Review of Volt Fitness for Kids - Glen Rock, New Jersey

After several weeks of my son asking me to go to Volt Fitness in Glen Rock, New Jersey, I finally caved in. My son heard of this local gym on one of the kids' cable television networks (it could have been Nickelodeon or Disney). This establishment is located at 566 Broad Street in Glen Rock, New Jersey (in Bergen County).

Volt Fitness for Kids is a circuit training which consists of ten different stations. It's officially called the "VOLT FITNESS Challenge". The circuit takes 60 minutes to complete. It's recommended for kids 12 years of age or younger and is recommended to be used 2 to 3 times per week.

I called to obtain a free introductory session. They do not use a hard sell type of pitch and it was a relaxed atmosphere there. My son started out on the bike station. This is a stationary bicycle with a video screen that simulates and records your activity. All of the exercise machines have a video screen and are interactive in order to keep the kids engaged.

The next stop on the circuit was the rowing machine. The video for this activity was a person in a kayak. The machine recorded how far you have rowed and how many laps you have completed around the lake.

Another station was called the "abs throw". The way to use this is to lie with a backwards incline on a board and throw soft soccer balls over your head and into a chute. This gives the abs a workout.

We then proceeded to the step master, a hydraulic stair machine with the video attachment. Also included was the "Trazer", in which the participant wears a belt and pretend to throw a ball at the figure on the screen. Technically, the machine is supposed to give the user directions to run, jump, kick or lunge. This is a virtual workout, similar to Wii.

A popular station with the kids is the rotating rock wall. It's called the "treadwall" and the kids must climb the wall while at the same time keeping up with the rotation of the wall itself. According to the website www.traversewall.com., who sells the treadwall, "The Treadwall™ is a rotating climbing wall that moves by body weight alone. Its patented Natural Pace™ technology gently moves the wall downward as you climb, always keeping your foot just a step off of the floor."

My son lived this part of the circuit and was quite adept at it. We then tried the Makoto machine. This is a contraption in which the kid hits the triangles on the machine when they are lit. If the lights are low, the kid uses their hands to hit, if the lights are high up, they can use a stick to hit. This machine looks like it encouraged hand/eye coordination and quick foot moves.

Also present was a Wii set up, with a mini trampoline in from of the television screen. The kids have a choice of any Wii Sports or Wii Olympic game to play. However, the user must be on the trampoline while playing. This facilitated greater movement and jumping.

What kid's workout would be complete without Dance Revolution? This is great workout if you know how to play. My son wasn't familiar with it, so he went back to another station when he came upon Dance Revolution. This is allowed if the circuit isn't crowded.

The pricing was straightforward and flexible. Volt Fitness charges by the session. Each session must be scheduled in advance, as there is one trainer that follows as many as three kids around the circuit at a time. You can purchase packages of sessions. A package of 24 sessions is $259 ($15 per session). A package of 48 sessions is $624 ($13 per session). The greater discounts come with the larger packages. 72 sessions costs $864 ($12 per session) and 96 sessions are $1056 ($11 per session).

When you sign up, each child must take an initial evaluation to test their fitness level. The cost for this is $69. The owner told me that Volt Fitness allows members to pay the package fee over two or three payments.

I personally will not be signing up my son for this because of two reasons. First, he is already enrolled in karate lessons that cost $200 per month. Secondly, this establishment is too far from my town to be convenient (it's approximately 20 minutes away). However, it is a perfect fitness activity for kids who do not participate in any school sports and want to have a non-competitive activity that is fitness oriented. My son loved it and wants to go back. A single session is $30, so I might consider it on a rainy day.