Virginia Beach, Va. - A free fitness movement has folks shouting atop Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach at the crack of dawn.
One by one, people show up as strangers and become instant support systems in a judgment-free fitness zone.
“We usually start the workouts with hugs and then things grow,” said group leader John DeBoer.
DeBoer and Amy Killeen are co-leaders of the November Project: Virginia Beach. It's one of the latest additions to the national grassroots free fitness movement.
A few years ago, college friends Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric started leading free workoutsin Boston. The movement has since grown to several cities across the nation.
"Every Wednesday across those 19 cities in the morning there will be approximately 3,000 different people working out for free," DeBoer said.
"We try to make the workouts fun so you`re doing something different every time you come," said Killeen. "So you don`t know what to expect which makes it a little bit exciting."
The Virginia Beach group started with four people in January, and has grown to nearly three dozen.
"From the beginning, you come to a November Project meeting, you`re welcomed with a hug and you`re treated like family," said Nick King. "There`s no negativity here. Only positivity."
"You don`t have to be an athlete," said John Vidana. "You can just do whatever you want to get in shape."
The November Project: Virginia Beach meets every Wednesday at Mount Trashmore at 6:15 a.m.
