By age 18, many teens’ youth sports programs end, leaving them without a structured activity schedule.
Kristin Awde, the owner of F45 Ambleside Beach, launched F45, a fitness program for teens ages 12-17, in January 2022 and is excited to offer a five-day Spring Break camp.
“What we’re hoping to accomplish is to have a fun, safe place for kids to exercise, learn something new, get stronger, build muscle, and make friends. It is not competitive,” Awde explains.
“We’ve created a really positive environment for kids to create healthy habits in a place that’s safe and free from judgment.”
The youth training is a new program for F45, one of the fastest-growing fitness franchises in the world. F45 is a 45-minute functional training class, a mix of circuit and high-intensity style workouts geared toward everyday movement. F45 training workouts are designed to help you move and feel stronger in all aspects of your life.
F45 Prodigy is specifically designed to promote healthy development and fitness outcomes in adolescents. Importantly, F45 Prodigy is not a regressed version of F45 Training. It is an entirely new program designed for the specific needs of young members, including physical, social, emotional and cognitive development.
Currently, F45 Prodigy is only available at F45 Ambleside Beach in B.C., as Awde was required to apply and train for youth-specific training to receive the green light to run the program by F45 HQ.
Classes run every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 4:30 to 5:15 pm.
Awde, a mother of four, has seen first-hand how important it is to keep kids active and involved. She understood the need for additional cross-training with her own children involved in competitive football, ski racing, competitive cheer and dance. At the same time, she also recognized there are children who wish to be active in an environment that is not competitive.
With the opening of F45 Ambleside Beach in January 2021, requests started to come in from members inquiring if their children could join, as well. Since its launch, F45 Prodigy has appealed to teens of wide ranges from those who have never stepped foot in a gym to those in competitive sports.
The music, the program, and small group training appeal to all young members. The higher trainer-to-member ratio also allows greater attention and focus on safety and correct technique.
Awde is a trainer who has worked in the fitness industry for the better part of 20 years. She ran a gym in Yaletown in the early 2000s before taking a break to stay at home with her children.
She was drawn to F45 when she walked past a studio here in the lower mainland.
“It stopped me dead in my tracks,” she says. “I just kept watching and realized the training was very similar to the training I provided to my clients. I looked deeper into F45 and realized they had a hugely successful franchise.”
What Awde appreciates most about F45 training is that it’s social, fun, and can accommodate absolutely everyone of all ages and abilities. There are no mirrors in the gym to discourage self-judgment.
“That is the beauty of F45. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to exercise or a lifelong athlete. You can be on the floor with everyone else. We can modify exercises for every level,” she explains.
“Fitness needs to be fun.” That’s the philosophy Awde brings to her F45 Prodigy training, to teach youth how to work out in a safe and fun way in hopes it helps lay the foundation for an active, healthy lifestyle.
In addition to regular classes, F45 Prodigy Ambleside will be running a five-day Spring Break Camp from March 14 to 18. An initial assessment will take place, and then each day will focus on cardio and resistance-strength-based training.
Spaces are limited, as there will be a six to one youth to trainer ratio to ensure all participants get the most individualized attention as possible.
“The idea is that kids can find something they like that is active that challenges them on an individual basis while participating in a group setting for fun,” Awde says.
The F45 Ambleside Prodigy Youth Camp is currently open for registration.
To learn about the program and what it entails, visit f45prodigy.com/amblesidebeachdistrict/home.
