June 25, 2026
Independence Blue Cross/Provided Image
Staff from ENGAGE Personal Training in Malvern recently demonstrated how to use the new outdoor gym called the Fitness Court at Charlestown Township Park in Chester County.
Chester County has an elaborate new outdoor gym, installed as part of a national campaign to encourage exercise and combat obesity.
The infrastructure is called a Fitness Court and it features seven stations that enable people to get a workout in seven minutes.
The Fitness Court was funded by Independence Blue Cross as part of the National Fitness Campaign. The $100 million initiative will work in collaboration with schools and municipalities to build 5,000 outdoor gyms across the country by 2030.
"By investing in accessible, welcoming spaces like this, we’re helping remove barriers to healthier lifestyles and ensuring more residents across Chester County have opportunities to stay active and connected close to home,” Marian Moskowitz, vice chair of the Chester County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement.
Last year, approximately 37% of the people in the United States were obese, down slightly from a record-high of nearly 40% in 2022, a recent Gallup poll reports. The drop is due in part to the rise in GLP-1 weight-loss medications. More than 34% of adults and more than 15% of children in Pennsylvania are obese, according to statistics from the Obesity Action Network, a national nonprofit advocacy group.
Obesity is a chronic condition that increases the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and other serious health issues.
The Fitness Court is located at Charlestown Township Park, which already had play structures, basketball courts, picnic pavilions and a one-mile paved trail. The new outdoor gym is designed for people 14 and older and adaptable to different fitness levels.
People can use the Fitness Court app for workout challenges and metrics to help people track their exercise goals and outcomes.
Horsham Township in Montgomery County also has a Fitness Court at Lukens Park at 540 Dresher Road.
Other municipalities, schools and organizations throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania that own accessible public space may apply for grants to help build Fitness Courts, according to IBX.
