kids’ fitness
UFC GYM
UFC Gym brings together traditional fitness and youth mixed martial art classes for kids aged three and upwards, including Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu and sports conditioning. The programmes were put together after researching what interests young people. Adam Sedlack, senior vice president
of UFC Gym, says it’s important for a children’s programme to be fun: “Children love to play. They will play any time they get the opportunity. Our method takes advantage of the natural instincts of children and allows them to work hard at playing – something they will want to do regardless of intention.” UFC Gym offers a pathway all the
way up to adulthood, with children’s programmes leading onto youth and school PE programmes. “UFC Gym’s
PULSE
Pulse Soccer and Fitness Wednesbury in the West Midlands has transformed its traditionally dead Sunday evening slot into a buzzing supervised gym class for 12- to 16-year-olds. Members can pre-book their children into the class, where they will learn about health, fitness and targeted exercise. Launched in November, the class swiftly became over-subscribed, and now the club is looking to put on more sessions. “It’s important to engage children at
UFC likes to build strong roots with kids
MMA tree starts with kids building strong roots and then moving into our youth programme as the core of the trunk. When they reach our adult programming, they can branch out to any of our disciplines,” explains Sedlack.
an early age in a fitness suite, as they will be our future members,” says deputy manager Richard Smith. “This session allows children to become familiar with the fitness suite, equipment and exercise in a supervised, controlled environment accompanied by both a qualified fitness professional and a parent.”
YOGA TIGERS
Northampton-based yoga teacher Samantha Nixon starts them young, with a yoga concept – Yoga Tigers – aimed at two- to five-year-olds. Nixon uses adapted postures,
quiet listening, affirmations, breathing exercises and relaxation snuggled up with parents. But it’s far from serious: children are encouraged into postures
by pretending to be animals like butterflies and snappy crocodiles. “I followed the Early Years Foundation
Stage framework when putting the programme together, so it involves finding out about bodies, encouraging sharing and learning to take instruction,” she says. “The emphasis is on fun and giving parents quality time with kids.”
DRUMMOND EDUCATION
Drummond Education runs training courses in exercise and physical activity for children. All trainees receive the children’s fitness toolbox: a series of lesson plans which are all 30-40 minutes long and which comprise a mixture of activities such as street dance, combat and games. “When introducing a kids’
Yoga Tigers engages two- to five-year-olds Poses are fun and use adapted postures
programme, it’s important to accommodate everyone: different levels of ability and maturation, as well as physiological and psychological differences,” says Drummond Education director Gill Cummings- Bell. “Any club looking to introduce kids’ fitness programmes needs to make sure they are accessible, with boundaries regarding timings – classes should be at certain times to give kids a routine. The activities also need to be varied, fun, exciting and achievement-based.”
FIT FOR SPORT
“The instructor is the key to a successful kids’ programme,” says Fit for Sport’s Craig Jones. “The class can’t be led by someone who’s too inhibited to crawl around the floor like a snake. Running children’s activities is a specialism: kids will soon tell you if it’s boring!”
To make use of dead studio time during
the holidays, Fit for Sport runs Ofsted- registered full-day activity sessions for three- to 12-year-olds, taking care of the marketing, equipment and instructors. It hires the area from the leisure centre and takes care of everything, so the centre is driving revenue through the space and
60 Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
offering a service, but with none of the risk or hassle. Activities offered include sports skills, team games, gymnastics, fitness games, learning about healthy lifestyles and water confidence sessions.
healthclub@leisuremedia.com kath hudson
june 2012 © cybertrek 2012
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