Teens shaping up at health clubs
By Theresa Agovino
Associated Press
NEW YORK — Lori Robinson was excited when she learned that her health club had another gym catering to children — she thought it was an excellent idea for her two teenage daughters, who were slightly overweight.
Alan Marler • Associated Press
"They are not overly involved in sports at school so this is a good way for them to get exercise," said Robinson, of Fairview, N.C.
Kim Hreha, right, helps Christy Sales with her workout inside Ladies Workout Express in Asheville, N.C. Hreha, who owns the gym, started a program called Cardio Kids in September 2003 because clients at her gym said their children weren't getting enough exercise at school.
Her daughter Brittany, 15, has become a fan of Cardio Kids, the gym where she takes kick boxing and step aerobic classes. Her sister Kayla has been sidelined by an operation, but hopes to get back to the gym, too.
"I had a weird feeling (at first) because I'd never done anything like this before," said Brittany, who has lost about 15 to 20 pounds since joining the gym. "You have fun when you lose weight."
The childhood obesity epidemic combined with cuts to schools' physical education budgets has inspired commercial gyms and health clubs to launch programs aimed at those under 18. The idea appeals to kids, and also to parents looking to help their children develop a healthy lifestyle or improve their chances of winning an athletic scholarship or a spot on a sports team.
The programs are a growing source of revenue for the health club business. The number of gym members under the age of 18 rose 29 percent to 4.5 million in the five years ended in 2003, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association.
Kim Hreha started Cardio Kids in September 2003 because clients at her other gym, Ladies Workout Express, said their children weren't getting enough exercise at school, and the mothers also worried about the kids playing outside after school without supervision.
"We want to give kids a safe alternative (for exercise)," said Hreha, whose gyms are located in Asheville, N.C. "It is a relaxed atmosphere and kids don't even know they are working out."
Health club executives say marketing to the young makes sense because hooking people on fitness early can create lifelong clients.
"We are in the membership business and we've been going about this backwards," said Lori Lowell, National Group Fitness Director for Gold's Gym International Inc. and owner of two Gold's franchises. "We should cater to young people."
Lowell said all of Gold's 40 company-owned clubs and some of its 500 franchised gyms in the United States offer activities for kids. She is trying to develop children's programs that could be rolled out across the country. But creating a program with nationwide appeal might be a challenge.
For example, the Gold's Gym in Bee Caves, Texas, started a tumbling and gymnastic program for kids 3 to 7 in February that was successful, according to Tricia DeTurris, the company's group fitness director for the Austin, Texas, area. However, tumbling classes at three other locations haven't been as popular.
DeTurris said Bee Caves' location, in an affluent community with a fair number of stay-at-home moms who can drive their kids to classes, may account for the difference. Scheduling the classes later, after parents get home, is one option, but DeTurris said programs can't be held too late in the evening because children won't be able to attend and the classes could cut into time slots set aside for adult club members.
Timing kids' classes isn't the only obstacle. Instructors must have the right mix of patience and energy while classes must be tailored to children's needs. Children's yoga sessions tend to be more active and less static than those for adults, said Cheryl Jones, vice president for program and services for Town Sports International, which owns 140 clubs in the northeast and Washington, D.C.
Jones said 15 of her company's clubs offer activities for kids including swimming programs, soccer and various classes. The company plans to test a class for 7-to-11-year-olds designed to improve their strength, agility and flexibility through activities such as sprinting, tossing medicine balls and climbing ladders.
