Outdoor Gym/Fitness Area

Shade structures protect fitness center visitors from heat exhaustion by providing them with a more refreshing environment in which to conduct their workouts. Also, according to an article by Chad Kennedy, co-chair of the Children’s Outdoor Environment PPN, interoception plays a major role in outdoor recreational areas because it determines how we feel when we’re exposed to outside environments. Interoception relates to the interaction between internal body conditions and external stimuli.

Besides drinking fountains and restrooms, shade is a critical way to satisfy an individual’s interoceptive needs in outdoor areas — especially those like outdoor gyms and fitness spaces. When the basic needs of interoception are not met, the resulting distress in visitors of outdoor gyms — especially those with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic disorders and disabilities — can lead to less-than-ideal outdoor experiences.

In addition to helping users meet their interoceptive needs, shade structures for your outdoor gym or fitness area can:

• Increase functional and aesthetic value: Protect visitors to your outdoor gym from UV radiation and high levels of heat. Infants and small children especially require special precautions when exposed to high heat levels due to their increased susceptibility to thermal stress. Fortunately, shade is one such precaution.
• Extend outdoor time: When visitors can workout outdoors under shade structures, they’re more likely to stay longer and experience higher comfort levels – helping them get in a better workout throughout the process.
• Keep outdoor fitness areas cooler: Fabric shade structures from USA SHADE allow air to pass through while keeping the outdoor gym underneath cooler than a metal or wood structure could.