Bodyweight equipment is found in single station, double station, or multigym configurations. A wide range of manufacturers make bodyweight equipment (including ourselves). Bodyweight exercise stations are typically fixed stations with no moving parts. Users can perform a wide range of exercises on this type of equipment and can typically complete a full-body workout.
A few things to consider when looking at bodyweight equipment:
Biomechanics
Does the equipment you are looking at provide correct exercise biomechanics? The majority of equipment in this category has poor exercise biomechanics. This means your body is moving or bending in ways it is not designed to move. This can lead to exercise related injury.
Fitness Ability Required for Users
For a wide range of body weight exercise stations, a high level of strength and fitness ability is required to perform most exercises. For example, over 90% of the general population cannot perform a chin up with their own body weight. For years, one of the most popular body weight exercise stations that has been installed in parks are chin up bars. Traditional chin up bars are a waste of space an money as most people cannot use them.
PROS
- Real exercise value
- Low maintenance
- Looks closer to indoor equipment
CONS
- Some level of strength/ability required to perform most exercises
- Typically poor exercise biomechanics (can lead to injury)
- Tamper-resistant, not tamperproof
Indoor Bodyweight Equipment compared to outdoor Bodyweight Equipment and Outdoor-Fit equipment
INDOOR EQUIPMENT
OUTDOOR BODYWEIGHT EQUIPMENT
OUTDOOR-FIT EQUIPMENT
Another popular station found in most commercial fitness centers. The 45 degree back extension bench is an excellent exercise station for strengthening your lower back. The exercise also works other key muscles like your glutes, core, and shoulders. With this exercise, it is critical you bend properly at the waist to prevent injury. For this reason, almost all versions of this unit for indoors are adjustable for fit users of different heights.
Like with indoors, this is a popular station in outdoor fitness. The biggest issue with most outdoor versions of this station is it is typically a fixed station, with no user adjustability. This means the unit is really only suited for users of a certain height. As this exercise targets back and spine, if done incorrectly, it can lead to strain on these areas or worse injury.
Outdoor-Fit features a 45 degree back extension bench on the Apollo Multigym and both versions of the Helios Multigym. Similar to indoor equipment, this station is telescopic and adjustable to fit users of different heights.