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FITNESS CENTER/BOOT CAMP
MINDY SCHAUER, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Campers wait their turn for the trampoline during American Ninja Warrior camp at Firestorm Freerunning and Acrobatics.
1. Firestorm Freerunning & Acrobatics Ultra 7220 Hazard Ave., Westminster; 657-400-9023; firestormultra.com If you think you are in for a normal runof-the-mill workout, think again when you go to Firestorm Freerunning & Acrobatics. This gym is designed to test your skills in extreme workouts like parkour, trampoline, aerial skills, tumbling, and tricking. There aren’t intense weights involved at this gym, but rather mastering your body weight and managing coordination between mind and body. This can seem pretty overwhelming, but Firestorm prides itself on creating a culture of inclusion as it accepts all ages, sizes, and body types into its program. The staff says, “If you come with a passion for improving yourself, learning new skills, and having fun, you will fit right in.” The coaches come from various backgrounds, including gymnastics, ninja warrior, parkour, martial arts, acrobatics, and much more. Each coach encourages their students to have fun and make the world their playground. If you have a child that rallies around the program, there are summer and winter camps and day camps available for ages 4 and up. Kids can also sign up for birthday parties to be hosted at the gym. In addition, there are Parents Night Out events every second Friday of the month at which parents can drop their kids off for an evening of fun and pizza.
– Jessie Dax-Setkus
2. Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County 1 Federation Way, Irvine; 949-435-3400; jccoc.org
Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County isn’t just a place to get fit but also where friends and memories are made. Kids of all ages are welcome to sign up for the various programs Merage offers, even those as young as preschool age. As we emerge from the pandemic, Merage is again offering on-site classes, but there is also an option to take some Zoom classes if you aren’t ready to be among a class full of people yet. The center’s 220,000-square-foot facility, part of the Samueli Jewish Campus in Irvine, features a health and fitness complex, a junior Olympic swimming pool as well as a licensed preschool and toddler care area. Summer camps are available to kids who can’t get enough of the fun activities Merage has to offer. Camp Haverim is for the older kids, and Camp Yeladim is for the younger children. On weekends this past summer, the center offered Summer Vacay at the J, four hours each Saturday and Sunday when kids can hang out, play games, do arts and crafts projects and enjoy the pool. Programs at the Merage Jewish Community are open to community members of all faiths.
3. L.A. Fitness Multiple locations; lafitness.com
It seems like you can’t cross the street without seeing an L.A. Fitness these days. The chain is not just all over Orange County, but the entire country, as there are more than 600 clubs across the United States and Canada that all boast state-of-theart exercise equipment and are open seven days a week. This gym offers a little something for everyone, and all ages are welcome to join. L.A. Fitness offers more than 20 group classes to sign up for, including Cycle Zone, yoga, and Zumba, heated pools, racquetball, basketball, and personal training to keep yourself healthy and fit. For parents that like to work out after the workday ends, L.A. Fitness offers a Kids Klub that does not require an extra cost. Need a snack? Many of the clubs have a store on-site so that you can pick up a cool beverage or a little nosh before or after your workout.
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