Deemed by many the Venice Beach of Mexico, the Jungle Gym is a unique training facility that features beautiful equipment and an excellent training environment. It is similar to any other gym you can access today yet has a unique style that pulls you in and leaves you stunned. But what is this jungle gym? What does it offer? Why do people love it so much?
Read on to find out.
The Jungle Gym: What makes it great
Walk into most gyms today, and you will get the same feeling: The facility is spacious; you can pick from a range of free weights. There are plenty of machines. You can go to the cardio area, which typically consists of treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes.
Do not get me wrong: There is nothing bad about this setup. In fact, you can train quite well and achieve fantastic results. But the Jungle Gym is a different breed. The moment you step there, you are met with a completely different and unique environment, unlike any you have seen before.
First, much of the training equipment is on the beach, and you are stepping in the sand - that alone is much different from your traditional city gym. Instead of having air conditioning blow air, you get to enjoy a fresh and relaxing breeze that keeps you cool. You also have sturdy wooden platforms you can use for exercises like squats while enjoying the beautiful Caribbean sea. Plus, you get to train barefoot - how fantastic is that?
Second, the equipment is unlike any you have used before. Everything is handcrafted to perfection and features a solid wood exterior that typically envelops stone. The founders of the Jungle Gym always strived to keep fitness fun. Some of their equipment features:
- A wide selection of wooden and stone dumbbells, ranging from 5 to 158 pounds
- Squat racks made of bamboo
- Strongmen logs
- Pulley systems made of wood and utilizing rope systems
- Olympic bars made of wood
- Wooden benches
There are also more traditional items like yoga mats, bumper plates, kettlebells, barbells and EZ bars, and much more.
And last but certainly not least, the gym offers something for everyone. Whether you prefer traditional bodybuilding training, strongmen workouts, conditioning activities, or something else, the Jungle Gym can deliver it. According to some, this gym is perfect for folks interested in calisthenics, CrossFit, circuits, and gymnastics. But, with the sun shining down, the sea splashing waves, and the breeze blowing ever so gently, the Jungle Gym offers something for everyone who wants to get fit.
What is it like to train in the Jungle Gym
Training is training. No matter where you are, weights are heavy, you need to put the effort in, and you need to get uncomfortable. But the Jungle Gym is different from many training facilities.
Most notably, the environment is unlike any you have likely seen before. This is because we do not typically correlate tropical paradise with heavyweight training. The refreshing and beautiful environment alone can be a huge motivator to train during vacation and keep you cool as you work hard.
Just imagine: You are underneath a heavy barbell, working hard to finish the set, all while enjoying the magnificent blue Caribbean sea; Instead of starting at the gym's ceiling as you bench press, you get to enjoy the sky and look as birds fly nearby. You can even stand in the sun as you do some exercises to get a tan, as well as muscle and strength. Plus, you get to train barefoot and shirtless (if you want), which is great. So do not forget to put enough sunscreen on.
The Jungle Gym also features some classes, such as their morning circuit session on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. These are great for having a cool and refreshing group fitness class to help you start the day on the right foot. Just imagine it for a moment: You arrive at the beach on a cool refreshing morning, you get to meet other fit and ambitious folks, and all of you enjoy a challenging workout together. The sun is not that strong yet; the cool breeze keeps you fresh, and you get to listen to the waves as you train. Once finished, you feel great, so you grab a quick shower and go about your day, feeling motivated and energized.
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If you ever get a chance to visit the Jungle Gym in Tulum, we highly recommend it. It is a unique experience and one you should have at least once on your training journey. The cost for a single entrance is 500 pesos / $30.
Tulum also has a great variety of hotels, either beach or city side. If you prefer to stay close to the beach, make sure to stay at one of the beach clubs. These have excellent facilities and are very safe places to stay.
Just a quick note on Tulum. Tulum has gone through quite a lot of development in recent years and now caters to visitors from the U.S. Tulum may not be to everyone's taste these days, and it is pretty expensive. Do you plan to travel to Mexico? Then you might want to give my travel report from Isla Holbox a try. Prefer the Middle East, the Rixos JBR in Dubai also has a stunning wodden outdoor gym
