Big Little Gym?

[woodpijn]

Bethany went to six weekly sessions at the Little Gym over the summer. It's a bit like Tumble Tots, if you remember doing that as a child like I did. There are soft play blocks, springboards, balance beams, hanging-bars, and stuff, and the kids practice things like forward and backward rolls, and swinging upside-down, and jumping onto beams and

Comments

[alextfish]

The King's Hedges playground reminds me of this kind of thing, a bit. I like the games we sometimes play with the girls on the big multipart climbing frame where it makes the electronic dots light up different colours and you have to scramble around the climbing frame bashing the dots. I enjoy seeing how much I can climb those - there are certain bits like the monkey bars that I can't do, but I do enjoy propelling myself up a frame as quickly as possible.

More generally, I think the kind of thing you're describing would normally be addressed by adults with sports of some kind or other. Rock climbing / climbing walls like P&C do. Squash like we used to do with J. Swimming. It's not quite the same thing, but I think that's the conventional approach.

[woodpijn]

Yes to the KH playground - I hope they fix the electronic game, it was broken last time I visited.

I agree sports are the conventional approach, and they can be quite fun (if you can get people all together at the same time), but I'm proposing a thing which I don't think exists and which I'd like to see.

[atreic]

That sounds like a very good fun thing indeed.

I've been doing Learn to Dive and it's a bit like that (very mixed ability, very just 'have a go') but it's a bit more organised (there's a coach, and you go round and round and practice the same thing lots and lots, rather than just playing) and obviously it's just diving.

There's a trim trail in Girton, with adult sized monkey bars and a rope to climb and things to climb on, we could try and get a group together to hang out on the trim trail and have fun and maybe have a picnic. But it's outside in a field, so weather and self conciousness might be issues.

[woodpijn]

That thing in Girton sounds good - I'd be up for getting together there. And Bethany would probably enjoy it too.

As I said in my reply to Jack, maybe my description of the Little Gym was unclear - it is structured, not just freeform playing. The instructors demonstrate some things you can do on the equipment, with some harder and easier variations, and then everyone has a few turns.

[cartesiandaemon]

FWIW, when I started going to the gym, I was worried I'd stick out, but no-one really cared either way; and I was worried "treadmill, followed by weights" would be boring, but in many ways I found that easier to just go ahead and do, than something where I was expected to use more initiative. So gyms don't have to be intimidating if you primarily want more exercise

[woodpijn]

I went to the gym every week from about April to July this year, and didn't feel particularly self-conscious, but did find it boring and unpleasant. (Then I was too busy and/or ill to go over the summer, and went back again this week, but I'm not sure if I'll carry on.) I was there because I wanted to get fit, rather than because it was inherently enjoyable.

Maybe my description of the Little Gym was unclear - it is structured, there's not that much need for initiative. The instructors demonstrate some things you can do on the equipment, with some harder and easier variations, and then everyone has a few turns.

[aiwendel]

What you want is a Parkour Gym! dennyd and libellum go to one in London somewhere. They do cater for beginner non super athletic people too. :-)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6FFoBQUCYE

[woodpijn]

Yeah, that looks fun, although I definitely would want the beginner version.