03/14/22 was a fantastic and beautiful morning at the Muscle Beach Gym on the Venice Boardwalk.  Not only was it blue skies and almost 70 degrees, it was the long awaited reopening of the great Muscle Beach Gym, or The Pit as it known to locals.  Refurbished in gleaming chrome, top of the food chain equipment including: power racks, benches, cable set ups, squat racks, machines, and more, the beloved facility was officially opened for training with  speeches, a ceremonial ribbon cutting, and much fanfare from all in attendance. The crowd ranged from old school Muscle Beach lifters,  social media influencers, and press, to politicians, fitness enthusiasts, local business owners, and everyone in between.

The brass from the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, and the staff from Venice Beach Recreation Center, put the event on, and  Venice Paparazzi, along with a slew of other press, came out to cover it.

Speakers included:

  • Mike Shull, General Manager – City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks
  • Sonya Young Jimenez, Superintendent of Venice Beach and West Region.  City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks
  • Joe Halper- RAP Board of Commissioner member
  • Carolyn Ramsey- LA Parks Foundation Executive Director
  • Alex Stowell, Founder of Team Venice Beach, Venice Beach Sports Day, and Venice Paparazzi

Long time Venice Beach Recreation and Parks staffers Ruby Kumagi and Terry Talbot, along with Senior Recreation Director Melody Valenzuela Gutierrez, were on site to sign people up for memberships.  It is $10 for a day pass, $50 for a week,  $200 for an entire year and only $100 for the year for seniors.  Steal!  View rates below!

So, it is time to get your yoke on homie!  You know, take that stroll, Big Swoll!  That’s right, The Pit is open.   Put some iron in your diet and head on over!

A huge fist bump to all the folks involved in getting the great Muscle Beach back up and running, including the construction company who made the equipment, Mude from Brazil,  and Childs Play, who did the installation. Thank you!

View photos by Venice Paparazzi’s Edizen Stowell

Alex Stowell, Joe Halper, Mike Shull, Carolyn Ramsey, and Juan

Here is a message from City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks’s Sonya Young Jimenez.    We are extremely happy to have Muscle Beach open and ready for use.  Excited to see all the new, shiny equipment, muscle beach signs and happy faces.  Please go to our Muscle Beach page at laparks.org/venice for more details.

Mike Shull, General Manager – City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks

Joe Halper- RAP Board of Commissioner member

Carolyn Ramsey- LA Parks Foundation Executive Director

Venice Paparazzi, Visit Venice CA, and Team Venice Beach founder Alexander Stowell.

Click here to view Venice Paparazzi’s Alex Stowell’s speech!

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The ribbon cutting

Venice Beach Recreation Center’s Ruby Kumagai

The first three to get memberships at Muscle Beach Gym: Ike Catcher, Edizen Stowell and Alex Stowell. 🙂

Long time Venice resident and actor Mulky gets his membership!

German Mike (youtube: German in Venice) and Santa Monica Close Ups’ Fabian Lewkowicz

City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks’s Sonya Young Jimenez

A big thank you to City of LA workers Steve, Fernando and Carlos,  and to the Venice Beach Bid for cleaning up and getting Muscle Beach Gym re-opened


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Come train  outdoors with us at Muscle Beach Gym!  Here are the rates!

  • Address: 1800 Ocean Front Walk. Venice, Ca 90291
  • Main Office/310.396.6764
  • Muscle Beach Gym/ 310.399.2775


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Venice Paparazzi Fun Fact:

VP’s Edizen worked at Venice Beach Recreation and Parks in 2005.  Victor hired her. Here is Edizen with her co-workers Randy, Marvin, Kenny, Terry Talbot, David Ruiz, and Gus Zermeno posing it down on the stage of Muscle Beach Gym.  Fun!
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Looking for your photo?  View all event pics here!

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To learn more about Venice Beach Recreation Center, visit laparks.org/venice

Looking for additional fun things to do in Venice, California?

Need photographers or a photo booth?  Hire your local photographers Venice Paparazzi.

 

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