Adult Playground Encourages Young Parents to Battle Muscle Loss after 30

When we turn 30, we start to lose muscles. And that’s exactly the age where most of us become parent and stop exercising. Instead, we watch our children having fun while we simply sit on a bench. That’s why Helan, Health Insurance, and FamousGrey added an adult playground to the children’s playground. Along with RAAK design studio, they turned lazy sitting benches into playful exercises. A series of four designed ‘stay young benches’ installed in Ghent, require some light muscle strength to unlock a seat, making exercise an interactive part of daily life.

Research shows that we start to lose around 10 percent of their muscle mass every decade starting from the age of 30. "This is because muscles become thinner and shorter, making them less efficient in contracting and producing strength," explains Jef Vanhoof, movement expert at Helan Independent Health Fund. "Gradually, you become weaker and stiffer. Which can lead to health issues at an older age. This can be remedied through minimal strength training."

To demonstrate that intensive workouts are not necessary, and that strength training can be integrated into daily routines, Helan introduced 'Adult Playgrounds': a series of unique benches that require users to engage in light strength exercises before sitting down. The benches were developed by FamousGrey and RAAK Design Studio from Leuven, with logistical support from the city of Ghent, which installed four of these benches in the Blaarmeersen recreational area.

These muscles are trained on the 'Stay Strong' Benches:

• The Sit-Up Bench: A bench where you sit on the ground and engage hip, leg, and glute muscles.
• The Climbing Bench: A tall bench that requires climbing, ideal for stimulating abdominal, arm, shoulder, back, and leg muscles.
• The Seesaw Bench: A bench where balance must be maintained, utilising straight and oblique abdominal muscles, as well as back, glute, and leg muscles.
• The Slide Bench: A combination of a bench and a slide that activates arm, shoulder, upper thigh, chest, abdominal, and calf muscles.

The conceptual benches playfully encourage adults to maintain an active lifestyle. When you become a parent, you also stop moving. While your children are climbing and sliding everywhere, you find yourself sitting on a bench engrossed in your smartphone. This is detrimental to your muscle strength. By integrating design benches into recreational spaces, Helan not only encourages muscle exercises but also invites parents to engage with their children. Which leads to fun moments. 

The project isn't limited to just parents. It includes an online platform that encourages adults to incorporate exercise into their daily routines. Helan promotes a more enjoyable and realistic approach, helping individuals engage in spontaneous muscle training throughout the day with fun, small exercises that eventually turn into healthy habits.

Following a successful press launch, there’s also an awareness campaign on air which includes a film directed by Edouard Valette and Hamlet and an influencer approach. In addition to the city of Ghent, approximately six other cities and municipalities have plans to install an Adult Playground. Sport Flanders (SportVlaanderen) is also exploring a potential.