A home for teen fitness

A newly renovated room at the Levite Jewish Community Center looks like a small version of other fitness areas, but its purpose is unique. In the former office space, children and teens now engage in strength training through a program called 365 Performance Training — all thanks to a donation made in Alex Sokol’s memory. It was completed in mid July.

“Alex had a passion that if the youth in a community were vibrant, the community was healthy,” said the donor, Bruce Sokol, Alex’s father and an active member of the LJCC. “This would have been right in his wheelhouse. Many of the kids in the program are Alex’s friends’ kids.” 

In the room, a group of 10- to 18-year-olds use barbells, TRX suspension training, dumbbells and other adult-sized equipment for age-appropriate exercises. They also do sprints and other speed work outside the room, all to advance their conditioning. 

“You would be surprised how many athletes have not been taught technique for running,” said Spencer Lynch, who leads the program with Kreston Collins.

The program began 16 months ago and has trained many athletes and teams outside of their regular season, providing general fitness training to prepare them to go back into the specific athletic skills they use in sports seasons. 

“We can give a lot more individual attention and care to get them to start the season ahead of the eight ball,” Sokol said. “They are ready to go right from the get-go.”

The program also welcomes children and teens who do not play sports. Many of them have become regular attendees. Collins recalled a fifth-grader who was scared his first session. Before long, he couldn’t stop smiling. That would be the first of five workouts in a row he attended, many times alongside a lacrosse player who will be on the Fresno State team next year.

In addition to fitness, Collins coaches the participants about what and how often to eat.  

“Recovering is just as important as working out, and that comes through rest and nutrition,” Collins said. 

365 is a unique time in the day for Lynch and Collins, who primarily work with adults at the LJCC.

“These kids are like a sponge,” Lynch said. “They want to absorb anything you can teach them. They want to get better every day.”

“You can change a kid’s life,” Collins said.

The LJCC holds 365 classes Monday through Thursday at 4 p.m. For more information, contact Collins at kcollins@bhamjcc.org or 510-9020.