Complaints being raised against boot camps and fitness groups being hazards in public places such as parks and beaches is old news.
According to a 2005 post in The Sydney Morning Herald, former Mayor of Manly, Peter Macdonald, called for the ban of outdoor fitness and boot camp activities that same year.
Bootcamp Personal Trainers Must Obtain Indemnity Insurance
The phenomenal success of outdoor fitness had caused some amount of public disturbances and there was some confusion due to the varying regulations set by different councils.
People complained about being restricted from accessing public areas because of ongoing exercise activities; the noise created by the instructors and their participants and the damages they cause in public recreational areas such as the parks, beaches and reserves.
The issue was later on resolved by the imposition of their own regulations to rein in all bootcamps and outdoor fitness activities so as not to get in the way of the general public.
During that year, there were already 4,500 registered fitness professionals. That same year, a standard regulation had been released and given a trial run.
In March 13 of this year, Illawara Mercury reports yet, another issue surrounding boot camp activities. Here’s the story:
Boot Camps Policies Followed Up
Dr Egger’s comments came as Waverley Council met on Tuesday night to discuss a crackdown on exercise groups that flout rules. Several councils have established policies limiting group sizes and imposing exclusion zones.
He said councils needed to stringently enforce their rules “where trainers are interfering with other people’s right to common recreational services”.
For those who may not be aware of the standard boot camp policies, here is a list that was first issued in 2005.
2005 Standard Boot Camp Rules
- Personal trainers and instructors should obtain an indemnity or liability insurance. Again, certification counts because only personal trainers certified by recognized accreditation institutions are permitted to apply for indemnity insurances.
- Respect the rights of the residents in the areas. Although your company has obtained a license to run a fitness bootcamp at the areas where you hold them, they are still considered general public areas to which the residents have the right of access.
- Don’t use amplifiers and megaphones to give instructions to your participants. Find another quieter and peaceful way of doing it that will not disturb others.
- Fencing and using blockades to keep out the general public is not allowed. The license to use a designated area does not make the area exclusive for your group.
- The use of seats, walls, fences, tables or statues for training is prohibited.
- Limit the number of boot camp participants to 18 people per instructor.
Perhaps it’s time to revisit these regulations and double check on how boot campsconduct their activities; but more than that, perhaps it’s also time for some people to make a little shift of perspective on outdoor fitness. After all, healthy people living healthy lives make for a healthy nation.
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