This content is sponsored by the National Landing BID.
Comprised of three thriving neighborhoods – Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Potomac Yard – National Landing is a fitness enthusiast’s paradise with its wide array of boutique studios, gyms, and easily accessible green space.
National Landing’s more than 26,000 residents benefit from a variety of locally owned studios like Mind Your Body Oasis and South Arlington Fitness and Nutrition, and popular boutique studios such as Orangetheory, CorePower Yoga, and Pure Barre. National Landing also offers nationwide favorites like LA Fitness and Sport & Health, plus Arlington’s only climbing gym, EarthTreks.
With such a wide variety of fitness options, it’s no surprise that Arlington has been recognized as the “Fittest City in America” for the third year running on an index published by the American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation.
“We chose National Landing because it’s an up-and-coming area with a culture focused on fitness and a strong sense of community,” said Pure Barre owner Lauren Lafaye-Benson. “We are thrilled to be able to contribute to the neighborhood,” added Pure Barre operator Haley McGlauflin.
In addition, the National Landing Business Improvement District organizes more than 300 events each year to build community and bring neighbors together. Arlington’s most famous events include the annual Marine Corps Marathon, which has been a fan and participant favorite for over four decades, and the Crosshairs Garage Races, the underground bike race series that takes place in a Crystal City parking garage.
While some events aren’t taking place in person this year, the National Landing BID quickly adapted to virtual programming and now offers a robust lineup of fitness-themed offerings each week, including zumba and Pure Barre.
In partnership with Pacers Running, the BID also sponsored a free month-long mileage challenge for runners and walkers of all levels this fall, and partnered with South Arlington Fitness & Nutrition on an interactive program encouraging whole body wellness and accountability outside of the gym.
“The desire for fitness hasn’t decreased because of COVID,” says Mehdi El-Amine, owner of South Arlington Fitness & Nutrition. “If anything, with the added amount of time everyone is sitting down in front of Zoom these days, the need for nutrition and exercise has increased. For a gym like ours, it’s mostly been a matter of finding new and creative ways to meet our members where they are, and continuing to provide a quality customer experience.”
Blending the best of city living with the convenience of the urban outdoors, the area also provides ample opportunity for outdoor exploration – miles of continuous trails along the scenic Potomac shoreline connect to DC and Alexandria, making this a paradise for cyclists and runners. Plans for an even greener future of outdoor recreation are also underway, with new investment spurring the creation of the next generation of parks. Long Bridge Aquatic Center will bring new public pools and a fitness center for the community to enjoy.
National Landing residents are continuing to stay fit during a challenging time, and this thriving community is embracing the many opportunities available for people of all ages and fitness levels to stay active, fit, and connected to their neighbors.
