micropolisnyc:

NYC Street Workout Goes Global

Like rap, the street workout, aka “street calisthenics,” aka the “thug workout,” is Made in NYC, but has taken off in Russia, Israel, Spain and other countries. All thanks to the eye-popping moves and physical rigor of New Yorkers like Hannibal for King, the Bartendaz, Barstarzz and other local workout crews.

Me and my co-worker Walyce Almeida spent a lot of time at Wingate Park, in Brooklyn, and elsewhere, exploring the appeal of street calisthenics, along with the debate over whether this emerged from the streets of New York, or the prison system.

We also explored the question of why street workouts are getting international attention but are largely ignored here in New York. For all those answers and much, much more, listen to WNYC!