OUT-FIT for Ethimo Flexes the Appeal of Exercising Outdoors

The OUT-FIT outdoor gym by Studio Adolini for Ethimo looks nothing like most home gyms, and that’s completely intentional. Where traditional weight racks are made with thick gauge steel – heavy both in weight and appearance for an industrial aesthetic best relegated to the garage – the OUT-FIT is designed to transform a backyard deck, terrace, garden, park, or rooftop into your own miniature boutique gym “for keeping fit surrounded by nature.”

Modern house with an OUT-FIT outdoor gym area set on a wood deck, equipped with a punching bag, gymnastic rings, and weights on a wooden platform surrounded by trees.

Combining a pergola-like metal frame with a teak slat shade, the open-air pavilion dedicated to sweat-inducing activities ratchets down the intimidation factor associated with a traditional squat rack or functional trainer for a more relaxed resort-style atmosphere. The partially shaded structure could easily be mistaken for a beachside cabana from afar; seen up close, the design taps into childhood memories of staying fit through the practice of play.

Underside view of OUT-FIT outdoor gym's metal frame and teak wood slats.

OUT-FIT home gym featuring a wooden floor, pull-up bars, a punching bag, and rings, set indoors in a lounge area with a couch and table.

A modern teak slat and metal OUT-FIT outdoor gym structure casting a shadow on a wooden floor in bright sunlight viewed from an angled overhead perspective.

Equipped with a faux leather mat, heavy punching bag, leather bench for push and pull reps, hanging wooden rings, and exercise band, all encased in an arrangement of parallel, ladder, and hanging bars to monkey around on, you won’t be lacking for options despite the OUT-FIT’s abbreviated floor plan.

Modern metal frame and teak slat OUT-FIT outdoor gym set in front of a minimalist gray residence with large glass doors, surrounded by tall green trees.

Add your own dumbbells and kettlebells and you can really pack on the muscle, but the four-poster layout with its various options for climbing, hanging, pushing, and pulling offer various proven means of achieving fitness via calisthenics. The OUT-FIT’s compact size paired with its simple construction offers a configuration appropriate for private backyards or for hospitality.

3D rendering of a multifunctional OUT-FIT outdoor gym setup with a bench, punching bag, gymnastic rings, and a ladder, all within a cube-like metal structure.

Designed by Romano and Niccolò Adolini of Studio Adolini – a father and son practice focusing on architecture, design, and graphics – the OUT-FIT represents the studio’s first foray into the realm of fitness. While the Adolinis’ cite classic gym equipment as a source of inspiration, one look at the studio’s past exhibition stand designed for Ceramica Tecla points toward some studied re-appropriation of metal frame structure. Because what is a trade show event but one big exercise in endurance?

To configure your own OUT-FIT visit ethimo.com.

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.