Britain's kids sweat it out in new mini-gyms

POTTERS BAR, England, July 27: Maddie Bradley has just done an hour's workout.

She warmed up, did cardiovascular training on a treadmill, rowing machine and cross trainer, then moved on to fixed weight machines for leg extensions, lateral pull-downs and shoulder presses, finishing up with abdominal work on an exercise ball.

''I just want to get fit,'' she says.

She goes to the gym five times a week.

She is nine years old.

Bradley's parents suggested she join this gym in Potters Bar, southeast England, to help make new friends when they moved into the area.

She is now one of the growing band of children across Britain, -- some as young as five -- who have been bitten by the gym bug.

With child-sized treadmills, exercise bikes and resistance weight machines, mirrors on the wall and pop music pumping out, this gym in Potters Bar looks and feels just like its larger adult version.

Children are attracted by its grown-up feel, but also say they want somewhere to go with their friends, somewhere to do some new kinds of exercise.

At least 80 such gyms have opened in Britain in recent years, and one of the leading kid gym companies, Shokk, says it alone is opening new ones at a rate of around three a month.

With memberships reaching the hundreds for each one, tens of thousands of children across Britain are expected to pump weights and sweat it out on running machines this summer.

BATTLING OBESITY

Supporters of the gyms say they help fight childhood obesity and provide a safe place for children to spend time with their friends and get some exercise.

A rising fear of crime in the wake of some gruesome child abductions and murders in recent years means Britain's parents are increasingly fearful when their children play outside.

And with children spending an average of four hours a day in front of television or computer screens, some are increasingly keen to offer them a more active alternative.

According to the government, 15 per cent of Britain's 5 million children aged between two and 11 are obese and a similar number are overweight.

''There is a global need ... to look at obesity and inactivity management for young people,'' says Kieran Murphy, brand manager for Shokk. ''We try and manage young people through that process, increasing their activity in a safe, effective and non-competitive environment and offering nutrition advice and education as part of that experience.'' Exported from America, the idea of mini gyms has not only spread rapidly throughout Britain but, according to Murphy, is beginning to take hold in other parts of the world too.

His company has supplied children's gym equipment to Denmark, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Ireland and Sweden, among others.

''It transfers very well across borders. It doesn't matter where you are in the world, kids can do this,'' Murphy says.

''SHRINES TO THE SELF''

But critics have condemned the gyms as ''shrines to the self'' and say they will encourage narcissism among young people rather than foster a culture of team effort. Dr Dee Dawson, medical director of the Rhodes Farm clinic for children with eating disorders in north London, says it is ''ridiculous'' for children to be working out in gyms.

''It's not a good idea at all. It encourages obsessive compulsive behaviour ... and it's just not fun,'' she said.

''Children used to exercise all the time -- they walked to school, played games outside, rode their bicycles. They didn't sit in front of computers and TVs and get driven to school like they do now. That's why we have so much obesity now.

''Exercise is really important, but it should be fun. It should be part of a group, it should be playing basketball, volleyball, badminton, or something else where they are enjoying themselves in a team and meeting new people.'' Tim Lobstein, an expert on childhood obesity at the London-based International Obesity Taskforce, says many children, particularly those already facing weight problems, may feel distinctly awkward in the these lycra-and-mirror palaces.

''Kids who are becoming overweight -- and certainly those who are already overweight or tending to be obese -- are not keen on competitive, sweaty sports,'' he told Reuters.

''They don't want to get changed in dressing rooms and have special kit -- that type of exercise tends to make them more uncomfortable, both socially and physically.'' At the Potters Bar gym, which has been open since January this year, instructors have already noticed that young girls in particular are concerned about their body shape and tend to be obsessive about their weight.

A set of scales which used to be in the corner of the gym has been removed.

''So many of them were weighing themselves constantly,'' says instructor Jane Higley. ''It's silly, because at this age they should not be obsessing about their weight. We want to encourage kids to keep coming here, but the emphasis is on fun.'' Charlie Crowhurst, who at the age of 10 is making his first visit to the kid's gym, reckons it is all about balance.

He says he likes the running machine best, but loves to run outside too. And he sees the gym as a means to an end.

''If you go to the gym you can get fit and do stuff like football, much better. It's so much better than sitting on the sofa watching TV.''

Reuters