FITNESS THAT'S FUN GYMS LURE KIDS WITH CLASSES, GAMES.Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer It's nearly 6 p.m. and a tucked-away storefront on Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east-west thouroughfares in the San Fernando Valley; as it was originally a part of the El Camino Real (the trail between Spanish missions), Ventura Boulevard is the oldest route in the San Fernando Valley. It was also U.S. is jumping. Literally. Nine kids of assorted ages are jumping rope, bouncing on trampolines and springing forward -- hopscotch style -- on a rope ladder that instructor Madison Chioles has placed on the ground. Chioles joins the group, calling out instructions and taking her place on a trampoline trampoline Resilient sheet or web (often of nylon) supported by springs in a metal frame and used as a springboard and landing area in tumbling. Trampolining is an individual sport of acrobatic movements performed after rebounding into the air from the trampoline. for a face-off or a race. "I think I get more of a workout than all you guys," she says as the session winds down. Asked how many consecutive jumps she could do with her jump rope jump rope or skip rope Children's game in which players hold a rope (jump rope) at each end and twirl it in a circle, while one or more players jump over it each time it reaches its lowest point. , 7 1/2-year-old Saba Darvish of Tarzana nonchalantly non·cha·lant adj. Seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent. See Synonyms at cool. [French, from Old French, present participle of nonchaloir, to be unconcerned : non-, estimates "100." Given her enthusiasm for the activity -- and for attending the regular Wednesday "Jump Around" class -- that's probably accurate. It didn't take much to get Saba or her 5 1/2-year-old brother, Sasha, into class at the kid's gym Active Youth Fitness, open since January. Saba is a big fan of the recent Disney Channel  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. movie "Jump
In!" -- a tribute to the art of double dutch double dutch also double Dutch n. A game of jump rope in which players jump over two ropes swung in a crisscross formation by two turners. . "They have so much fun," says their mother, Sandy. "They keep asking me, 'When is it going to be Wednesday?' " That type of giddy excitement is a valuable thing, say operators and trainers at local kids' gyms. When you're having fun, you don't necessarily realize you're doing something that's good for you. A new crop of local kids' gyms is trying to tap such enthusiasm and get a leg up on the growing trend of kid-centric fitness centers. Some are connecting exercise equipment to video games See video game console. while others are offering adult-style classes with a youthful twist. Think Tai Chi Tai Chi Definition T'ai chi is a Chinese exercise system that uses slow, smooth body movements to achieve a state of relaxation of both body and mind. Funk and Hopilates (a mix of Pilates and hip-hop dance). A healthy goal While the focus on fun is great, fitness and healthy lifestyle choices are the ultimate goal, says Active Youth Fitness co-owner Camille Reyes, 23, adding that Active Youth also holds monthly nutrition seminars that kids and parents can attend together. "A lot of parents don't have the time to make sure their children go out and play," says Reyes. "Surveys say that kids should have at least one hour of exercise a day. I believe most kids aren't getting that." Research data appears to bear out Reyes' assertion. A pair of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys -- referenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. -- show that the prevalence of obesity has more than quadrupled among children ages 6 to 11 between 1971 and 2004. The same data indicates that 18.8 percent of Americans ages 6 to 11 are overweight. A 2006 study by the International Journal of Pediatric pediatric /pe·di·at·ric/ (pe?de-at´rik) pertaining to the health of children. pe·di·at·ric adj. Of or relating to pediatrics. Obesity ominously predicted that nearly half of the children in North and South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. would be overweight by 2010. American preschoolers aren't outside the danger zone either. The NHANES NHANES National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (US CDC) data estimates that 13.9 percent of 2- to 5-year-olds are overweight. Mommy-and-me facilities such as My Gym have been offering parents a place to bring their tykes and instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in  stil·la tion n. the principles of health and good
living since 1983. The company has more than a dozen franchisees in the
L.A. area, with new My Gyms scheduled to open soon in Mexico City Mexico CitySpanish Ciudad de México City (pop., 2000: city, 8,605,239; 2003 metro. area est., 18,660,000), capital of Mexico. Located at an elevation of 7,350 ft (2,240 m), it is officially coterminous with the Federal District, which occupies 571 sq mi . New way to play "Over the last 11 years, since I first got involved, there has been a huge change in the way kids play," says Edwin Chavez, who operates My Gyms in Northridge and Valencia and who will help get the Mexico City site off the ground. Michelle Bell of Northridge sat watching her 2 1/2-year-old son Ethan frolic Frolic - A Prolog system in Common Lisp. ftp://ftp.cs.utah.edu/pub/frolic.tar.Z. in a ball pit during a My Gym Gymsters class for 1- and 2-year-olds.Not yet in preschool, Ethan is getting important socialization socialization /so·cial·iza·tion/ (so?shal-i-za´shun) the process by which society integrates the individual and the individual learns to behave in socially acceptable ways. so·cial·i·za·tion n. as well as a few early gymnastic maneuvers. While small, child-friendly facilities get the toddlers climbing, exploring and bouncing, gyms designed for school-age children are going after a different niche. Range of activities And for different age ranges, you need variety, gym operators say. "Jump Around" is a favored class at Active Youth, but it's hardly the only class on the menu. The gym, which targets 6- to 16-year-olds, also offers boot camp Software from Apple that enables an Intel x86-based Macintosh to host the Windows XP operating system. Boot Camp is used to divide the hard disk into Windows and Mac partitions, to install the necessary drivers and to create a dual boot environment. , yoga, kickboxing and Sports Skillz. Shirin Aghakhani, 9, has sampled many of them. She enjoys Jump Around the most. "Push-ups were hard for me in the beginning. Crunches and sit ups, I can't do them," says Shirin, who adds that her goal is weight loss. "But Madison (the instructor) is going to help me. This really helps with improving my upper-body strength." The roster at another kids' gym, Generation Now Fitness in Chatsworth, is equally diverse. Turbo Jam kickboxing, Kung Fu kung fu Pinyin gongfu Chinese martial art that is simultaneously a spiritual and a physical discipline. It has been practiced at least since the Zhou dynasty (1111–255 BC). Fit, Tai Chi Funk and Hip Hop hip-hop or hip hop n. 1. A popular urban youth culture, closely associated with rap music and with the style and fashions of African-American inner-city residents. 2. Rap music. adj. Pilates are all on the menu. During free time, young clients can burn some energy on a Dance Dance Revolution Dance Dance Revolution, a.k.a. DDR and Dancing Stage in Europe, is a music video game series produced by Konami. It was first introduced to Japanese video arcades in 1998, after being shown at the Tokyo Game Show earlier that year. pad or pedal a specially configured exercise bike linked to a PlayStation 2. Among the "really cool gym equipment" offerings, Knuckleheads of Newbury Park boasts interactive bikes, the trampoline-like Airbounder, Virtual Reality Snowboarding and a Sportwall that's like a flat punching bag with illuminated targets. Weighty issues The owners of Active Youth and Generation Now had a personal stake in the creation of their gyms. Reyes' 9-year-old younger brother Wiki is aware of the following uses of "'Younger Brother":
Generation Now owner Jane Silber also was overweight as a kid and wanted a healthier childhood for her 9-year-old daughter, Rachel. "I was called baby elephant (as a kid)," Silber, 42, said. "I didn't want that for her." Silber said she was paying a personal trainer $100 a week to work with Rachel before she opened Generation Now. She felt the payments were a waste because the trainer treated Rachel like an adult and achieved poor results. Now, all of Silber's Generation Now trainers are certified to work with kids. When Silber had trouble finding circuit equipment designed for kids ages 5 to 17, she ordered a scaled-down custom set and painted it bright colors. "You get something out of training that age range, vs. training adults. There's so much more empowerment to it," says Active Youth Fitness' Reyes. "With kids, it's not about physical looks or about working out. It's about having fun and learning." Evan Henerson, (818) 713-3651 evan.henerson@dailynews.com For kids only: local gyms Active Youth Fitness What: Just five months old, this new gym targets kids ages 6 to 16 with classes such as Yoga, Kickboxing, Hip Hop Dance Hip hop dance refers to dance styles, mainly street dance styles, primarily danced to hip hop music, or that have evolved as a part of the hip hop culture. The first and original dance associated with hip hop is breakdance, which appeared in New York City during the early , Gymnastics and Sports Skillz (which teaches the basics of football, basketball, baseball and soccer). Where: 19235 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 757-1052; www.activeyouthfitness.com. Hours: 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Sunday is reserved for private parties. Price: A package of 10 classes is $135. Single classes are $15 each. Generation Now Fitness What: Open since August, this gym caters to kids ages 5 to 17 with classes including Tai Chi Funk, Hopilates (a combination of Pilates and hip-hop dance) and Cardio Kickboxing. It also offers a 10-foot-high rotating climbing wall, PlayStation 2 games This is a list of about 1700 games for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game system, both released and unreleased, organized alphabetically by name. This list is based on the English titles of the games. See Lists of video games for related lists. connected to stationary bikes and Dance Dance Revolution machines. Where: 10230 Mason Ave., Chatsworth, (818) 882-8200; www.generationnowfitness.com. Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Price: Platinum membership is $90 per month or $150 for three months. Knuckleheads Gym What: Open for barely a month, this 2,000-square-foot gym for kids ages 8 to 15 prides itself on interactivity. There's a virtual reality snowboard machine, a multiplayer cycling game that connects stationary bikes to video from real bike trails, and wireless beacon belts that turn kids into human joy sticks controlling games on a 50-inch LCD screen. Where: 2080 Newbury Road, Suite C, Newbury Park, (805) 499-8700; www.knuckleheadsgym.com. Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Sunday is reserved for private birthday parties. Price: Limited memberships start at $29 per month. My Gym What: This national gym chain, open since 1983, offers fitness classes for toddlers through junior-high students. The Cardio Kids class for children ages 7 to 13 combines a cardio workout with strength and flexibility training in a four-station circuit course. The Terrific Tots class for kids 2 to 3 teaches pre-gymnastics and beginning sports skills. Where: More than a dozen gyms in the Los Angeles area, including 9420 Reseda Blvd., Suite 12, Northridge, (818) 998-7496; www.my-gym.com. Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Saturday afternoon and Sunday are reserved for private birthday parties. Price: 10-week sessions are $170. The price includes one class and one free-play session per week. -- Nancy Dillon CAPTION(S): 6 photos, box Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) ON THE COVER: Saba Abrishami, 7, hops across markers in a class at Active Youth Fitness. (2 -- color) Youngsters start a race with instructor Madison Chioles in a kids' excercise class at Active Youth Fitness in Tarzana. (3 -- color) Nathy Abebe, 6, does sit-ups in a kids' exercise class at Active Youth Fitness. (4 -- color) Girls work out at Generation Now Fitness in Chatsworth. In addition to exercise machines, the gym also features classes such as Tai Chi Funk, Hopilates (a combination of hip-hop dance and Pilates) and stationary bikes connected to PlayStation 2 games. (5 -- color) Knuckleheads Gym in Newbury Park boasts interactive bikes and a multiplayer cycling game that connects stationary bikes to video from real bike trails. Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer (6 -- color) Kate Stutman, 2, climbs a robe as her dad, Brent, and twin sister, Alyssa, watch during a class at My Gym in Northridge. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer Box: For kids only: local gyms (see text) |
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