Many of us feel some pressure to “do it all” after we have children. That might look like taking on most (if not all) of the following: providing a safe and stimulating environment for our children, earning money, cooking nutritious meals, maintaining a social calendar and, somehow, staying in shape. It’s a high bar, and working out is often the toughest one to prioritize.
Enter WOLA, a family fitness center that opened about nine months ago on bustling West 3rd Street in L.A. For guests ages 6 and up, WOLA offers simultaneous group classes for youth and adults in adjacent workout rooms. That means parents and kids can get their physical activity in.
Promoting fitness for everyone was a big part of the mission for founders Craig Judah and Leonard Chung. Both had children eager to be active, but realized that if their kids weren’t on a sports team, their exercise options were extremely limited.
“They wanted to be part of a community,” Judah says, “but we couldn’t find a place. No group fitness classes would take them. And we were frustrated. Why do we talk about health and fitness so much, but kids don’t have the same opportunities as parents?”
The duo aimed to change the landscape with WOLA. In dual 45-minute “WOLA Way” classes, guests separate by age: ages 6 to 12 work out in one studio, while ages 13 and up use the adjacent space. Everyone cycles through the same high-energy exercises with age-appropriate weights. And in both studios, instructors, plus a motivating mix of music and clear video prompts, help guide participants through the workout. It’s sweaty fun that the owners say their guests value.
“I cannot tell you how many parents have said, ‘We’ve been looking for this,’” Judah says.
Now the hardest part about working out with your kid is finding parking.
WOLA classes are $28 per person, with package rates available. The monthly rate for unlimited classes is $99 per person. For more information, visit wolafit.com.
