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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Personal trainer using the playground as a gym

171 replies

ArtichokeAardvark · 13/05/2019 13:02

I don't think I was bring unreasonable here, but happy to be told otherwise...

Took DS to the playground this morning. As I arrived, I spotted a personal trainer and his client working out in the soft sand area. I looked around and couldn't see a buggy nearby, so it wasn't a new mum trying to get back in shape. He had left a kettle bell lying around right by the entrance to the park where it could easily be tripped over.

I watched crossly for a while, until they got one of those plastic sports skipping ropes out - those things whip through the air and could have really hurt a child if it caught them. I figured enough's enough, so went over and asked them to leave. The trainer got very defensive, said he uses the playground a few times a week and no-one else has ever complained. He likes the soft rubber flooring and using some of the kids play equipment for his sessions. He then said he wasn't endangering any children (he shut up when I pointed out the kettle bell lying around) and that the other mums there at the time didn't mind. Eventually, they left.

Was I right, or being precious? The playground is in the middle of a big common, which even has another area with free outdoor gym equipment. Surely it's inappropriate to have heavy weights lying around where toddlers are running riot? However he's right that the other mums had just been ignoring him.

OP posts:
LillithsFamiliar · 13/05/2019 13:52

I wouldn't have said anything. Presumably the adult exercise equipment area doesn't have sand as a surface so moving to that area wouldn't give the same experience.

Igotthemheavyboobs · 13/05/2019 13:52

I don't think yabu however, this thread has made me realise there are literally no fun playgrounds intended for adults! I would happily pay to run around an adult sized play area. I miss the swings and climbing frames!

RussianSpamBot · 13/05/2019 13:52

Seriously would you have told children who use the gym area for play to go to the playground?

Is it just me or would that actually be quite a reasonable thing to do?

notacooldad · 13/05/2019 13:53

Complain to the council if you are still going on about it.
Personally if my toddler was there I'd keep an eye out to make sure everything is ok and save my complaining for bigger battles.

justarandomtricycle · 13/05/2019 13:56

Is it just me or would that actually be quite a reasonable thing to do?

It's not just you. So reasonable in fact, it would make a compelling argument when asking a PT to take their fitness equipment and leave the children's play area.

Whatdoyouknowwhenyouknownowt · 13/05/2019 13:57

They do have some outdoor gyms where I live...our local playground says no adults without kids.

Redkatagain · 13/05/2019 14:00

This is totally inappropriate for a number of reasons.
The owner of the playground has a legal duty to have public liability insurance for the area and this will specifically cover the ages of people insured to use the equipment.
The owner of the playground has a legal duty to perform safety inspections on the equipment at set intervals and this will be based on the ages of children expected to use the equipment.
Adults using the equipment will increase wear and tear on the equipment and it would be typical to expect that if an adult damaged or broke a piece of equipment, that they would own up so that the playground owner could make safe and bill them for repairs- or disappear leaving unsafe equipment and the repair bill to someone else?
The personal trainer is using a publicly owned and maintained asset for private financial gain. This is unfair and unreasonable.

YANBU

Alsohuman · 13/05/2019 14:00

Complete over reaction. How many children were using the area? My guess is none, given it’s term time.

NCforthis2019 · 13/05/2019 14:01

i would have asked him to leave - its a playgroud for children. How would you know he was not some peado - just because he was a personal trainer doesnt mean he couldnt have been.

OwlBeThere · 13/05/2019 14:02

A lot of playgrounds specify the age, eg under fives no children over 12 etc*

I’ve been in probably hundreds of parks in my life and have never seen such a sign, and as someone who regularly took kids with special needs to the park in my work, I’d have ignored said signs completely as the discriminatory bullshit they are.

YABU OP, it’s a kettle bell not a giant wasp or a machete. It’s not anymore dangerous to a child than a large rock would be. And there are many of those in playgrounds around the country. I’d have asked him to move it and to be careful of the kids, but they’re not doing anything wrong.

CynthiaRothrock · 13/05/2019 14:04

Mountain out of a mole hill. He shouldnt have left the kettle bell out but apart from that the park was quiet and it is a public space. The soft ground is also better for some who have joint problems.
A skipping rope is a usual toy in a playground, lots of children use them, my dd had one of the "plastic whippy" kind when she was 5. I taught my other daughter to stay away from.her whilst she was skipping.... a PT with a client is less of a danger than a bunch of 3-10yrolds running about, throwing balls and whizzing by on scooters.
Its better to teach your child to watch out for others , ie dont run infront/behind a skipping rope or swing than it is to tell others to stop what they are doing for you and your snowflake!
The guy is just trying to earn a living and put food on the table for himself and possibly his family.

strawberrisc · 13/05/2019 14:06

I looked around and couldn't see a buggy nearby, so it wasn't a new mum trying to get back in shape.

Not sure that would stand up in court, Columbo.

CynthiaRothrock · 13/05/2019 14:07

@NCforthis2019 a guy is trying to earn a living, and using pubilc equiptment automatically makes him a peado.. Biscuit

Original poster
ArtichokeAardvark · 13/05/2019 14:09

Why is everyone assuming the playground was empty? Especially as I refer to the other mums in my first post. About 6 other children there, all toddler age so term time makes no difference.

I also wasn't stopping him training - the playground is in one of the biggest flipping public parks in London. He could have gone ANYWHERE else, including the area that's actually set up for exercise.

OP posts:
MotherWol · 13/05/2019 14:13

The playgrounds in my borough all have a sign on the gate saying all adults must be accompanied by children. I'd have done exactly the same as you - he was banking on women not being likely to make a scene.

CynthiaRothrock · 13/05/2019 14:14

The park wasnt completely empty but (your words) there were only 6 others in "the biggest park in london"? Not exactly like you were quieng up for the swings and slide after them now is it?

Was he stopping you from using any of the equipment? Doesn't seem like it. Would he of moved if you wanted to use the equiptment he was using? Probably if you asked him nicely.

RussianSpamBot · 13/05/2019 14:15

I'm a bit bemused at the idea that play areas would be empty during term time. Children under 5 using them is hardly unknown.

IAmTheChosenOne · 13/05/2019 14:18

My son is only 1

So were YOU actually using or intending to use the playground today?

Other mothers are able to police their own children. They don't need a busy body to do it for them.

FishCanFly · 13/05/2019 14:18

YABU unless he was damaging the equipment or not allowing your child play

christinarossetti19 · 13/05/2019 14:18

I think you were right. The playground area of a park is for the use of children to play in. That's why there are signs saying 'no unaccompanied adults' etc.

Sort of okay if there were no children there, otherwise no.

They had the rest of the park to use.

Lllot5 · 13/05/2019 14:18

I’m with you op go somewhere else and do it plenty of room in a park doesn’t have to do in the playground part.
I suspect a bit of showing off actually.

Original poster
ArtichokeAardvark · 13/05/2019 14:18

@CynthiaRothrock Oh dear lord, will you please stop willfully misunderstanding me to have a go. Big public park in London, yes. Playground is one small area of it. Park big. Playground small. Lots of alternative space for PTs. Got it? Great, thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
ArtichokeAardvark · 13/05/2019 14:20

@IAmTheChosenOne no, I just like going to the park and showing my son the swings for an hour. Of course I was using the playground. He's 1, not 1 month.

OP posts:
cookiechomper · 13/05/2019 14:22

If they were stopping children from using the facilities then you were right. It's a children's playground, not for them.

lmusic87 · 13/05/2019 14:23

I would ask the council to intervene.