Seniors Exercise Park

Coburg Seniors Exercise Park is a new outdoor exercise park at 21 Harding St Coburg designed especially for older people.

The exercise park features a range of outdoor exercise equipment designed for older people to help improve balance, strength, functional movement, joint range of motion and mobility.

The equipment has been installed in partnership with the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI). The following exercise instructions have been developed by NARI. You can also see an instruction sign on site next to the equipment.

An accessible parking bay is available on Harding Street just next to the park.

For more information contact Becky, Living and Ageing Well lead on rlo@merri-bek.vic.gov.au or phone 9240 1115.

Travelling to the exercise park

The Park is located right next to the Coburg Senior Citizens Centre and close to Coburg Leisure Centre and City Oval. You can travel to the exercise park along Sydney Road on Tram 19 (close to corner Harding St & Sydney Rd) or Bus 512 along Harding Street.

How to get started

You can download the My Enjoy App to help you get started or follow the instructions below.

Download the app:

https://www.nari.net.au/enjoy-me-app

1. Warm up before exercising, such as walking around the park for 5 mins.
2. You can initially exercise one minute on each station and gradually increase the time.
3. Once you feel more confident and able to perform with ease, you can make it harder by increasing the number of repetitions over a longer period.
4. Allow yourself time to rest after each exercise station.

Balance Beam	Walk along the beam at your normal speed, using a hand for support as needed. This exercise improves your balance for walking safe on awkward surfaces such as uneven paths. Instructional Video - Balance Beam Level 1
Stairs	Hold on to the rail. Step up and down the stairs. This exercise raises your heart rate and strengthens the leg muscles. Instructional Video - Stairs
Core Twister	While holding onto the bar, stand on the plate and slightly bend your knees. Twist your body side to side. This exercise improves the strength of core muscles and back mobility. Instructional Video – Core Twister
Walking Ramp & Net	Walk up the ramp and step down either through the net or on to the ropes, using the rails for hand support if needed. This exercise helps with balance, strengthens the leg muscles and improves toe clearance. Instructional Video – Walking Ramp & Net
Pull-up Bar	Grip the bar and walk your feet forward to 10cm in front of the bar, pull your body towards the bar and then slowly lower back to the starting position. This exercise strengthens your arms, shoulders, back and core muscles. Instructional Video – Pull-up Bar
Finger Stairs and Calf Raises	Climb up the steps with your fingers one at a time while rising on your toes. This exercise improves the agility and mobility of your fingers and shoulders while improving your stability and posture. Instructional Video – Finger Stairs and Calf Raises
Sit to Stand	Sit down and stand up from the seat. Or stand then squat to touch the bench. This exercise strengthens your leg and back muscles. Instructional Video – Sit to Stand
Balance Stool	Stand on the stool and hold the bar with two hands. Push down on the edges to rock the board side to side. This exercise improves balance, strengthens the hip and deep muscles that support the spine. Instructional Video – Balance Stool
Step Up	Step up on the platform, leading with the same leg up and down. Alternate with the opposite leg. Hold on to the rail for support if needed. This exercise strengthens the leg muscles and improves ability for using stairs. Instructional Video – Step Up
Push-up Bar	Stand arm distance away from the bar and hold it with your hands apart. Slowly lower your body toward the bar and then push away to return to the starting position. This exercise strengthens you arms, shoulder, back and core muscles. Instructional Video – Push-up Bar
Shoulder Arches	Stand facing and in the middle of the equipment. Grip a ball with one hand and move the ball along the bar. Alternate hands. This exercise is for the chest, elbow and shoulder mobility and flexibility. Instructional Video – Shoulder Arches
Hand Roll	Grip the handles in both hands and gently turn the wheel. This exercise helps mobility of the neck, shoulder and elbow joints. Instructional Video – Hand Roll
Snake Pipe - Big Wave	Stand with your side to the snake pipe. Hold the ring I one hand and, without touching the bar, move it from one end to the other while walking. Alternate sides. This exercise improves strength and shoulder mobility. Instructional Video – Snake Pipe Big Wave
Snake Pipe - Small Wave	Stand facing the snake pipe. Without moving your feet, move the ring from one end to the other without touching the bar. This exercise strengthens and mobilises the shoulders and back, and improves reaching skill and balance. Instructional Video – Snake Pipe Small Wave
Taps on Platform	Alternately raise your right and left foot to tap the platform, while bending at the knee. Hold on to the rail for support. This exercise raises your heart rate and strengthens the leg muscles. Instructional Video – Taps on Platform
Gangway	Walk slowly along the bridge using the support rails as needed. This exercise improves balance on uneven and unstable surfaces. Instructional Video - Gangway

For more details on the equipment please contact the Living and Ageing Well Officer by phoning Merri-bek Council on 9240 1111