Youth Fitness & Development Programs

Empower Your Young Athlete

Give your child, middle-schooler, or teenager the confidence to tackle whatever the world throws at them through fitness and development.

Our Empower Youth Fitness Programs in Vancouver are designed to develop strong, adaptable, resilient athletes with superior physical literacy. These programs are designed to meet the neurological and physiological needs of the each respective age group. Because these functional fitness movements are scalable, the athletes can safely train at their level.

Whether your child is just starting their fitness journey, is playing sports at a recreational level or is an experienced elite athlete, our programs will help them excel.

In the gym your young athlete will develop self-awareness, discipline, focus and perseverance that will help them overcome obstacles outside the gym. We want to help create a passion for fitness that your child will carry with them throughout their lives.

Group Classes, Small Group Training, and 1:1 Coaching for Youth

Choose from any of the following programs or call for a custom option

Youth fitness programs: varsity

For athletes aged 8-12 and 13-17

Summer Varsity

Start date: July 2 and August 6, 2025

Classes run on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 4–5pm. The programming includes all weight lifting movements, gymnastics and metabolic conditioning.

All weights are scaled appropriately to the correct stimulus and intensity for the athlete. We work on injury prevention and strong core conditioning in addition to providing a positive confidence building environment.

Prerequisites: all senior varsity athletes must have pre-approval or attend a 1:1 session with Coach Leon prior to attending a Varsity class.

This assessment and review of movements allows the athlete to transition into the group setting easily and sets them up for success in the program.

Youth fitness programs: varsity

For athletes aged 13-17

Varsity

Ages: 13-17

Prerequisites: Prior assessment

Start date: September 2025

Our Varsity program includes all weight lifting movements, gymnastics and metabolic conditioning. All weights are scaled appropriately to the correct stimulus and intensity for the athlete. We work on injury prevention and strong core conditioning in addition to providing a positive confidence building environment.

Prerequisites: Coach assessment and approval to ensure you can transition to Varsity classes safely and easily. One-to-one coaching sessions are available if needed to set you up for success in this program.

Register now and we'll arrange for an assessment at a time convenient for you prior to joining class.

Youth fitness programs: junior varsity

For athletes aged 8-12

Junior Varsity

Ages: 8-12

Prerequisites: None

Start date: September 2025

The Junior Varsity group learns all the foundational movements of CrossFit. This includes weight lifting, gymnastics and metabolic conditioning. The PVC pipe is an excellent tool for teaching complex movements like clean and jerks without load until the athlete is ready to handle a barbell. If you stop by during class time you might see us playing games like shoulder tap cone grab or tabata hot potato hollow holds. These games help develop the smaller stabilizing muscles as well as make it fun so the kids work hard without realizing it!

Prerequisites: none at this time. All youth athletes welcome. Athletes who have participated in Junior Varsity can graduate to Varsity level when they age up.

Youth fitness programs: homeschool PE

For young athletes on an alternative education path

Homeschool PE

Ages: 9-17

Prerequisites: None

Start date: September 10

Homeschool PE is a CrossFit-based program that incorporates cardio, strength training, and gymnastics movements for complete body conditioning. All weights are scaled appropriately to the correct stimulus and intensity for the athlete.

We work on injury prevention and strong core conditioning in addition to providing a positive confidence-building environment. Best of all, we have fun doing it, by incorporating partner workouts and games.

Early bird pricing ends August 25.

Youth fitness programs: team training

For teams between seasons

Team Training

Ages: 9-18

Prerequisites: None

Start date: Let's talk!

Empower offers dryland training for teams that are coming off the ice, out of the pool or are in between seasons. Bring your team in for strength and conditioning sessions and set them up for success when they return to sport.

Talk to us to set up a training program for your team.

Youth fitness programs: personal training

For all athletes aged 8-17

Youth Personal Training

Ages: 8-17

Prerequisites: None

Start date: Let's talk!

Our Youth Personal Training program is custom built to support the needs of your athlete. These custom programmed sessions can be built to support youth athletes in specific sports with a focus on strengthening, injury prevention, and injury recovery.

Personal training can be done 1:1 or in small groups (1:2, 1:3, 1:4, etc.) so kids can train with their friends.

Whether the group class time doesn’t fit your schedule, your athlete works better one-on-one, or your elite athlete is looking for more specific training, we are here to help meet those needs.

Our Coaches Talk About How We Empower Youth Athletes

creating measurable goals

When Your Goal Lights a Fire: How to Find What Truly Drives You

July 10, 20253 min read

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”-Tony Robbins

Thought of the Day

Asking yourself or your children what goals you're working on often leads to surface-level answers. In fitness, we hear vague goals like: “I want to lose fat,” “build muscle,” or “look better.”

But without diving deeper or getting more specific, how can these goals actually motivate you? What are they really going to help you with? And what are the actions that will keep you committed?

For goals to be effective, we need to get below the surface and uncover why they truly matter to us especially outside of the gym.

Take a moment right now to write down two goals you'd like to accomplish over the next three to six months. Focus on actions, not destinations.

Instead of saying, “I want to lose ten pounds,” try:

  • “I will commit to meal prepping and training at least three days a week,” or

  • “I will stick to a sleep schedule, take morning walks, and drink water instead of pop.”

These action-based goals are measurable, and they help you stay on track by giving you something you can actually commit to each day.

 

Now that you have your goals, ask yourself: How will my life improve by accomplishing them?

This shouldn’t be a fluffy answer. There needs to be real meaning behind why it matters to you. If you're going to stay consistent through challenges, you need a reason and a bit of skin in the game, to keep going when things get tough.

For me, working toward my black belts is to help me make a positive impact on other martial artists and continue growing personally. Judo, in particular, has made a huge difference in my life. Even on the early mornings, and on those days when I feel beat up and tired, that deeper purpose is what gets me back on the mat and motivates my coaching.

 

Thursday

H: 00-02 Intro (2-3 min)

 

H: 03-10 Warm up (7 min)

 

Leg swings, 2 legs, 2 directions, 2 min in total

Hamstring stretch: 1) touch toes then gradually squatting down and standing up; 2) With a wider stance, reach the side of foot, hold 30 s; then walk your hands to the other side of foot, hold 30 s

Floor bridge, 30 s hold, 2 sets

Side planks with hip lifts, 30s each side

 

H: 10-24 Tech (14 min)

 

With an empty barbell:

Bent-over row, 10 reps; single leg deadlift, 10 each side

Add some weights, then repeat for another round

 

Build up to the workout weight:

40% of 1 rep max, 10 reps

50%-60% of 1 rep max, 10 reps

 

H: 25 WOD

Deadlift 10-10-10-10-10 reps

4 mins per round

Do not re-grip in each set

You are allow to change weight after each set

 

Weight selection:

Reference 1:

50-60% of your 1 rep max that you can perform 10 unbroken.

Reference 2:

In CrossFit Open 24.2, it prescribed 10 deadlift combined with rowing.

Women: Rx 125 lb; scaled 95 lb; fundamental 55 lb

Men: Rx 185 lb; scaled 135 lb; 75 lb

H: 50 Cool down (5 min)

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Coach Leon

Leon will help you create a fitness practice that will allow you to excel at the activities you enjoy inside and outside of the gym. Leon started coaching at Delta Kaigan Judo Club in 2007, branching out into leading personal safety and fear management courses. Leon competes in CrossFit, Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has been coaching CrossFit since 2012.

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Accomplish Personal Bests

"Empower has provided our son with a safe and supportive environment in which to test himself, accomplish personal bests and celebrate the results among peers."

-Chris H.

Incredibly Supportive Environment

"Empower has become a gym for our family. The coaches are so knowledgeable and can also scale weights/movements to your fitness level. Smaller group classes allow coaches to ensure all movements are performed safely. It is an incredibly supportive environment which makes Empower Youth unique."

-Carmine L.

Empower

Contact Us

235-2083 Alma Street

Vancouver, British Columbia

[email protected]

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