A Fresh Meadows Hooked kickboxing studio is combining fun and exercise for kids in its brand-new after-school program, Hooked Kids.
“We were never planning on doing this, but due to a super high demand from our community, we decided to take advantage of our platform and give these kids the most fun exercise they have ever had,” said Nathan Yakubov, one of the owners of Hooked Kickboxing.
Hooked Kids was launched on March 12 for kids between the ages of 5 to 12. The first 30 kids in the community that sign up for the program will receive a free trial during the studio’s March Madness special promotion.
Hooked Kickboxing, located at 185-22 Union Turnpike, opened six months ago in Fresh Meadows with classes for adults. Now, Yabukov said, their mission is to get as many kids as they can to be more active and healthy.
“Growing up as a kid we were always playing basketball, going to the park and doing active stuff, and we feel like it’s not like that anymore,” said Yabukov, who grew up in Fresh Meadows. “For the most part a lot of the kids are home playing X-Box or doing things that are not healthy for them. We’re trying to bring back the healthier version of having fun as a kid.”
According to Yabukov, the program will teach the children leadership skills with a goal set in mind, such as getting better in push-ups and improving academically in school.
“No kids will get injured. We’re not fighting and everyone is hitting the instructor’s hands with pads or the bags,” Yabukov said. “We’re trying to get their heart rate up but in a healthy way.”
Eventually, the children will be split into two groups based on age range. Children ages 5 to 8 will attend classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while children ages 9 to 12 will attend classes Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
The Hooked Kids one-hour after-school program is Monday through Friday from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The program is also available at Hooked Kickboxing studio’s second Queens location in Glendale, located at 8000 Cooper Ave., Suite 6.
For those interested or just want more information contact the studio at 718-454-4800.
