Publication Date: Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Workin' it
Workin' it
(November 09, 2005) Local children's fitness center aims to help kids keep active
by Ken Seli
Bob Yanofsky has long been concerned that kids master the PlayStation version of football long before picking up an actual pigskin.
"In our society it is so easy to sit in front of the TV and play video games," said Yanofsky, an author of children's fitness books.
Because of this, Yanofsky searched for the perfect weapon in the battle against the childhood bulge. Recently, he found it in the My Gym Children's Fitness Center, a Santa Monica-based franchise that has grown from its Southern California roots to claim around 120 locations worldwide.
Yanofsky, a father of three who has mainly worked in the life sciences, opened his branch in the Midtown Shopping Center in Palo Alto this September.
My Gym, geared to children ages 3 months to 9 years, is a colorful, cartoon-decorated establishment with various climbing apparatuses, padded balls and barriers, a zip-line and a slide into a ball pit.
The carpeted floor of the gym scrunches under the weight of barefoot toddlers and socked-footed attendants, who keep a watchful eye over the kids.
My Gym uses tools like classes, songs and music, puppet shows, cartoon characters including Mymo the Monkey, and games to help promote a healthy and active lifestyle among youngsters.
Hour-long sessions are geared to different ages: "Waddlers" for 11- to 18-month olds; "Gymsters" for 19-month to 2-and-a-half-year olds; and the "Terrific Tots" for 2- to 3-and-a-half-year olds. Classes put five or six youngsters with each staff member.
"We start with gymnastics, whether it's tumbling or hanging and balancing," Yanofsky said. "The real young kids learn to strengthen their stomach muscles and (learn) the concepts of grabbing the bars."
Natalie Botto, second grade co-teacher at Palo Verde Elementary School in Palo Alto, brought her 20-month-old daughter to My Gym. Botto is impressed with what her daughter has been able to accomplish there.
"So far my daughter loves it," she said. "She loves to jump and run around. There are lots of trampolines and child-proof, child-safe things, so I let her go and run around."
Kim Robins, a mother of three children between the ages of 2 and 6 years, said another great attribute of a place like My Gym is that it helps parents learn from one another.
"It's great for new moms because new moms get to meet each other," said Robins, a stay-at-home parent. "You can meet people here after you've had a baby and be friends for life."
My Gym Assistant Director Sara Sneller said one of her favorite aspects of the center is how kids impress parents with their abilities.
"A lot of the (parents) are really surprised in what their kids can do, especially the little ones that are developing every single day," Sneller said. "As I took one child and helped her hang on a bar, her mother said she doesn't like the high bar. I told her that she is grabbing it, and I almost don't have to hold onto her."
Sneller, a recent graduate of Sonoma State University with an eight-year background in ballet, said she was drawn to My Gym because of their dedication to teaching children the proper road to health and fitness.
Not everyone is impressed with the idea of a fitness center for children, however. Stay-at-home mother of two Mary Randolph said they're unnecessary because of all the local open space available for families.
"I don't think it's that great of an idea," Randolph said. "There's so many things you can do that are free. It doesn't seem necessary. The weather is pretty good, and our parks are so good. There's so many play areas outdoors. There's so many kid-oriented things in the area."
Yanofsky said My Gym offers more than trips to the jungle gym because of the classes taught by fitness professionals, though.
"The traditional things are great," Yanofsky said. "However, (at My Gym) they learn structure for when they get older. They have to do activities in groups and wait their turn. There's a lot of constructive reinforcement of getting special attention as opposed to just playing in the playground."
Dr. Thomas Robinson, the director of the Center for Healthy Weight at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and an associate professor at Stanford University, said the most important thing for parents to remember is to get their children moving and active and to be aware of what he calls an "epidemic of obesity," which he attributes to modern conveniences such as television, video games, fast food and sugary treats.
"(Children) may not need a lot of structure but just a safe, supervised place to play outside," Robinson said. "The safe and supervised part may be easier in a structured environment."
Activities that families do together may offer opportunities for parents to be active with their kids as well, he added.
The Midtown My Gym is the most recent addition to a handful of Bay Area My Gym branches in places like San Jose, San Francisco and Walnut Creek.
Editorial Intern Ken Seli can be reached at kseli@paweekly.com.
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