Obstacle race gym interior design concept
Reimagining the jungle gym for adults
This forest gym or jungle gym concept is designed to show that there is a viable alternative to the kids jungle gym set-up for an adult audience, at least for business owners brave enough to step away from th conventions that dominate the gym design industry today.
By not including cardio machinery, this fitness studio concept immediately aligns itself with the fields of natural movement, gymnastics or, most directly perhaps, obstacle course races (OCR).
Here we are training skill, stamina, movement and mobility rather than endurance.
OCR group classes vs solo training
The concept lends itself especially well to small group training, the larger the floor plate the more equipment and the larger the class.
Solo training in an obstacle course race gym like this is likely to attract more experienced fitness enthusiasts, to capture a wider market of those who feed off the group dynamic, or who have less experience in the field of OCR, a program of group fitness classes will be essential for commercial success.
Personal training sessions in spartan race training is another obvious option, and a gym design of this scale (shown here at around 35m2) would, in the right location with sufficient demand for this specialist style of training, be a viable option for a fitness entrepreneur.
Jungle gym equipment
Here we have focused on climbing ropes, a cargo net for horizontal traverses and pull-up beams sustainably sourced from local trees with a diameter of 10-15cm as a way to train grip and wrist strength in a more natural setting.
A variety of tree trunks serve for step-ups as well as for deadlifts or squats, again working with awkward asymmetrical loads that force the body to adapt. Moving away from perfectly sized bars and handles requires a heightened level of mental awareness, as well as additional auxiliary strength in minor muscle group that can otherwise be left neglected when training exclusively in a traditional gym environment.
Canvas sandbags in a range of shapes and sizes provide another opportunity for training with awkward loads that literally change shape while in use as the sand shifts position. Whether practicing carries, lifts or even throws with such sandbags, the benefits of avoiding the mass produced, neatly rounded corporate gym equipment options are hand to underestimate for the OCR enthusiast.
Biophilic design gym interiors
For us, incorporating biophilic design such as a forest wallpaper made of eco-friendly material combined with an eco-rubber and cork mix flooring with plenty of bounce, created a cohesive aesthetic that suggests a forest or jungle setting.
Clever use of mirrors in a small space like this can help it feel far bigger than it really is, while solid wood storage built into one wall ensures all the equipment has a home and can be picked from the shelves when needed to create a multitude of different training circuits.