Local, regional and federal governments or other organizations and charities around the world are trying to find better ways to get their citizens to exercise and stay healthy and fit. There are a number of ways that governments and society as a whole can encourage a more active lifestyle.
Tax Credits
The easiest incentive for governments is to offer tax credits for adults or children involved in fitness activities. When the cost comes down for fitness, it makes it more affordable for many more people.
No Sales Taxes on Gym Memberships
Another way is to remove sales taxes on gym memberships. If you want to get people to stay healthy, why should they be paying taxes on a gym membership? It really makes no sense when people are doing something that keeps them healthy. You are raising the costs for many people who already may be on a limited financial budget to begin with.
Safe Bicycle Paths and Boardwalks
By providing well-paved and extensive bicycle paths and boardwalks by lakes and rivers, nature paths and along beaches you are providing enjoyable and safe ways to exercise for people who like to cycle, rollerblade, jog, run or just simply walk. Not only can such outdoor environments be great places to exercise but they can also be mentally beneficial and therapeutic!
Well-paved and extensive paths on roads can also provide people with alternative and environmentally friendly ways to go to work or just get around in urban areas.
Free Fitness Equipment in Public Places
Another way of promoting fitness is by placing free fitness equipment like these various pull-up and exercise bars in public places such as in a park, by bicycle paths or at a beach. Helpful signs with suggested exercises using your body weight and gravity as resistance and how to do these exercises are also placed on poles as well to help people.
Or, by placing very simple fitness equipment by the beach or in public parks like this very simple and basic wide chest press machine using your own body weight. If you are just looking to do basic weight training and toning, such machines may be appropriate for you after a jog or after cycling, rollerblading.
How to do this wide chest press exercise:
The above video will demonstrate how to do this exercise, but here is also a text explanation:
- Grab the two handles using a hammer grip (vertical grip) and push outwards without fully extending your arms, in other words, maintain a slight bend at the elbows. Breathe out as as you push outwards.
- Bring back to the starting position going only as far back as your arms and elbows will allow. Breathe in as you do this.
- Do about 12-15 repetitions and 4 sets.
This exercise uses your own body weight so it is very limited in the amount of weight that you can press but you can increase the resistance by slowing the repetitions down, the speed at which you do each chest press repetition. In effect you are increasing the intensity of the exercise but only up to a certain point.
The problem with such a machine is that the seat is fixed, it cannot be adjusted to the proper height of your body. How this machine works your chest depends on your overall core height from waist to shoulders. For me, such a machine tends to work the mid to upper pectoral muscles rather than focusing on the bulk of the chest muscles.
In my opinion, although this machine is very limited, if you are a senior or someone who is just looking to do some very basic strength training or toning of your body, than this type of equipment may be suitable for you.
If you are serious into bodybuilding or weight training this type of machine will do little for you due to its design and limitations so better quality weight training equipment is recommended like this Hammer Strength chest machine at local gyms.
As you can see, there are many ways governments can encourage people to exercise and be fit especially when it comes to being outdoors!
