Prison is not a nice place to be but there are people serving years in there. Those who have never been there have varying perceptions about prison life. However, nothing is further from the truth; prison limits a person’s freedom a lot. Even so, there is plenty of free time in and out of the cell to do a couple of activities. Some inmates prefer reading while others just chat the day away. However, there is a group that is more concerned with their physical wellbeing. They spend most of their time working out in the prison’s gym facility. Unfortunately for some, not all prisons have a fitness center where inmates can work out. There are also luxurious prisons with better facilities than that are outside. Here are 9 Prisons with Impressive Workout Yards in the US and Europe.
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Bastoy Prison, Norway
The Norwegian prison is considered to be one of the most luxurious in the world. Inmates in this prison live better lives than many people outside prison. However, the prison’s workout facilities are the ones that steal the show.
The facility’s gym is equipped with modern state-of-the-art workout equipment. Interested inmates are provided with training programs to help them keep fit. Despite the availability of these resources, the inmates at Bastoy are not violent compared to other prisons. Additionally, hardcore criminals are taken to a regular prison first so they can earn their place at Bastoy.
Bastrop Federal Correctional Institution, Texas
It is among the most populous prisons in the state but that does not strain its gym facilities. Inmates get to wind their boredom away using a variety of workout equipment in the facility. Additionally, prisoners are first taken through a medical exam before they take part in various activities within the prison.
Champ-Dollon Prison Switzerland
Champ-Dollon was once notorious for overcrowding and violence among inmates. However, reforms have seen the conditions in the prison improve greatly. As of now, the prison boasts of triple-occupancy and good facilities. Champ-Dollon fitness center is among the best there are with quality equipment. The gym section is also spacious to accommodate as my inmates as possible at a go.
HMP Addiewell, Scotland
This facility is more of a learning center than a prison. That explains why it has a good gym section where inmates can work out and feel fit. With a population of approximately 700 prisoners, HMP Addiewell’s programs are geared towards giving prisoners a purposeful life. Part of that plan is to provide them with world-class gym facilities.
Mahanoy State Correctional Institution, Pennsylvania
Sitting on a 222-acre piece of land, this luxurious facility is considered the best in the United States. The prison does not only offer mental health programs and rehabilitation but it also provides fitness programs. Its expansive workout area is the envy of other prisons. Most importantly, the facility houses many immigrants who take English classes as a second language.
Justice Center Leoben, Austria
Justice Center Leoben is exclusively meant for non-violent offenders. The inmates are taken through rehabilitation programs that will see them become better citizens in the future. They’re also allowed to work out during their free time using its modern gym facilities. Additionally, the inmates participate in other sporting activities. It is a place inmates who find themselves in other prisons crave to go.
Sandstone Federal Correctional Institution, Minnesota
Sandstone is one of the places in the USA where non-violent offenders are kept. The facility is everything people who find themselves on the wrong side of the law wish for. Did you know that this facility even provides inmates with dental care and prescription glasses? As if that is not enough, the prison has a well-equipped gym where inmates can work out during their leisure time. You will always find this facility among the best prisons in the world, thanks to its outstanding facilities.
Sollentuna Prison, Sweden
Sollentuna Prison’s state-of-the-art gym and private cells make it one of the most luxurious in the world. The facility also has an open kitchen where inmates can prepare their favorite meals. Additionally, the prison has a huge recreational room with a TV and a couch.
Pensacola Federal Prison Camp, Florida
Forbes magazine listed this prison among the best in 2009. Pensacola has earned its place at the top due to many facilities that are meant to make inmates comfortable. Its most notable facilities are a spacious workout yard, a library, and a softball field. Additionally, inmates are allowed to operate a blog and check their emails once in a while. The facility houses high-profile inmates and that explains why its facilities are unmatched.
Aranjuez Prison, Prison (Bonus)
The Spanish correctional facility has unique rules and traditions that are enviable by other similar facilities. It is one of the few prisons where infants are allowed to stay with their incarcerated parents for the first year. Most importantly, the prison has an impressive workout yard where inmates can do fitness exercises. The prison walls are filled with drawings of Disney characters and cribs for the kids. Parents get to experience parenthood and realize the impact of separation from their loved ones when they’re incarcerated.
Overall
Prisons are slowly turning into rehabilitation facilities rather than places of punishment. Part of that effort is equipping them with modern fitness equipment to help prisoners remain in form. Such prisons with impressive workout yards are the ideal places for bodybuilders and aspiring bodybuilders. Unfortunately, those who are incarcerated for various offenses don’t get to choose the prison they’ll be held in. However, most prisons in developed countries have such facilities and you can enjoy them for the entire time in the prison.
Violence among prisoners is the only reason such workout facilities are cast in a bad light because some inmates see fighting as an opportunity to flex their muscles. That explains why most of the facilities with good gyms house non-violent offenders. Maximum security prisons also don’t have very impressive workout spaces. Go through our shop and find out the latest workout equipment and bodybuilding products such as steroids and supplements.