Pictured: Shoulder press, Hand bike and leg raise
You may have spotted the fancy new outdoor gymnasium that was installed in three different zones in Herbert Park over the summer.
Dublin City Council have plans to introduce even more workout equipment to the area and are in the process of rolling out the idea to parks across the whole city. Instead of jogging around in boring old circles, D4 residents can try out all kinds of easy to use and safe facilities you would only find in an expensive gym.
The City Parks Department have chosen some interesting machines to keep the locals moving. One is the leg raise, where you use your arms and chest to work out your all important core muscles. A few reps of this is an excellent way to burn calories.
Another machine is the shoulder press, based on lifting approximately 30% of the user’s body weight, it uses mostly the shoulders and arms, giving a great upper body workout for all abilities. If you want to get your whole body moving at the same time, then the cross trainer is your best bet. It is designed to give the user a good cardiovascular workout, but you don’t have to worry about it taking off on you because you can set your own pace, to suit your fitness level.
If you need a break from cardio, then you can move onto the bench. It is up to you whether to use it for standard sit ups to work on your abs or perhaps the harder incline press ups or tricep dips.
The instructions on how to use each piece for maximum efficiency are clear and easy to understand, so you can avoid pulling something funny. The best thing about all these bits and bobs is that the manufacturing company that supplies them plants a tree every time a machine is bought!
By Jessica Ellis
