Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Human Powered River Gym Still Just a Dream in NYC
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 24, 2008
Modified Jul 24, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 5
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 24, 2008
Modified Jul 24, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Yesterday Inhabitat reminded us about that River Gym idea that was, er, floated back in 2005 as part of New York Magazine's contest for forward-thinking gym concepts. Dr. Mitchell Joachim and Douglas Joachim's idea for a floating gym is premised on "transforming wasted human mechanical energy into a useful kinetic gymnasium." Their eco-friendly gym would harness the energy usually lost during New Yorkers' workouts and use it to power boats back and forth across the Hudson and East Rivers.
So whatever happened to that? Well, nothing in New York, but Dr. Joachim, an adjunct professor at Columbia, tells us that the idea of utilizing exercise energy is catching on elsewhere. He writes:
It seems they copied the River Gym in Hong Kong. And now the Swiss are making offers to us. Although, we have no protection there either. As far as I'm concerned the River Gym is an elective and free design concept, that anyone willing may interpret for their own use. However, they should hire us for the expertise in making it possible.
Indeed, a non-floating gym in Hong Kong called California Fitness is using cycling and cross-training machines to generate electricity. The owner asserts, "One person has the ability of producing 50 watts of electricity per hour when exercising at a moderate pace….If a person spends one hour per day running on the machine, he/she could generate 18.2 kilowatts of electricity and prevent 4,380 liters of CO2 released per year."
Given the Bloomberg administration's big talk about sustainable energy, fitness, and reducing traffic congestion, the River Gym would seem like a no-brainer. And if the cabaret laws are ever relaxed, maybe we can get one of those Sustainable Dance Clubs, like the one that's opened in London!
Tagged
environment
floating gym
green
human powered
new york
nyc
river gym
sustainable
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Police arrest man in Queens stabbings that ended with officer shooting woman
The arrest stems from a reported home invasion and stabbings on Friday.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 27, 2026 at 12:06 p.m. ET
Early Addition: It's been a while since it rained
Because it's dry, here are your early links: McCarren Park teens love the mayor, Long Island castle being auctioned off, an update on the 1 a.m. dining scene and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: It's been a while since it rained
Because it's dry, here are your early links: McCarren Park teens love the mayor, Long Island castle being auctioned off, an update on the 1 a.m. dining scene and more.
By
James Ramsay
Ex-boyfriend of woman found in shallow grave in Queens charged with murder, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
ICE used a warehouse in NJ. Locals are ‘frustrated’ by Sherrill’s response.
By
Mike Hayes
NY Gov. Hochul once resisted a data center pause. Now it’s central to her campaign.
By
Jon Campbell
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .