The construction of a multi-purpose sports center or the reconversion of an abandoned space can also enhance the urban area, transforming run-down areas into places that foster well-being.
The primary aim of the construction of outdoor sports facilities is to ensure its use for the widest possible range of users, in terms of both age and physical preparation.
The space can be designed as a set of different connected modules, offering several sports activities and types of training in a single space.
Even in the same athletics track, multi-purpose areas can be included for team sports or some areas – usually inside the semi-circle (used for the high jump, pole value, steeplechase, throwing) – devoted to fitness or muscle building. In this way the use of the facility can be enhanced and incentivized.
This article discusses the various areas that can be included in an outdoor multi-purpose facility, identifying the best combinations of the different modules.
An equipped area for cardio-fitness exercises usually has the equipment needed for cardiovascular training and muscle building for arms and legs, including spinning bikes, hand bikes or elliptical bikes.
It can therefore meet the needs of both sports people and amateurs, whatever their age or level of physical preparation.
An aerobic training area is ideally located in a park, but it is also a perfect solution for small multi-purpose sports centers without running tracks.
The number and type of equipment must be established according to the potential use of the area. For the safety of users and life of the equipment, we recommend that the choice be made to install products designed specifically for unsupervised outdoor sports centers.
In municipal sports facilities, especially when unsupervised, it may be useful to associate the equipment to signs proposing circuits and providing advice on how to use the equipment, with the possibility to access multimedia details via a QR code.
In a supervised sports center or park, a jogging and running track is certainly an incentive to use the facility for training purposes.
Vulcanized rubber prefabricated running tracks are certainly a better alternative to dirt tracks – in terms of cleanliness, comfort and safety – or asphalt – with much less impact on muscles and joints.
Prefabricated tracks also ensure high resistance to weather conditions and even extreme climatic conditions. Moreover, if any areas are damaged, only a single portion has to be replaced.
Another added value for an urban or park jogging track is also to combine the track with areas for street workouts or calisthenic training.
The inclusion of straight running tracks in facilities such as multi-purpose sports centers, parks or schools is a solution that meets the training and athletic preparation needs of local sports association members.
Depending on the available space, the net length and number of lanes on the track can be chosen, also combined with other areas such as calisthenic training, jogging track and cardio area.
Traditionally, the straight is installed along with the lane for long jump and triple jump.
Calisthenic training combines aerobic activities with intensive training sessions.
It is becoming increasingly popular among sports people due to the possibility to tone different muscle groups at the same time, improving flexibility, coordination and strength.
It is the ideal outdoor training for beginners and amateurs of all ages, due to the variety and simplicity of the exercises.
A calisthenic training area has a comfortable and resistant outdoor sports flooring as well as basic equipment – parallel bars, triple traction bars, plyometric boxes, benches, hand bikes – or more complex equipment used for multiple exercises in a limited space.
They are ideally located in a park, school or outdoor multi-purpose sports center, combined with a jogging and running track.
Outdoor sports facilities should include areas for team sports, popular among both athletes and young people.
With a view to maximum versatility, outdoor sports floorings should be installed that guarantee biomechanical behavior suitable for various sports on the same surface: e.g., 5-a-side football, handball and volleyball, or basketball and volleyball or again 5-a-side football or handball.
Usually, outdoor vulcanized rubber sports floorings guarantee lasting performance over time and high resistance to wear.
Requiring low maintenance, they also make it easier to manage municipal sports facilities.
For the safety and well-being of users, it is particularly important to choose sports floors guaranteeing low VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions, as these emissions are accentuated by heat and sunlight.
Areas for street workouts in supervised sports facilities or parks are very popular among local associations and individual users, due to the possibility to integrate running with additional training exercises.
At supervised or unsupervised athletics tracks, it is also becoming increasingly frequent to fine equipped areas for muscle building.
In addition to the standard equipment used for calisthenic training, these areas can be equipped with leg presses or vertical benches and the like, usually found only in indoor gyms.
Some equipment manufacturers have also made elements used to perform different exercises in a small space.