Kids Can Mix It Up, Too, with Lil Remixers.
Remix Fitness is a boutique group fitness studio that I have been telling you guys about since I first discovered the place last winter. With two locations, in Plymouth Meeting and Horsham, the community at Remix is like no other. And that’s because of Remix’s two female owners, Mary Cate Wampler and Tricia Goodman. Mary Cate and Tricia, along with their many talented instructors, will do whatever it takes to get their members moving! I’ve never seen anything quite like it, actually. Tricia and Mary Cate are constantly surveying the “Remixers” and listening to feedback in order to “mix it up” for their members to keep them engaged and enjoying fitness.
In that same regard, Tricia and Mary Cate created Family Bootcamp (“Lil Remix”) that mom and/or dad can do with their kids (of all ages). Mary Cate and Tricia are both moms and Tricia is a former elementary school teacher with a youth fitness certification. So including a kids workout class into their group fitness schedule was a “natural step” for these women. “It’s important to us to have our children grow up with a positive attitude around fitness and moving their bodies. We want to show them that exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be fun.” (Tricia recalls why they created the Family Bootcamp at Remix). Lil Remix Family Bootcamp allows the whole family to exercise together. If mom wants to work out, she can, along side her child. If dad just wants to run around with his little guy, he can. Anything goes and everyone is moving. Tricia adds, “The class is a great way for parents and children to connect in a healthy way. The kids have a blast, leave class feeling strong and happy, and their parents love that we tire them out so they sleep well at night.” Amen to that!
One Saturday or Sunday a month, late in the morning, after the Remix studio has cleared out of all of those serious adults, the place opens up for the kiddos and their parents. Angie Bound, a certified fitness professional at Remix, teaches the Lil Remixers. Aside from being motivating and fun (I’ve been in Angie’s adult classes before), Angie has plenty of experience with kids. She was an elementary school teacher for eleven years before getting her fitness certification, so teaching this class is the perfect merger of Angie’s two careers.
Angie’s two little guys love to attend mom’s class. (Side note, that’s a fireman behind them because one of the Lil Remixers pulled the fire alarm at the end of class. The kids got the excitement of a firetruck and a real fireman as the reward for their hard work that day! Life with kids is always unpredictable, as is working out with kids!)
Angie always teaches healthy ways to exercise to the littlest Remixers. During the 45-minute class, she starts with a warm up and ends with a stretch and a high five. The format in between is always different but contains Angie’s signature exercise, the limbo, which was a favorite of all of the kids I spoke to after class. And yes, the parents have to limbo, too. I don’t think I attempted a limbo since I was in elementary school! Angie said that Tabata style classes work effectively with the children because they like repetition and consistency. On the day that I observed the class (I had been hoping to participate with my 6 year old but she was home sick), Angie had set up a variety of stations around the room which included basketball jumps while holding onto a ball, pushups, resistance sprinters, burpees and the agility ladder (which was another favorite amongst the kids I talked to).
The adult classes at Remix Fitness always include different levels of the same exercise and the same is true for the family exercises. Angie will always offer modifications or ways to level up to this group to so that every person in that room gets what they want out of the class. And because of this, Remix Fitness continues to be one of the most accepting fitness environments. The ages of the kids in the class range from baby to about 10 years old, but there is no age limitation. All are welcome. There was even a dad running around with his 5 month baby in his arms.
Lil Remix Family Bootcamp is included in Remix membership, so if mom is a member, it costs nothing to bring her children. If you are not a member and want to drop in, the cost for the class is $33 and that includes a parent with any number of children. And for an additional $6 ($39 total), you can try out both locations for 2 weeks to get a full picture of what I’ve been talking about.
I spoke to Sara and her mom, Tracy, after class. Sara is going into kindergarten and told me that she loves the time with her mom at Lil Remixers. Her favorite activity is the limbo. I also spoke to 10 year old, Sophie, after class. She told me that she was getting on an air plane later that day and was happy to get some movement in before. Kids are so smart!
The next Lil Remixers class is this weekend: September 17 at 10:45 at the Horsham location and September 18 at 10:30 at the Plymouth Meeting studio.
In addition to Lil Remixers, Remix offers so many ways for the whole family to mix it up. Remix is one of the rare places to bring back child care. And they didn’t just bring it back, they made it an integral part of their gym. This year they are adding “Music and Movement Mondays” to child care, which includes dancing and movement in the playroom.
On Monday, September 19, in Horsham, there will be a Mommy and Me Walk from the studio to Clean Juice for smoothies and juices at 10:45.
Puppy Bootcamp is also on the calendar this week at the Plymouth Meeting location on September 21 at 6:30 pm. I mean, why should the dogs be left out of family bootcamp? So this special pop-up class will be just like Family Bootcamp but with the addition of pups, outside, in the parking lot. Another fun family option is a dance cardio pop-up that one of the instructors at the Horsham gym runs with her niece who is a dancer. Tons of parents and kids came to the first of its kind last month and more similar pop-ups are in the works for fall.
Remix will also open their doors for kids’ birthday parties, which include a 45-minute class of movement and music.
All of these offerings are evidence that Tricia and Mary Cate will give their members what they want! Whatever that looks like.
Remix has a great retail selection in the studio of brands such as Lululemon, Addison Bay and Goodr, so it’s no surprise that they have all the gear for the Lil’s, as well. My favorite was the plush baby weights.
Mary Cate and Tricia listen to the members and create classes based on their wants. Being a mom myself, I can totally understand why so many Remix members want movement for their kids, especially if they can squeeze in a workout at the same time. The juggle is real!
Have you ever seen anything cuter than this one touching his toes during the end of class stretch? Great job, buddy!