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A Tuscaloosa-Area Kid-Friendly Gym

By Kelly Johns, MK Tuscaloosa Publisher January 7, 2019

With the New Year, many of us consider New Year's resolutions.  At the very least, I tell myself that I will not eat as much junk as I have since Halloween!  With that spirit in mind, this week, I finally graced the doors of my gym after ... well, let's just say it's been a while.

I actually love going to the gym.  On Saturday mornings, my small children still wake up with the sunrise.  So by 9 am, I'm looking for something to help get those wiggles out.  And the gym in a great option.  Some gyms provide child care, and Northridge Fitness is rocking it.  The children are either in Building Blocks (infant to 3 year olds) or The Zone (kids ages 4 to 11).  My daughter was 5 when she first learned dodge ball at Northridge.  It was hilarious having a 5 year old tell me about dodge ball as though her teacher had invented the game!  And while she loved dodge ball, she isn't always feeling so *active* when we go.  That's okay because they have a chalk-board wall, legos, toys and games.  They also have more coloring sheets than my daughter can fill in an hour (and let me tell you, she's fast).  


The Building Blocks and The Zone are open everyday, but hours vary each day, and the Kid Areas are not open the entire business day. You can find out more here.


And for us adults, Northridge is top-notch.  I love the Body Pump class, or just jumping on a treadmill for a quick workout. They also have a Ladies Gym area (a separate room with equipment just for us gals to use).  There's CrossFit and loads of group fitness class:  from spinning to yoga to Zumba.  There's something for everyone.  You can check out their weekly calendar here.  Plus, the gym is always clean.  I mean, I can't keep my house clean, but Northridge manages to keep that giant building and all the equipment is top notch shape.  AND the staff is always so nice! It's a pleasure to walk in and ALWAYS be greeted with a warm "hello!".


And I can't forget to mention the smoothie bar.  For me, the gym is just one stop in my very busy day.  I've learned that by grabbing a smoothie on my way out of the gym keeps me on track as I shop at the grocery store after.  Have you ever been grocery shopping while hungry?!   I end up with everything off those end-caps on the aisles, only to get home and scold myself for buying more junk food than we had at middle-school slumber parties!


So if you're in the market for a family-friendly gym, check out Northridge Fitness.



Want to stay in the know about Tuscaloosa family-friendly events and venues?  Be sure to subscribe to our free Macaroni Kid Tuscaloosa newsletter and check out our calendar!