A hidden gem/gym in my city 💪🏻💎👀

I had heard rumblings that some new outdoor fitness equipment had been installed here in my home city of Charleston, WV. I saw one lone article from the University of Charleston announcing the ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 29, 2024.

I knew this amazing addition to our city was free to use for the public, but there were not great details about where exactly on campus it was located. All it said was “The Fitness Court is located between the Boat House and the Morrison Fitness Center on the river lawn.” Since I didn’t know the UC campus very well, I forgot about the fitness area for two whole months. That is until recently when I finally decided to go on an adventure to find the outdoor fitness equipment and test it myself.

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The official name of this area is the Fitness Court. This is part of a National Fitness Campaign here in the USA. Their goal is to provide cities with the best outdoor gyms in the world.

I was uncertain about this bold claim before experiencing it for the first time myself. I can now say however, this is the best outdoor gym that I’ve ever used. I’m stunned that this is not only in my city but also free to use.

There’s an app that is full of videos that explain how to do all of the different exercises.

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I’ve wished for a good outdoor fitness area ever since I stopped teaching aerial yoga in 2017. That was around the same time that I joined Steem. It was a huge transition phase for me. When I stopped being able to do aerial fitness workouts, I knew I was missing out on some of the best exercises this world has to offer.

The Fitness Court consists of equipment that allows me to channel my former aerial practice along with many of my favorite gym exercises. A nice switch-up from all the weightlifting I’ve been doing the last several years.

The Fitness Court is honestly exactly what I’d dream of as an outdoor exercise area. Was this a manifestation? Possibly so. It sure seems like I’m one of the only people who cares enough to use the equipment. I’ve been three times now and I’ve only ever seen one other person there while I was. Let's talk about my experience with the Fitness Court.

After visiting and briefly trying out the equipment for the first time one evening after dinner last weekend, I knew I needed to have a full workout there ASAP.

I decided to go one night before bed around 8 PM. It was empty when I arrived, but thankfully the area was well-lit and felt extremely safe. The Fitness Court is located on the campus of the esteemed University of Charleston private school after all. I expected nothing less than the best. This college may not be huge, but it has a lot of money backing it and is very well taken care of. Not to mention it’s just across the bridge from my apartment.

I loaded up my Bose speaker and a full water jug then was on my way. This ended up being one of the best workouts of 2024 for me. I knew right away that the Fitness Court would be a place I’d be visiting regularly. Part of me was slightly upset about the fact that I’d just let this place exist for 2 months and had not used it until now. The past is the past though, no sense in dwelling. I’m just glad I finally have realized what is right under my nose.

I was feeling amazing after this workout and had a really good pump going. This had me hyped and of course, led to me taking some photos of myself during my walk back to the car.

^{I promise I didn’t just finish loading a dead body in the back of my car in this photo.}

I woke up early for work the next morning as usual. I was decently sore, but it had not even been 12 hours yet, so I hadn’t gotten fully sore yet as I think it takes 24-36 hours to start to feel the aftereffects of a hard workout.

I happened to have some downtime at work and dropped some patients off just down the road from the Fitness Court. I couldn’t help myself and decided to return around 10:30 AM. I was in for my second workout in less than 24 hours. Sure I was sore, but I powered through it and ended up having another fantastic workout. It is official, I’m now addicted to the Fitness Court.

The rings are my favorite part of all the equipment, but there are all sorts of useful things there. You can easily get a bomb chest or back workout in. Your arms are going to feel the burn for sure too. There are plenty of options for leg workouts of course. The most shocking thing your body will experience is the use of many stabilizer muscles that are usually left idle when doing more typical exercises. This is the major benefit of calisthenics over all other forms of fitness. I’ve missed this shit so much, you have no idea.

The Fitness Court gets hit hard with sunlight, which increases the amount of sweat and calories burnt. This is a major plus in my opinion. I love the fact that I can work out shirtless and add to my summer tan. Thankfully there is plenty of shade off to the side for those times where you just need a break.

One of the best parts about the Fitness Courts is the location. It sits right on the Kanawha River and has an amazing view of our iconic golden Capitol Dome. As mentioned before, it is a mere 6 minutes from my apartment. You just can’t beat this. There is no safer place in our city and I get to enjoy the beauty of nature. This is everything I’d ask for in an outdoor fitness area. It is officially my second home now as I’ll be going to the Fitness Courts several times per week.

I’m so happy this exists. I really couldn’t be more thankful for such a thing. Shoutout to Dave Hendrickson and Chris Reed for funding such an amazing thing. Charleston has needed something like this for so long. Now that it is here, I’m going to make sure I don’t let it go to waste.

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