Semi-OT Starting a gym for neighborhood kids.

[Meatpuppy]

Where I live in a small town in Ohio about 2k people 30 miles east of Cincinnati the kids here have nothing to due and it seems as if thier parents don't care much. So an old garage comes up for sale down the street from me and my wife wants to buy it and start a free gym for the local kids. We have talked to most of the kids and they are good kids just lack focus and direction. They get in troble for minor stuff and generally have poor grades.

The buying of the old garage is a seperate issue from the one I am asking help for here on. My wife is heavlying invovled in the local real estate market so that angle is covered. I was wondering what type and how much equipment to start with. I am thinking at least 2 or 3 powerracks and some bench stations. A set of dumbells that go to 120. A dip station and a place to do CHINS. What other equipment would anyone reccomend.

As for training the kids I would not charge them anything becuase if they could afford a membership they would not hang around town bored all the time. And with what I know and a few friends I have who are trainers I am not worried about that either. One friend is a BJJ blue belt and he even offered to to a beginners BJJ clas for them. So good idea or bad one? And it all hinges on getting the building anyways.

 

[Klotz]

Sounds like a great project.
Kids also need a lot of cardio, so try to get some sort of track or basketball court (maybe in the driveway) or even some exercise bikes.

 

[Meatpuppy]

There is a large area behind the building where adding a BB court would be no problem or maybe a palce to do sprints.

 

[PhxJudoJujitsu]

This is a good idea in theory, but a bad idea in reality. As soon as some kid goofs off and gets hurt, guess who gets sued for all their worth?

 

[Meatpuppy]

This is a good idea in theory, but a bad idea in reality. As soon as some kid goofs off and gets hurt, guess who gets sued for all their worth?

Agreed this is part of what my wife is looking into. How much liablity and how to negateit if possible.

 

[juanlawnmower]

There is a large area behind the building where adding a BB court would be no problem or maybe a palce to do sprints.

I don't think that a BB court is a particularly good idea.

Kids, especially those of poor backgrounds, would tend to gravitate towards the Basketball as opposed to the Weightlifting or JJ. Teach JJ classes, but IMO hold off on straight MMA classes until they are older for risk of you getting sued for your kids beating the shit out of other kids when they are not mature enough.

 

[KingSnake]

Hope your insurance is paid up.

Good on you for caring though. I bet you could get some grant money to help fund your opperation too. Write your local gov't reps and harrass them.

 

[Meatpuppy]

I don't think that a BB court is a particularly good idea.

Kids, especially those of poor backgrounds, would tend to gravitate towards the Basketball as opposed to the Weightlifting or JJ. Teach JJ classes, but IMO hold off on straight MMA classes until they are older for risk of you getting sued for your kids beating the shit out of other kids when they are not mature enough.

Yeah straight MMA classes would be a definate no-no. Another thing I forgot to add is that after kids join they have to keep their grades up to keep coming back.

 

[erco]

There's a part of me afraid to think what today's criminals would be like if they had access to heavy weights and proper BJJ instruction.

The other part of me thinks that giving kids direction, goals, and motivation keeps them from ever becoming criminals.

The latter is winning out, good for you. Puzzle mats or similar grappling/wrestling mats are gonna be required if you do any sort of BJJ. Also, I think some sort of organized team activity, basketball being one of many, would be great for them too. Also, as trite as this may sound, a McDojo style instruction where they learn discipline and morals would be really effective at helping them get back on track.

 

[Green Monkey]

My big concern is supervision - obviously you're not going to be there 24/7, are you just going to lock the doors when you're not available or is there some way you could get volunteers for your off hours?

One gym close to us gives a free membership if you do a 2 hour shift in the daycare every month.

I'm wondering if you could do a key access gym for adult members who help out with supervision during the kids' hours.

The adult members could be free or pay a nominal fee if they would help out with the supervision.

 

[dexter c]

Thats a really admirable idea. I would suggest starting small, maybe just with the weights, and working up, because like all good ideas, it will be a bitch to put into practice, for the reasons already mentioned.

 

[erco]

I was thinking about this more. I'd really recommend you get other local parents and government officials involved. Go to a PTA and City Council meeting to announce your intentions of creating your own army of mini-Fedors bent on taking over the world, and I'm sure they'll all fall in line. Ok, omit that last part, and come up with a sales pitch to get these folks involved and behind you, otherwise they might not see your intent and shut it down before you even get going.

 

[bacon]

It would be a great thing for any community to have, but beware..."No good deed goes unpunished."