Free Outdoor Gyms: Harrow and Singapore

Worldwide local authorities are installing exercise areas for adults as well as the traditional park equipment for children. Let's go for a walk in a nearby park in London and see what there is to see.

These people are having a great time at the weekend in Shaftesbury Recreation Ground near Hatch End station in North West London.

 This piece of equipment is free. What are you supposed to do on it? They were able to tell me. I must admit they were wearing better clothes for outdoor gym than I was. A long coat or a dangling belt or scarf or skirt will get in your way.

Here's a handy guide. You are supposed to do a circuit and use each piece of equipment in order.

We can walk out of the other side of the park. 

Parks have changed a lot. Every time I visit a park I see new equipment installed.

Now let's look at what's going on in another country miles away. Returning to London from Singapore, I miss the warmth and outdoor swimming in Singapore, but winter in England has been so mild this year that visitors can enjoy London's abundance of parks where you can walk and us equipment.

Singapore

Over in Singapore it's hot every day of the year. A typical large private apartment complex in Singapore has a central swimming pool. Let's hope the haze has abated because on days when it is really bad children and the elderly are supposed to stay indoors and going outside to play sport would do more harm than good.

The shower. 

Rules include no cycling, skateboarding, roller skating or ball playing in the pool area. Nearby for residents there is an indoor gym.

The haze from the same window as before is now much worse.

On a good day, race out to the outdoor gym.

I wouldn't listen to music whilst running because you might miss your footing or not watch your surroundings and run in the road or over a cliff (which happened to somebody in California). But I've see people doing aerobics at home of out on equipment to music.

You also find a lot of aerobics classes in swimming pools at country clubs and leisure centres. Some are free, already paid for by your membership.

Many parks in Singapore and China have free morning limbering up sessions, very slow, tai chi, for the elderly or workers or everybody.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.