|Photo by Emma Delk|The John Marshall High School Monarchs mascot does a back workout at the new Moundsville Outdoor Fitness Center.
Moundsville residents can now work up a sweat at the city’s new outdoor fitness center without using a gym’s weight bench or treadmill.
The $160,000 center in East End Park has seven training stations where residents can exercise using their body weight.
At the ribbon cutting for Wednesday’s event, local fitness instructor Marcy Harrer demonstrated a variety of exercises that residents 14 and older can try at each station.
The seven stations are: “core” for the abdominal muscles, “squat” for the legs, “push” for the chest and arms, “lunge” for the legs, “pull” for the back and biceps, and “agility” for cardio. , the “hyper extension” of stretching.
Residents can create a training plan for the center and use the Fitness Court app for guidance. The app allows users to enter information such as age and fitness level and receive a personalized training plan at the center.
The app is run by the National Fitness Campaign, and the outdoor fitness court is one of NFC’s programs to encourage healthy activity in communities across the country. City Manager Rick Healy said he first came across one of NFC’s outdoor fitness centers last spring and immediately brought the idea to the City Council.
After the City Council approved establishing the center, the city received a $30,000 state grant from NFC as a first step toward establishing the court. In addition to the NFC grant, the city received three major sponsors: WVU Medical Court, Evan G. Roberts Trust and EQT Corporation. The city paid for the rest of the center’s costs with funds from its recreation fund, which was funded by a 1% sales tax.
At the ribbon cutting, Healy said he and Parks and Recreation Director John White have been working on the project for “over a year.” Other city officials and employees also gathered with courthouse patrons Wednesday to celebrate the addition of the courthouse to the city.
“This is really a wellness partnership that the city started, bringing in our partners and allowing us to spread this throughout our community,” Healy said. “Fitness Court removes barriers to accessible community programs to help reduce the risk of developing chronic but preventable diseases by living a healthy lifestyle and practicing healthy habits on a regular basis. This is a great example of a public-private partnership that helps take preventive measures.
Mayor Sarah Woodshaw said the courts will be available to a variety of Moundsville residents because they are designed for factors such as fitness level, age and mobility. On-court workouts are suitable for all fitness levels, and residents can move through the stations at their own pace.
“Under the leadership of Parks and Recreation Director John White, we have made many improvements to help people of all ages enjoy our parks and live healthy lifestyles,” Woodshaw said. said. “This is a welcome addition to Moundsville’s parks and recreation infrastructure.”
Wood Shaw was excited to see local fitness instructors conducting fitness classes on the court in the future.
“Marcy (Hurler) has been talking about holding classes here, so I’m excited about the future of the courthouse,” Woodshaw said. “This is not only an opportunity for individuals to get outside and exercise, but we also hold fitness classes here at the center and offer additional fitness classes such as yoga in the park as a range of options to improve people’s health and wellness. I think there will be an opportunity to hold a health event. ”
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