Pamplin Media Group – Mad about youth: Madtown Fitness lifts up kids with free classes

Madtown Health and fitness, a nearby fitness center in the coronary heart of downtown Madras, has been opening its doorways to area youth in the community.

When a single thinks of youngsters having summer entertaining, the initially visuals that may possibly pop up contain sunshine and open air.

On the other hand, 1 nearby organization is offering the enjoyment to Jefferson County youth even though keeping them inside — at minimum for an hour, anyway.

For the past six weeks, Joe Robbins, the owner of Madtown Health, has been keeping no cost courses for a group of area youths at his downtown Madras health club. The objective is not just to give young ones something to do in the summer season months he also would like to assist construct health literacy.

Robbins notes that several youthful people do not know their way about the health and fitness center. Irrespective of whether a absence of publicity, cash, time, or a combination thereof, there are several explanations why another person could not touch a piece of exercising machines until adulthood. Some pupils could consider energy and conditioning lessons in higher school, but not everyone. Either way, just about every person could benefit from a little bit much more time in the gymnasium.

“We just recognized a have to have,” stated Robbins. “I really operate a senior physical fitness team in listed here right right before this a person, so it really is not difficult to assume about bringing in the young ones to do the identical detail. We thought, ‘How wonderful would this be?'”

“You can find just not adequate exercise around this town,” he additional, even though not as a dig at Madras or Jefferson County in specific. “There can never be ample.”

Joe is not the only Robbins on the case, either. Jennifer Robbins is one particular of the instructors at Madtown Health, and she assists with the absolutely free classes. The partner-and-spouse staff make for a perfectly-oiled equipment, retaining classes on a regimented agenda that commences with some calisthenics warm-ups in advance of relocating on to 20 distinctive stations close to the gym. Although Jennifer does arms-on do the job primary the warm-up and guiding the kids in their actual physical exercises, Joe paces about the flooring and will work on keeping their minds lively, much too.

Versus the clanking and clattering of physical exercise devices, Joe promptly transforms from trainer to trivia host. Meandering about involving the machines, Joe reels off inquiries on random subject areas and pupils shout back their responses. For the past course prior to the Fourth of July, Robbins went for a patriotic topic. He quizzed the young ones on the United States governing administration and well-known figures in American history.

Abruptly, the fitness center was 50 percent P.E. course, fifty percent civics class. And still, these youngsters — who are only a couple weeks into summer time getaway — answered eagerly and celebrated their successes, the two tutorial and athletic.

Likely ahead, Joe and Jennifer Robbins want to go on giving these cost-free youth lessons. It is crucial, they experience, that the Jefferson County local community puts a emphasis on bodily health and fitness from an early age. By eradicating registration prices from the equation, Joe hopes to clear away any potential obstacles for mothers and fathers contemplating twice about signing up their children for the courses.

So considerably, the system has been thriving. Robbins stuffed all 16 open slots for the to start with 6-week summer season class, which just wrapped up on June 29. Now, a next team of 16 gets ready for their individual classes of the up coming six Tuesdays and Thursdays. Depending on fascination from the community, there could be a 3rd course to bridge the ultimate gap among summer season and slide.

“The notion was to get as a lot of youngsters in right here over the summer months as possible,” stated the gymnasium proprietor, who notes that a pleasurable byproduct of the courses is a bit of free promoting. “We are making potential gym members right here. These young ones that are about to hit substantial university, they’re likely to believe of us 1st. But of study course, we also want to give back to the group as substantially as we can.”

Free of charge exercises for the little ones, cost-free promotion for the health club. For Robbins, it was a obvious get-get for all concerned.

“It can be a no-brainer,” he explained.

Robbins included that they are even now waiting around for extra curiosity just before locking into keeping a 3rd session afterwards in the summertime. If more than enough men and women exhibit fascination, even so, Robbins indicated that the no cost courses will acquire area as prepared.

For much more details, or to register for the summer youth plan, call Joe Robbins by using e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You require JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Madtown Health and fitness at (541) 475-6474.