Green gyms use natural materials and movements

A new franchise business brings the outdoors inside with nature-inspired gyms that train using bodyweight exercises and wood and fiber pieces of equipment.

A new fitness and interior design company is trying to address the nature deficit so many city dwellers experience. Using natural, sustainable materials such as wood, cork, sand, leather and a variety of fibers, Biofit gyms help people connect to the environment in what is traditionally sterile, uninspiring space. Many gyms feature strip lighting, concrete walls and lots of bright white space. Biofit, on the other hand, uses blue-based lighting in the morning and red-based lighting in the evening to better accommodate the body’s circadian rhythm.

Conventional gym equipment consisting of pulleys, steel, black and brights are replaced by leather hand weights, wooden structures that can be used in a variety of ways, and a plethora of plants. The plants used in each gym are native to each region and are chosen for their air-purifying abilities. Biofit classes incorporate a range of movements using participants’ own bodyweight for resistance and strength building. The company also works with other businesses that include offices, hotels and residential developments.

Keeping fit is an important part of many peoples’ smart, connected lifestyles, and a number of projects have identified ways to more easily incorporate exercise into a daily routine. A floating gym in Paris is powered by users’ pedaling, and an online gaming system uses real-life motions to help players work up a sweat. How might the benefits of natural movement for fitness be extended into home design?