FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The vibes match the heart rate at FTL Free Workout.
The energy is high. You get a warmup, a run and then the real work begins.
The price tag? Zero.
Head coach Chadwick Tyne says there is no catch. The goal is to simply build community.
That was the idea behind FTL Free Workout, which launched in 2023 as a way for people to burn calories while building connections.
“The main thing is just making sure the community has a place where they can meet a couple of times a week and see familiar faces. Make sure we make a big city feel a little bit smaller,” Tyne said. “It really is weird when you look up at 1,000 different boxes — with people in their own mini boxes — and nobody talks to each other. We know that people need a reason to get out of the house, and free is always a reason to get out of the house.”
The initiative grew out of a group of friends from First Baptist Fort Lauderdale who wanted to branch out and connect with more people in the community.
The first workout drew just a handful of people. Years later, the group has exploded in size.
The workouts include seven stations and several different movements, attracting people from all walks of life.
“It keeps me around people who are rooted and just going in the right direction,” said regular, Audra Bailey.
And to be clear, just because the workouts are free does not mean they are easy.
At FTL Free Workout, organizers say people grow in more ways than one. Every rep helps build something bigger, and everyone is welcome.
“We’ve had six-year-olds doing our ladder drills and we’ve had grandma’s doing our ladder drills. So long as you feel you need community, we are the community for you,” Tyne said.
FTL Free Workout meets three days a week. No registration or advance notice is required. Participants can simply show up and try a workout.
The group is also looking to grow its sponsorships as the initiative continues to expand.
FTL Free Workout is part of a broader lineup of free community events that also includes FTL Free Yoga and FTL Free Movies. Click here if you would like to learn more.
Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
