In a vacant lot on the corner of Portland Avenue and Carter Street, William Nelson sets up an 8-foot pull up bar, dumbbells, and a few workout benches.
The workout is free at “The Hood Gym.” And the rules are simple.
“Bring your heart, give it your all, and let's grow together as one,” Nelson said. “We all have strengths and weaknesses, but we are all out here to push each other.”
He’s been leading outdoor workouts in the city for the past couple of years. But the corner lot gym is new this summer. More people join in every weekend, Nelson said, and men who participate have created a brotherhood by bonding through life experiences and fitness.
“They love the positivity that comes out of working out, and they want to partake in it. So, I'm going to offer it,” Nelson said.
The makeshift gym is also Nelson’s way of making fitness more accessible. The cost of gym memberships can be a deterrent for some, and Nelson said calisthenic parks are usually on the outskirts of the city. He said the pop-up location – little more than a mile north of downtown -- “keeps it convenient.”
“People just love seeing other people workout. It’s motivational,” Nelson said.
Jayson Huff has been coming to the corner lot for about a month, and said it’s very therapeutic.
“Instead of being in the gym where you feel caged in, out here, you can take your shirt off, feel the breeze,” Huff said. “It's just perfect.”
Some Rochester police officers have also stopped by to workout. Nelson said he sees that as proof that fitness has no barriers and can be a unifier.
“We all struggle as men,” he said. “Whether you’re Black or white, we're here to push each other as men.”
“The Hood Gym” sets up from noon to about 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.
