Cllr Declan Hurley tries out the “Tone Zone” in Dunmanway Pic: Denis Boyle
Following on from the success of the Tone Zone exercise sessions last year, the Health Promotion Department of the HSE South and Cork Sports Partnership are currently working on developing phase two of the project.
A Tone Zone consists of a suite of exercise stations with different pieces of equipment designed to exercise all parts of the body.
They are located all over Cork County including in Bandon, Bantry, Dunmanway and Schull and interest is continually emerging from communities to develop more.
It is likely that you have already seen one and wondered what they were about and who were they for.
The good news is that they are for everyone. Currently, Tone Zones are located in Bandon, Bantry, Dunmanway, and Schull in West Cork as well as in other parts of the county.
These sites have either been locally funded or developed by Cork County Council and are a fantastic amenity for the local area.
Based on the feedback from both participants and instructors involved last year, the focus will be to develop a more sustainable approach to promoting and utilising these “Tone Zones” in the various communities across Cork.
Shirley O’Shea, Senior Health Promotion Officer with the HSE South said, “You now have the perfect opportunity to check out the facilities and familiarise yourself with the outdoor gym in your area with the help of a qualified fitness instructor.
“The gyms are for people with all levels of fitness and are a free amenity within the community. These brand new facilities offer you the opportunity to have fun exercising, whilst enjoying the fresh air of the outdoors.
“A recent study from the Peninsula College of Medicine found that people who swapped exercising in the gym for exercising outdoors experience far more mental and physical health benefits”.
The Health Promotion Department of the HSE South and Cork Sports Partnership are now offering people the chance to avail of a structured session that will tell you all you need to know about these Tone Zones, from warming up to cooling down and getting the most out of each piece of equipment in a way that suits your needs.
These hourly sessions will be offered at a cost of €4 per person but a minimum number of people will be required for the sessions to take place.
In West Cork the sessions will take place in Schull and pre-booking is essential. For your chance to get involved contact Deirdre Ni Challannáin on 086 240 4709 to book your place.
The session will take place on Tuesday evenings at 7pm commencing on July 9th.