The Große Bürgerbusch in Oldenburg

Exercise trails in 2022

Exercise trails are back on the map. The city of Oldenburg has modernised and improved the aesthetics of its combined running tracks and fitness facilities.

The Große Bürgerbusch exercise trail combines running with exercises promoting strength and coordination.

Exercise trails are back on the map. The city of Oldenburg has modernised and improved the aesthetics of its combined running tracks and fitness facilities.

Der Große Bürgerbusch is a popular recreational ground covering an area of over 20 hectares, situated in the north of the city. Its attractions include an illuminated running track lined with joint-friendly wood chippings and fitted with exercise equipment at nine stations.

This keep-fit trail was fitted with exercise equipment in late 2021.

The exercise trail combines running with exercises promoting strength and coordination. During the keep-fit movement in the 1970s, thousands of these exercise facilities combining circuit tracks with fitness stations appeared all over Germany. The purpose of the exercise was not competitive, but to promote people’s health in an affluent society crippled by obesity and cardiovascular disease.

The old wooden equipment was rather outdated, being neither functional nor creatively designed in view of modern expectations.

The keep-fit movement was a forefunner to the current fitness boom. However, with the advent of new sport trends, both the movement itself and the concept of exercise trails were soon forgotten. The local authorities simply didn’t have the funds to maintain the facilities.

Although this has been changing since the revival of the keep-fit movement through media-effective campaigns lead by the DOSB, some circuit tracks, and especially their associated exercise equipment, are still in need of adjustment to the needs of today’s athletes and walkers.

Green spaces are also used for sport in Oldenburg. Der Große Bürgerbusch with its cross-country running track and new fitness stations is an exercise hotspot.

The track is one kilometre long and comprises an approximately 10 cm thick surface made from wood chippings and shavings overlying a drainage layer of sand and gravel. The soft surface effectively cushions runners’ footfall, easing pressure on their joints.

The old wooden equipment was rather outdated, being neither functional nor creatively designed in view of modern expectations. It had also partly been taken down because of safety defects. It was replaced by stainless steel equipment.

The Große Bürgerbusch meets all the requirements for a modern exercise trail.

The new exercise trail in the Großen Bürgerbusch was completed in late 2021. In just two months of building work, new fitness equipment was fitted at nine stations.

The equipment is made by Playfit and has already proved its worth in other parts of Oldenburg in a similar setting.

The stations are designed to appeal to a large target group. They are not just for passing joggers, but will also appeal to walkers from all age groups.

The Große Bürgerbusch has a step and jump trainer, an arm pull and press-up trainer, sit-up trainer and callisthenics facility There are noticeboards explaining how to use each apparatus. Athletes can view further exercise instructions by scanning the QR code attached on the equipment.
Playfit equipment satisfies all requirements in accordance with the DIN EN 16630:2015 safety norm for site-dependent outdoor fitness equipment.

The Große Bürgerbusch meets all the requirements for a modern exercise trail.

We did this.

Project data

Parcours

playfit GmbH
Brauerknechtgraben 53
D – 20459 Hamburg

Client

City of Oldenburg

Physical address

Großer Brügerbusch
D – 26127 Oldenburg

Opening

2021

Photograph

playfit
Stadt Oldenburg

Author

(Advertorial)
Johannes Bühlbecker
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