical health benefits, so combining physical exercise and a natural setting is a win-win!
durable materials + protective finishes
outdoor GYM MOODBOARDS
Our gym design process always starts with an in-depth interview to understand the client’s vision and objectives. From there we develop an initial moodboard for the new gym space. In some cases we collaborate with project architects responsible for an entire resort or multi-family residential development, meaning the design direction for the gym is driven by them.
In other instances, we are given full creative freedom to design the ideal space based on the client vision, site context and gym concept in question. Either way, a moodboard helps ensure the training space has a visual cohesion from day one.
outdoor gym equipment
Cardio equipment presents the greatest challenge outdoors, especially in wet or humid locations while strength training, functional training and mobility zones are more easily catered for. That said, rowers and bikes with protective covers at night have proven to be a reliable solution.
We also design custom outdoor fitness equipment that can be made on-site by local craftsmen using our design drawings and local materials. This represents both a sustainable and cost-effective solution in more remote locations.
jungle gym, beach gym or nature gym?
spartan gym
When space allows, we can create outdoor trails with obstacle or workout stations scattered along the path to provide a range of physical challenges. As this tends to be immersed in nature, we work with natural materials in these contexts, sourcing or designing outdoor fitness equipment using sustainable wood.
In some cases we can design this equipment ourselves for local production, otherwise we work with specialist outdoor fitness equipment suppliers for eco gym and Obstacle Course Race equipment.
outdoor fitness equipment
outdoor gym equipment
An outdoor gym can be an extremely efficient way of converting under-utilized outdoor space into a valuable amenity for members, guests or residents as it requires relatively little maintenance or upkeep, does not involve any of the more expensive high-tech cardio or strength machines, and can add to overall gym capacity at peak hours, weather permitting!
That said, it does require careful planning. All our gyms have taught us that outdoor fitness equipment needs to be of the highest quality, and of course health and safety concerns are paramount especially with unsupervised physical activity in a commercial setting like a resort.
more storage = less mess
outdoor fitness equipment storage
Designing an outdoor gym disconnected from the rest of the hotel or resort operations presents its own challenges, not least in terms of how to neatly store outdoor fitness equipment when it is not in use, at the end of the day and even more so during the low-season. These items are often heavy and awkward to transport. So what’s the answer?
Providing weatherproof outdoor gym storage solutions like a storage shed is a fundamental part of our design task, on the basis that the easier we make it for a gym user to neatly store away the equipment they’ve used when finished, the less operational load there will be for staff at the end of the day.
spatial planning
outdoor gym space plan
All our gyms start with a high level space plan, dividing up the available space into training zones. Here we already have one eye on the budget, as well a user demographics, the type of physical activity training we want to facilitate and the outdoor gym equipment available to us in this specific location.
Once we have a space plan agreed, we then drill down a level deeper with a to-scale outdoor exercise equipment layout. This gives us a more accurate estimate of user capacity, budget and the full range of exercise modalities on offer.
functional training
outdoor exercise equipment layout
We always allow up to 2 metres of training zone around outdoor exercise equipment in our layouts, especially for street workout equipment such a bodyweight calisthenics gyms.
Our focus is on hotel, resort and residential developments, so while we may not be designing a local outdoor gym in public parks, we firmly believe in the broad appeal of training outdoors with minimal equipment.
biofit beach gym - porto montenegro
beach gym
outdoor gyms ARTICLES
Biofit outdoor gyms glossary:
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Often the easiest but not necessarily the best option for an outdoor gym flooring solution as 99% of such turfs are made of plastic and are non-recyclable, making them an issue for gym designers with an interest in sustainability. On occasion, there may be external constraints that prevent new flooring being installed, in which case we can focus on the benefits of this type of flooring, which include a relatively soft feel under-foot, it is also suitable for training with sleds. Negatives are that it can retain heat in the mid-summer sun and scorch hands and feet with blisters (we have the scars to prove it!).
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Cardio machines for an outdoor gym ideally need to be electricity-free, so the options immediately reduce to a rower, spin bike, or a curved manual treadmill. Less options can make life simpler for the gym designer and for gym users in fact so focus on these items and buy from a quality brand if you want them to to last more than a couple of seasons.
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A CrossFit or calisthenics style training rig for small groups. Made of steel, these need to be carefully treated for outdoor use and it always pays to opt for a quality manufacturer, if budget allows. Expect pull-up bars, dip bars, squat racks, monkey bars, and a range of other details. Nowadays, we look to integrate a storage component into our rigs as well.
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Galvanized steel is used in outdoor gym equipment because its protective zinc coating prevents rust and corrosion, ensuring durability and resistance to weather damage. This extends the lifespan of the equipment, making it ideal for long-term use in varying outdoor conditions. We aim to specify all our outdoor fitness equipment with this treatment!
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outdoor gyms need just as much storage as indoors, in fact we’d argue it is even more critical in an outdoor context as there is the added challenge of protecting the equipment when not in use, during bad weather, or if we are in the South African bush designing a safari lodge gym facility, making sure it isn’t eaten by passing leopards!
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Health and safety always needs to be top of mind for nay gym designer or operator and outdoor gyms are no exception to that rule. Operating outdoors often means an unsupervised gym experience, with ‘cleaning’ happening at the end of each day to tidy up the equipment that will inevitably have been left strewn across the gym floor, in itself creating trip hazards. More maintenance checks and gentle nudges in the form of signage reminding clients to replace the equipment on the racks can be especially useful in such circumstances. Primarily though, it’s about getting the gym equipment storage right upfront so that everything has a place.
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Similar to the Sparta Gym example above we created for Sani Resort in Greece, an obstacle course is both a fun alternative to an outdoor workout and a challenge that goes beyond the classic gym moves of squats, hinges, presses, pulls and core work. An obstacle course will require climbing, balancing, carrying, throwing, and yes perhaps a few burpees too.
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Any combination of hard-wearing kettlebells and dumbbells, exercise benches, barbells, weight plates and functional training accessories such as rubber slam balls, battle ropes, skipping ropes and sandbags. Equipment made of wood will only work in certain climates / locations. When in doubt, go with oxidized stainless steel for rigs and racks. Optional upgrade to an all-wood solution similar to the Tulum Jungle gym set-up!
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Options include rubber tiles (typically 50cm2 or 100cm2), wood decking, hard-packed gravel, artificial grass or sand. Each of these has its own pros and contras, not to mention sustainability credentials, but whatever option is chosen any fixed equipment or indeed cardio machines will need either installing with a 50cm3 concrete block for support (think vertical posts of a functional rig) or a solid concrete slab underneath them of 3-5cm width.
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Any outdoor gym in a warm climate is going to need to consider the impact of the mid-summer sun. A shade structure can extend the (comfortable) operating hours of such a facility, whilst also protecting the equipment below to some extent. Options include canvas awnings or army camo nets, either way you’ll need to install some vertical posts firmly into the ground to serve as supports too.
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Already the archetypal jungle gym concept - this is a true labour of love by an ex- Scottish military man who was determined to create a fun, social media friendly version of outdoor gyms. The only way to achieve what he has done is considerable investment in time, resource and money in order to perfect the bespoke equipment made of local hardwood or stone.
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Even when all precautions have been taken, from safety flooring to the avoidance of heavy iron weights in favour of sandbags and so on, there will inevitably be accidents at some point so a customer waiver form for all gym users that is completed on their first visit helps to cover a business from any claims of damages if a gym client injures themselves while exercising. A preventive maintenance schedule focused on ensuring the equipment is all in regular working order, catching any weak spots before they turn into a hazard, is another useful strategy for a safety-conscious outdoor gym owner.
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A Turkish equipment manufacturer with a growing profile in the Middle-East thanks to their all-wood constructions. Their range covers everything from entrance signage to dumbbells, squat racks and benches - all in hard wood. A realistic option for warm, dry climate locations such as the Middle-East or Southern Europe.
CONTACT US:
Office address: Montoya, Carrer d’Avila 32, Barcelona 08012, Espana
Registered address: Hoxton Mix, 86-90 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE, UK