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Original poster

Personal trainer using local park to train clients inside actual playground near children

340 replies

lucindalovescats · 07/08/2020 11:25

I was dumbfounded this morning when I took my children to a big local playground in surrey to find a personal trainer teaching an adult man (who was obviously a client) using the play equipment.

She had large heavy metal dumb bells on the floor next to the swings and stretch equipment and a harness attached to the climbing frame.

It was 0830 am (took the kids early today as it's so hot) but there were already atleast 6-8 children playing with their parents so not empty.

I approached them and calmly said that the equipment was unsafe and was preventing the children from using the swings so could they please leave.

They didnt look embarrassed at all and said they were almost finished anyway.
After 15 minutes the man had left but the personal trainer was still there slowly pacing away equipment without a care in the world.
I must admit I lost my temper at this point and raised my voice to say it was completely illegal and unsafe for her to use the playground in this way and that I would be sending a photo of her to the local council. Not to mention it's a pandemic.

She was very brazen and told me I needed to calm down and take a muscle relaxant.

All the while no other parents said a word to back me up.
Why is that people dont say anything? That upset me as much as the situation did.

Or am I just an uptight cranky mum who needs to keep quiet?

OP posts:
Bookrat · 07/08/2020 15:02

Children's playgrounds are for children. Many have official signage to this effect. Running a business out of such an area has safety implications on several levels. I probably wouldn't've been brave enough to say anything off my own bat, OP, but I would have backed you up.

Hellohah · 07/08/2020 15:04

Just been on Facebook and my local council have advertised the use of parks for personal fitness training with a video, and they are using their own equipment and the facilities that already there. So very much doubt its illegal.

Lozz22 · 07/08/2020 15:05

Hasn't this thread being on here before? Pretty sure there was an identical one at the start of lockdown!!

bigknickersbigknockers · 07/08/2020 15:05

Shes right.... you need to fuckin relax.

BlogTheBlogger · 07/08/2020 15:06

Why a "muscle" relaxant? Doesnt that just leave you completely immobile, rather than chilled Grin? (visions of the Johnny English scene where they used the wrong syringe...)

VinylDetective · 07/08/2020 15:07

Why a "muscle" relaxant?

For her anal sphincter perhaps?

daisypond · 07/08/2020 15:11

@Hellohah

Just been on Facebook and my local council have advertised the use of parks for personal fitness training with a video, and they are using their own equipment and the facilities that already there. So very much doubt its illegal.
Probably because it is a park, and not a playground. What do you mean by equipment? And does it differentiate between people doing their own thing and those trying to run a commercial business?
woollyheart · 07/08/2020 15:17

Bit surprised with the response on here, considering many of you are parents.

Groups of adults (without children) are generally unwelcome in children's playgrounds because of the risk of child grooming.

Or is it now ok to groom children in playgrounds, because you can just say you are a private trainer?

CatandtheFiddle · 07/08/2020 15:21

Or is it now ok to groom children in playgrounds, because you can just say you are a private trainer?

Now this really is seeing paedophilia around every corner! How on earth do a man & a woman, obviously focused on a fitness routine, there early enough to avoid the children (the OP says that they finished 15 minutes after she arrived) and leaving straight after - how on earth do you get from that to grooming?

God the pearl clutching. Boy calling wolf, anyone?

Brieminewine · 07/08/2020 15:21

Or is it now ok to groom children in playgrounds, because you can just say you are a private trainer?

But it actually was a personal trainer with equipment doing a session with a client, not a bloke in a full length coat doing some other type of workout!

Durgasarrow · 07/08/2020 15:25

I agree with you. If they are in the park, fine. Using children's equipment, not fine.

fascinated · 07/08/2020 15:26

This has given me a great idea — I think I’ll rock up to the day centre and start a preschool gymnastics class with the zimmers!

ScorpioSphinxInACalicoDress · 07/08/2020 15:28

Woollyheart- before you go warp speed ahead with your "it's a peeeeeeedo" rubbish, you might want to read up on the probability of children being groomed by a stranger compared to them being abused by their own grandad. Hmm

BurtsBeesKnees · 07/08/2020 15:30

Or is it now ok to groom children in playgrounds, because you can just say you are a private trainer

With this kind of thought process do you ever go out of your house?

Drumple · 07/08/2020 15:30

How did this get to grooming children?

BlogTheBlogger · 07/08/2020 15:34

@VinylDetective

Why a "muscle" relaxant?

For her anal sphincter perhaps?

Ooooh!! I see!
Nicknacky · 07/08/2020 15:34

woollyheart Please explain to me how this could be grooming, because I’m really not seeing the connection?

lyralalala · 07/08/2020 15:35

@woollyheart

Bit surprised with the response on here, considering many of you are parents.

Groups of adults (without children) are generally unwelcome in children's playgrounds because of the risk of child grooming.

Or is it now ok to groom children in playgrounds, because you can just say you are a private trainer?

A female personal trainer who was obviously training her client is not a grooming risk

Adding this kind of scaremongering to a genuine complaint just turns it into nonsense

weightedpunch · 07/08/2020 15:41

am I just an uptight cranky mum who needs to keep quiet?

Yes.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 07/08/2020 15:44

It's a children's playground. They shouldn't be invading it like this.

PinkFondantFancy · 07/08/2020 15:51

Wow I think you should calm down. Especially the bit about them not packing up fast enough. It was early in the morning, the whole thing was over in 15 mins.

Underhisi · 07/08/2020 15:51

We take 15 year old ds who is disabled to playgrounds. Do we all turn paedo when he is 16 or when he is 18?

ZoeTurtle · 07/08/2020 15:52

Won't somebody PLEASE think of the CHILDREN?

woollyheart · 07/08/2020 16:01

I didn't say that particular trainer was a risk. Just that there is a general rule that children should be able to have access to playgrounds safely, without adults taking over, whether for training or grooming.

lyralalala · 07/08/2020 16:05

@woollyheart

I didn't say that particular trainer was a risk. Just that there is a general rule that children should be able to have access to playgrounds safely, without adults taking over, whether for training or grooming.
When hoards of adults all over the country start hanging around playgrounds then you may have a point

Given that it was a one off circumstance with one incosiderate trainer and client it was a hysterical reply.

The rest of the thread will mostly be about paedo hysteria rather than the OP's actual point about a commercial trader using a chlidren's playground.