DAN RYAN WOODS — Beverly’s John Ford was amongst the crowd of some 300 people at Dan Ryan Woods Saturday morning who were running and doing jumping jacks and pushups, among other exercises.

It was the 35-year-old Ford’s fifth week coming out to the forest preserve near Auburn-Gresham and Beverly to work out with South Side Sweats, a new fitness club focused on building community around exercise and addressing the disparity in work-out opportunities on the South Side.

“I came up here, and there were hundreds of people just working out. Younger, older, Black, white, everybody is welcoming, and it’s just been a great community organization,” said Ford, who grew up playing soccer at Dan Ryan Woods, 8700 S. Western Ave., and was ecstatic when he saw an Instagram post for the group.

Members of South Side Sweats run to the next fitness station while participating in a group fitness workout at Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The free community workout includes running, bodyweight exercises and other fitness activities. Credit: Octavio Jones for Block Club Chicago

Ford, a teacher, said he was aware of no other workout clubs in the neighborhood other than South Side Sweats.

“I love to come out. You get to meet new people, you get to have fun. Everybody talks after, and it’s just a good time,” he said. 

South Side Sweats has met weekly at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays since June. Participants run over a mile during the hour-long workout, including up Dan Ryan Wood’s hill and newly installed staircase. Along the way, they stop at stations to do exercises including pushups, jumping lunges, jump squats, flutter kicks and burpees.

Workouts are held rain or shine and are free and open to everyone, said the club’s founder, Cayra Williams. 

Founder Cayra Williams congratulates members of South Side Sweats on completing the group fitness workout at Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago, Ill., Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. The free community workout includes running, bodyweight exercises and other fitness activities. Credit: Octavio Jones for Block Club Chicago

A Vast Difference In Exercise Options

A Chatham resident, Williams, 23, was motivated to start the group after seeing the difference between health and exercise options in other parts of the city compared to the South Side, especially during her first summer home after graduating from Emory University in 2024 and starting her career.

“Working Downtown, I saw a vast difference between the gym and health vibe up north versus down south,” she said. “I got to see those differences every day when getting off the Monroe Red Line Station, and people are running, but when you come to the South Side it’s just very different. 

“I was not a fan of [the disparity], and every time my first summer home when I would want to work out in a group on Saturday, I would have to go up north,” she said.

A member of South Side Sweats participates in a group fitness workout at Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The free community workout includes running, bodyweight exercises and other fitness activities. Credit: Octavio Jones for Block Club Chicago

Last fall, Williams started hosting small free bi-monthly workouts at Foster Park in Auburn Gresham.

“Looking back, I view it as my professional development,” the financial analyst said. “I did not know what I was doing because I am not a fitness instructor.” 

Williams slowly built a team and gained more experience through indoor workouts in the winter. She connected with other people passionate about fitness to serve as volunteer coaches.

For the first workouts in Dan Ryan Woods in June, only about 20 people showed up — now about 300 attend each week. The group’s Instagram page has also grown from 300 followers to over 18,000. 

“People love the challenge. They love that every time it’s a different route, they don’t know what to expect. And people just love the community,” Williams said.

A member of South Side Sweats does pushups while participating in a group fitness workout at Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The free community workout includes running, bodyweight exercises and other fitness activities. Credit: Octavio Jones for Block Club Chicago

‘United In Something Positive And Productive’

Saturday’s workout marked Andrei Nelson’s first time working out with South Side Sweats. The 26-year-old teacher enjoyed the challenge. 

“The hardest thing is really the constant movement and endurance. It was helpful though. It definitely had me rethinking how fit I am,” Nelson said. 

Despite being tired after the hour-long workout, Nelson said he would be back the following week. 

“I am big on community, community is common unity. It’s nice that we can be united in something positive and productive,” Nelson said. 

Kirk Roberts, a lead trainer motivates members of South Side Sweats who are participating in a group fitness workout at Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The free community workout includes running, bodyweight exercises and other fitness activities. Credit: Octavio Jones for Block Club Chicago

Oak Park resident Dessalina Day, 52, attended the workout for the first time Saturday after learning about the group on social media. Day, who said she has some medical issues, worked out briskly over the course of the hour.

“This is a good way to keep me motivated and go to the next marker with this group. It’s very nice and everyone is welcoming and encouraging,” she said. 

When South Side Sweats popped up on Nick Kinsella’s Instagram page, he knew he had to participate. A suburban Evergreen Park resident, Kinsella, 38, appreciates the time and effort the organizers put into each workout.  

“A lot of people talk about forming community and organizing something like this, and they actually did it,” Kinsella said. “I don’t know how this is free. They are legit world class.”

Aisha Latiker, a member of South Side Sweats performs abdominal exercises while participating in a group fitness workout at Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The free community workout includes running, bodyweight exercises and other fitness activities. Credit: Octavio Jones for Block Club Chicago

Matthew Cole Sr. a member of South Side Sweats performs planks while participating in a group fitness workout at Dan Ryan Woods in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The free community workout includes running, bodyweight exercises and other fitness activities. Credit: Octavio Jones for Block Club Chicago

City public health reports have shown Black Chicagoans suffer health disparities, including in life expectancy, homicide rates and infant mortality, that rooted in historic inequities. Then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2021 declared racism a public health crisis in Chicago.

Residents in North Side neighborhoods live on average much longer, according to city data. Williams hopes South Side Sweats can help address the life expectancy gap between the North and South sides.

“There are a bunch of reasons for that; you can talk about violence, food deserts, poverty, all that type of stuff, but health and having a space to work out, having a space to connect, that’s like part one of it,” Williams said.

Williams said South Side Sweats plans to continue to meet weekly at Dan Ryan Woods into mid-September. The club plans to have other programming in the fall and winter after closing out the current weekly series. 

Organizers plan to host a “Victory Lap” celebration from 6-10 p.m. Saturday at Park Manor 75, 600 E. 75th St. Tickets, which include entry and light bites, are $22.50. More information is available on the group’s Instagram page.