By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
The community can celebrate the return of another Palisadian program this year.
Palisades-Malibu YMCA has recently reimplemented its Teen Fitness program and is currently seeking additional participants ages 12 to 17.
“Join the Teen Fitness program today for your free personal training,” according to a flyer shared by Palisades-Malibu YMCA Executive Director Jim Kirtley. “Sign-up at the welcome center of the Palisades Y for your free sessions today.”
The program, which returned in October, currently offers free personal training to teenagers and 12-year-olds on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 and 5 p.m. with two slots at each hour, but this can be expanded, depending on demand.
“It’s in pairs,” Kirtley explained, “but if somebody doesn’t show up or if it doesn’t fill, then you get it by yourself. It’s with one of our certified personal trainers.”
The value of each session, Kirtley said, is $60. Participants are able to do four sessions per month (a $240 value), as well as join in day-of sessions if there is free space available.
“So if you are on a family membership, the family membership is $89,” Kirtley continued. “If you do two personal training sessions—do the math, that’s $120 in savings, you’ve already paid for your whole family to come to the Y, just for being on the family membership and taking advantage of the teen training program. It’s kind of the biggest no-brainer in the Palisades right now.”
He said that the program is “great for kids that aren’t necessarily gym savvy.” Trainers will teach participants about things like gym etiquette and proper form—“so that when they’re an adult, they’re not hurting themselves doing things the old-fashioned way.”
“It’s a lifelong thing that you’re getting at no cost,” he added.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kirtley said that the program had about 150 kids. He estimated that about 95% of participants were not athletes.
“The way I look at it, that’s 150 less kids on the Village Green after school,” Kirtley said. “The Palisades Y is striving toward being the hub for teenagers. We have some really big visions that we want to bring to the community for teens that will give them a place to go and a place to be a teenager, but also to gain life skills. This teen training program is just one of those layers of opportunities.”
Kirtley also shared that YMCA is in the midst of a fundraising campaign that will run through July 31, 2023, which will support programming geared toward teenagers like personal fitness training, special workshops on topics like public speaking and financial literacy, signature Y programs like Youth & Government, and more.
“The Palisades-Malibu YMCA is honored to be the recipient of a matching gift challenge from a generous family foundation in support of our work to impact teen lives in our community,” according to an email Kirtley shared. “For every dollar our Y raises to provide activities and access to our teens, this foundation will match those contributions up to $25,000.”
For more information about the Teen Fitness program or to donate to the campaign, visit ymcala.org/locations/palisades-malibu-ymca.
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