Kids & Fitness

When Reno resident Jennifer Deem goes to work every day, it's to do something she loves and to help others become the best they can be.

"We have grown by leaps and bounds (since opening nearly three years ago)," said Deem, the owner of Marietta Boot Camp and Fitness, 1100 Pike St. "I just love my job. I love that I get to do this every day."

Deem is certified in Boot Camp, Zumba, Turbo Kick, Wellness Coaching, Group Fitness and Hip Hop Hustle. One of the more popular classes at MBC is the morning boot camp where participants are willing to arrive at the crack of dawn and be whipped into shape by Deem through a mix of cardio, strength and flexibility exercises.

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Photo submitted by Jennifer Deem
Employees and women who work out at Marietta Boot Camp on Pike Street ride in the Washington County Fair parade along with some of their children. The facility offers a youth exercise program called Kid Fit which allows parents to work out without worry.

"The morning has been insane," she said.

All classes at MBC are drop-in, or pay as you go, at around $5 to $10 per class.

While the reasonable cost of classes might not be a stumbling block for some, one obstacle that sometimes keeps parents from attending exercise classes is trying to find child care.

Marietta Boot Camp has added fitness classes specifically designed for children ages 3 and older to allow parents to exercise while leaving their children in the capable hands of Shannon Strauss, mom to 17-year-old Ethan and 3-year-old Kenadee.

"I'm just a mom," Strauss said, adding that she is also a fitness enthusiast and a spin instructor. "But I know that kids aren't always getting daily exercise in school and it is important for better health and to help them excel academically."

Some of the things Kid Fit offers for children include fitness games and an obstacle course for cardiovascular fitness, warming up and stretching exercises and yoga.

"This is something we've added because (lack of child care) is a big reason why a lot of people aren't able to attend exercise classes," Deem said, adding that, while some area exercise facilities offer child care, it isn't geared toward fitness.

Joy Frank-Collins has taken her sons, ages 8 and 9, to Kid Fit while attending fitness classes at MBC and the convenience has allowed her to feel good about taking time for herself, she said.

"It makes it feel like it's less self-indulgent because they are getting exercise as well," Frank-Collins said.

She has even noticed a change in her sons since they have participated in Kid Fit.

"Before Kid Fit they would be home playing video games," she said. "I can see a difference now. My 9-year-old looks leaner and my youngest has lost three pounds, which he needed to lose."

Kid Fit is offered through the winter months on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. for roughly an hour and on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. Pop music and activities geared toward youngsters make it even more enjoyable.

"Sometimes you get an endorphin rush," said Cormac Frank-Collins, 9.

Strauss said that many parents have commented on how much they appreciate the classes being offered.

"It is a drop-in style class, so if you want your child to be there for the full hour or 40 minutes, it is still $5," she said.

Even if mom - and on some occasions dad - isn't necessarily coming to exercise, Kid Fit is available for anyone who might need a safe and healthy environment for their children to stay for an hour.

"If mom needs to run errands or something, they can bring their kids in," Strauss said.