More than 1,500 UW faculty, staff and students signed up to celebrate movement and community at UW Fitness Day on May 6. From a packed workout on Husky Field to energizing classes and activities across UW Bothell, UW Tacoma and Harborview Medical Center, this year’s event showcased the power of coming together across the University of Washington and UW Medicine.
At the Seattle event, participants gathered on Husky Field for a large-scale community workout experience featuring UW Athletics coaches and student-athletes, campus partners, community fitness instructors and wellness organizations.
Attendees rotated through 16 stations across the field, trying everything from strength and cardio exercises to dance, yoga and recovery activities, all while connecting with coworkers and fellow Huskies. Participants also received exclusive HUSKY STRONG Adidas performance shirts as part of the celebration.
16 stations with incredible community coaches
The workout stations highlighted the incredible breadth of the UW wellness community and beyond. Participants trained alongside coaches, athletes and instructors from across the region, including:
- University of Washington Athletics teams including Football, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Women’s Gymnastics and Men’s and Women’s Soccer
- UW Recreation
- Seattle Bouldering Project
- Equinox
- TruFusion
- shefayoga Roosevelt
- Halea Yoga
- Seattle Dance Fitness
- Brasil in Motion
- Chinese Wushu & Taichi Academy
- The Grinning Yogi
The atmosphere inside Husky Stadium was energetic, welcoming and deeply collaborative. From yoga poses and tai chi to soccer drills, salsa dancing and strength circuits, the event encouraged participants of all fitness levels to move in ways that felt fun and accessible.
4 campus locations
In addition to the Seattle celebration, UW Fitness Day was celebrated across multiple campuses and medical centers.
At UW Bothell, participants joined a yoga flow session in partnership with UW Bothell Recreation. At UW Tacoma, faculty and staff gathered for fitness activities and community connection alongside partners from the University YMCA.
At Harborview Medical Center, employees participated in an outdoor bodyweight workout led by Ampersand Fitness overlooking the city skyline.
Virtual participation
UW Fitness Day also included participation from UW Medicine security teams who joined virtually and supported the spirit of the event from across the health system. We are grateful to our security professionals for the important work they do every day to help keep our campuses, medical centers, patients, employees and communities safe.
What participants had to say
“Happy UW Fitness Day was back this year! Missed it last year! This is my third one 🙂 This year I grabbed a photo with the UW Men’s Soccer team to show my kiddo! The student athletes are so inspiring!”
— Devon Abdallah, Project Manager, Psychiatry Admin
“This was my first time attending UW Fitness Day, and it was a very positive experience. I had a lot of fun and was excited to share it with teammates who couldn’t make it. We’re already talking about planning ahead so our whole team can participate next year, since many of us work remotely, we’ll try to schedule time to be on site that day. It’s a great event that brings people together. The positive energy, the smiles from participants, and the enthusiasm from the emcee and coaches really made it special. Thank you to everyone who helped organize and run this event.”
— Fritzie Ramos, Fiscal Technician 3, Lab Medicine
“This was my first time ever attending this event. I love my school (UW) and my workplace (UW). I have always felt connected to UW as my school, and this event showed how amazing my community is. Keep up the hard work creating events like this. It is amazing to connect with colleagues and find people that you have met in the past through this activity. Love it!”
— Claire Sandoval Navarro, Enrollment Services
“I was able to go with my team this year, and we had a great time! I think it’s a great way to not only promote physical fitness in our lives, but for managers, it’s also a great way to support our teams and provide them with this great University experience. Thank you for putting this event on again!”
— Theresa Wittenberg, Fellowship Program Administrator, Cardiology UH
“I was able to attend the Vinyasa Yoga at the UW Tacoma Y with the instructor, Nick. It was a positive experience where I was able to learn new ways of exercising and stretching on my lunch break. I’ve attended many UW Fitness Days over the years, and I most appreciate when we have unique opportunities at the Tacoma campus. It’s great to have virtual options for Seattle events, but exercising in person feels more joyful.”
— Megan Elizabeth Saunders, Evening Circulation Technician, Library
Thank you to all who joined us!
As one of The Whole U’s Husky Strong signature events, UW Fitness Day was about more than exercise. It was an opportunity to celebrate well-being in all its forms, build community across campuses and create moments of joy and connection together.
UW Fitness Day wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors: Husky Mobile, BECU, Decathlon, TIAA, UW Medicine and UW Athletics.