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
For athletes aged 8-12
Junior Varsity
Ages: 8-12
Prerequisites: None
Start date: September 2
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.
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.
This program is currently full.
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.
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.
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
Weekly Empower WOD: Week Beginning August 11th 2025
An exciting week ahead. A couple big HeroWODs and a couple great lifting days as well as a classic benchmark test on the row.
Monday, August 11 2025
HeroWOD Gaza
5 Rounds:
35 KBS @1/1.5 pood
30 Push Ups
25 Pull Ups
20 Box Jumps @24/30”
1 Mile Run
Yes, there will be a time cap.
For more information on Major Lucas Gruenther
Tuesday, August 12 2025
Push Jerk
5-5-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1
Scored by total volume lifted across all 10 sets.
One of the most common problems I see with the jerk is the failure to correctly rack the barbell. The result is an inability to effectively transfer the power of your leg drive into the barbell. Greg Everett of Catalyst Athletics recently put out this great video demonstrating an effective rack position. It is a game changer.
Wednesday, August 13 2025
2K Row
This is a classic benchmark. Hit it hard for a personal best or use it for some zone 2 recovery work if Gaza and the push jerk took it out of you.
If you are using today as a recovery day, it is a great opportunity to practice strapless rowing. Rowing without your feet in the straps is an excellent way to learn correct foot connection throughout the stroke and enforce proper leg drive. Until you try rowing without your feet in the straps you may not realize that you are using incorrect rowing mechanics.
Thursday, August 14 2025: Make Up Day
See Above
Friday, August 15 2025
5-5-3-3-3-1-1-1-1-1
Scored by total volume lifted across all 10 sets.
5 Step Squat Mastery:
Saturday, August 16 2025
Team version of CrossFit Open 15.4
Sunday, August 17 2025
HeroWOD Crain
2 Rounds:
34 Push Ups
50m sprint
34 Deadlifts @135#
50m sprint
34 Box Jumps @24"
50m sprint
34 C&J @95#
50m sprint
34 Burpees
50m sprint
34 Wall Balls 14/20#
50m sprint
34 Pull Ups
50m sprint
Officer Michael "Freight" Crain, of Beaumont, California, died Feb. 7, 2013, when he was fatally injured by gunfire in an apparent ambush while on patrol. A former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant, the 34-year-old had been with the Riverside Police Department for 11 years, assigned to field operations and the SWAT Team. He is survived by his wife, Regina; son, Ian; and daughter, Kaitlyn.
Finishing the week the way we started, like heroes! Another big day.
Good luck and good health!
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
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