New fitness club caters to kids in Calgary

A newfitness club, especially designed for young people over the age of eight, recently opened in Calgary.

Not only is thegym's equipment smaller in size, some also comes with video games attached to appeal to younger users,said Kim Dufresne, co-owner of the Bulldog Interactive Fitness for Youth.

With one in 10 Canadian children considered obese, the new gym provides a venueto trim off unwanted fat and improvefitness, she said.

"A lot of parents do come in because they see their children struggling with a weight issue, whether that's big or small," she said.

Twelve-year-old Kennady Jones, who has been working out every other day since she got her membership, said she really enjoys the variety.

"When I come, I warm up, I do the bikes, I do the weights, those are my favourite,"she said.

There are also kickboxing, dance and aerobics classes, and even a boot camp where the youth are put through a series of drills.

For parentChristine Storey, whose daughter is already concernedabout her weight because she is the biggestgirl in her class, the fitness centre provides newopportunity and hope.

Although this is the first gym to cater to children in Calgary, the Alberta government announced Friday it also plans to build an $8-millionyouth fitness centre in the city.