See Photos From Our Workout Preview of Northern Liberties’ Piazza Pod Park

Our April Underground event at Piazza Pod Park with Fit Academy’s Osayi Osunde was intense. / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

There’s something so alluring about getting to see an alleged new hotspot — a restaurant, a boutique, a gym — *before* it opens to the public. It’s like you’re part of the it crew, the elite few who get to see whether the space might be worth all its hype.

That wasn’t entirely the case when Be Well Philly Underground recently took over Piazza Pod Park on a sunny, blustery Saturday. None of the tenants in the upcoming mixed-use development, which is full of “pod” storefronts made out of shipping containers, had opened doors yet. It wasn’t like Undergrounders could try Spread Bagelry‘s Montreal-style bagels or sip on a beer from Urban Village Brewing Company in front of their colorful pods. (That’ll come soon.)

BUT we still had the run of the place, thanks to Fit Academy owner Osayi Osunde. He’d set up fitness stations in and adjacent to his own pod but also throughout the entire park to make sure everyone fully explored — and perspired on — the space. Take a look.

We started with an active warm-up. / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Osunde called the shots. / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Then we moved on to various stations, including one with push-ups. /Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Kettlebells! / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

TRX bands! / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Curtsy lunges with weights! / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

More push-ups. / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Ladder jumping! /Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Mini hurdles! / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

A whole lot of jumping. /Photograph by Shaun Luberski

We finished with a minute of partner burpees. / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

And wrapped up with some all-important stretches. / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Then we gathered to celebrate our success. /Photograph by Shaun Luberski

And enjoyed quite the spread. /Photograph by Shaun Luberski

And one lucky Undergrounder won a Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker! / Photograph by Shaun Luberski

Thanks to Osunde for leading such a hardcore workout in an inventive new space and to our sponsors, Verizon and Independence Blue Cross, for helping make Be Well Philly Underground — our monthly series of free pop-up workouts from September through May — possible. If you’re not already on our Underground email list, sign up here.

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