New Birchall fitness area brings indoor gym experience outdoors

Published on 11 September 2024

New fitness equipment has been installed at Birchall Recreation Ground in Leek offering the indoor gym experience in the great outdoors - and it's already proving to be very popular.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council appointed Kompan Ltd to design and install the equipment which provides a locally unique area for people to come and take part in movement and physical activity.

This new generation fitness equipment offers an experience to match an indoor gym but with the added bonus of being outdoors and free to use.

Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Matt Swindlehurst, said: "I'm delighted with this latest addition to the suite of leisure and exercise options we're providing at Birchall which are free to use and open to everyone.

"This outdoor gym complements the work we've already done to refurbish the activity track and install the surfaced perimeter path and bench seating. Together these new facilities provide more opportunities for people to be active outdoors.

"We want to encourage everyone in the Moorlands to move more every day and to enjoy better physical and mental health. By investing in high quality public amenities like the ones here at Birchall, we're aiming to make that as accessible as possible."

The new fitness area is just off the perimeter path and close to the car park. There are three cardio machines - a hand bike, a cross trainer and a bike - some fixed magnetic bells for strength work, and two sets of suspension ropes which support numerous different exercises many of which are highlighted on the information boards near the equipment.

Downloading the free Kompan fitness app will allow users of the cardio machines to track your workout and adjust the resistance via your phone. It also provides videos on how all of the equipment at Birchall can be used as well as offering bespoke workouts.

A leg press machine with a fully adjustable weighted system and adjustable seated position is also available as are some fixed items which promote callisthenic exercise.

A short, circular warm-up track runs around the outer edge of the surfaced pad and there's a stop watch to help you keep track of your activity.

The Council is planning a number of guided sessions in the coming weeks to show people how to use the equipment correctly and safely. These sessions will be open to all abilities including those people who would class themselves as beginners.

Councillor Swindlehurst added: "We want people to make full use of this new equipment and these sessions to demonstrate what to do will be helpful in building confidence amongst new users visiting for the first time

"We'll be publicising these sessions in advance so look out for the details on our social channels and website and please do come along and join us."