Big Gyms are Thinking Small

"We generally see 2,500 to 3,500 unique visitors per day through each of these centers," says spokesman Jason Thunstrom. The Minnesota-based company even runs a "Life Time University" to train its 8,500 staff. Family memberships are a reasonable $120 per month with no cap on the number of kids. "People are getting more savvy about health and the fact that we've been family-focused from day one only helps us," says Thunstrom. The 13-year-old company went public in June 2004 with an opening price of $18.50 on the New York Stock Exchange. By May of 2005, shares were trading just above $28.00. Thunstrom reports that the company will open six new clubs this year.

The Little Gym, an Arizona-based company that caters exclusively to kids under 12, has also seen extraordinary growth. It plans to open 42 new clubs in the United States this year for a total of 195. "For a second year in a row we'll increase our total number of gyms by about 40 percent and we're just thrilled," says Karen Gray, the company's marketing manager.

Exercise equipment makers are getting into the youth-fitness game with new kid-size products. Pro*Fit Enterprises and HOIST Fitness are two manufacturers that have recently come out with child-size circuit-training machines. HOIST, which proposes that its equipment is part of the "solution to the youth obesity problem," sells a nine-piece kids circuit-training package with safety features like weight stacks that don't pinch small fingers and seats that move like a ride. "We know that it's inactivity along with diet that's causing the prevalence of overweight kids and we thought there would be a need for this kind of fitness equipment," says HOIST cofounder Randy Webber.

Personal trainers for kids, even at $50 to $100 per hour, have become increasingly popular, especially amongst sports-minded teens. "Nationwide, we're seeing an increase over the past two years of at least 50 percent in adolescents training with trainers," says Ron Clark, President of the National Federation of Professional Trainers. Children who use trainers are usually on two tracks. "There are parents who say, I want my kid to be on a sports scholarship, and others who say that they just care about their child's health," explains Todd Durkin founder of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego. "Overall, the number of kids coming in here has quadrupled."

Dave Golia, 44, has three sons working with Durkin's trainers. Two are high-school athletes intent on honing skills for elite sports teams. The third, 13-year-old Taylor, is more scholarly. "Guys like Taylor can get lost on school teams," says Golia. "The coaches want to win and they will pay more attention to the best athletes," he adds. "Taylor wants to increase his body strength and gain confidence, and that's not necessarily going to happen at school." Golia began twice-weekly personal training sessions with Taylor a few months ago, and both are thrilled with the results. "It's had a really positive effect on his health and more importantly, we've really bonded," says Golia.

But what about families that don't have hundreds of dollars per month for trainers or gym memberships? That's where moderately priced places like the YMCA come in. To improve the fitness of the 3 million kids in their after-school programs, the Y worked with the Centers for Disease Control to develop its Youth Health and Fitness Training Program which will roll out this month. It aims to incorporate one hour of physical activity into their afternoon routine. "We're responding to the reports about children's health and requests from parents," says Mike Spezzano, the YMCA's national health and fitness program specialist. "Our focus is let's go for the masses rather than go for the select few that can afford a service."