Youth Fitness & Development Programs
Empower Your Young Athlete
Give your child, middle-schooler, or teenager the confidence to tackle whatever the world throws at them through fitness and development.
Our Empower Youth Fitness Programs in Vancouver are designed to develop strong, adaptable, resilient athletes with superior physical literacy. These programs are designed to meet the neurological and physiological needs of the each respective age group. Because these functional fitness movements are scalable, the athletes can safely train at their level.
Whether your child is just starting their fitness journey, is playing sports at a recreational level or is an experienced elite athlete, our programs will help them excel.
In the gym your young athlete will develop self-awareness, discipline, focus and perseverance that will help them overcome obstacles outside the gym. We want to help create a passion for fitness that your child will carry with them throughout their lives.
Group Classes, Small Group Training, and 1:1 Coaching for Youth
Choose from any of the following programs or call for a custom option
For athletes aged 8-12
Junior Varsity
Ages: 8-12
Prerequisites: None
Start date: September 2
The Junior Varsity group learns all the foundational movements of CrossFit. This includes weight lifting, gymnastics and metabolic conditioning. The PVC pipe is an excellent tool for teaching complex movements like clean and jerks without load until the athlete is ready to handle a barbell. If you stop by during class time you might see us playing games like shoulder tap cone grab or tabata hot potato hollow holds. These games help develop the smaller stabilizing muscles as well as make it fun so the kids work hard without realizing it!
Prerequisites: none at this time. All youth athletes welcome. Athletes who have participated in Junior Varsity can graduate to Varsity level when they age up.
For athletes aged 13-17
Varsity
Ages: 13-17
Prerequisites: Prior assessment
Start date: September 2025
Our Varsity program includes all weight lifting movements, gymnastics and metabolic conditioning. All weights are scaled appropriately to the correct stimulus and intensity for the athlete. We work on injury prevention and strong core conditioning in addition to providing a positive, confidence-building environment.
Prerequisites: Coach assessment and approval to ensure you can transition to Varsity classes safely and easily. One-to-one coaching sessions are available if needed to set you up for success in this program.
Register now, and we'll arrange for an assessment at a time convenient for you prior to joining class.
For young athletes on an alternative education path
Homeschool PE
Ages: 9-17
Prerequisites: None
Start date: September 10
Homeschool PE is a CrossFit-based program that incorporates cardio, strength training, and gymnastics movements for complete body conditioning. All weights are scaled appropriately to the correct stimulus and intensity for the athlete.
We work on injury prevention and strong core conditioning in addition to providing a positive confidence-building environment. Best of all, we have fun doing it, by incorporating partner workouts and games.
For teams between seasons
Team Training
Ages: 9-18
Prerequisites: None
Start date: Let's talk!
Empower offers dryland training for teams that are coming off the ice, out of the pool or are in between seasons. Bring your team in for strength and conditioning sessions and set them up for success when they return to sport.
Talk to us to set up a training program for your team.
For all athletes aged 8-17
Youth Personal Training
Ages: 8-17
Prerequisites: None
Start date: Let's talk!
Our Youth Personal Training program is custom built to support the needs of your athlete. These custom programmed sessions can be built to support youth athletes in specific sports with a focus on strengthening, injury prevention, and injury recovery.
Personal training can be done 1:1 or in small groups (1:2, 1:3, 1:4, etc.) so kids can train with their friends.
Whether the group class time doesn’t fit your schedule, your athlete works better one-on-one, or your elite athlete is looking for more specific training, we are here to help meet those needs.
Our Coaches Talk About How We Empower Youth Athletes
Handstand Walk + Pistols
Welcome to today’s workout challenge—an intense and skill-focused workout designed to test your balance, coordination, and muscular endurance.
This workout combines gymnastics and unilateral lower body strength in a high-skill, high-demand format. The handstand walk builds overhead stability, shoulder strength, and core control, while the pistol squats challenge balance, hip mobility, and leg strength—especially through the glutes and quads.
Intended Stimulus:
The goal is to move with control but urgency. The handstand walk should push your shoulder endurance and spatial awareness, while the alternating pistols demand focus and stamina under fatigue. This workout rewards athletes who can maintain efficiency in skill-based movements while staying mentally composed over multiple rounds.
Scale accordingly to maintain intensity without compromising form—options include wall walks or handstand holds and box- or ring-supported pistols.
Warm-up | 5:00 to 7:00
3 Rounds
:30 seconds of:
Jumping jacks
Air squats
Reverse lunges, alternating
Shoulder Taps (in plank position)
Handstand hold
Arm circles forward/backward (each direction)
TECH | 2:00
Demonstrate scaling options for handstand walk and alternating single-leg pistols
Specific Warm-Up (8–10 minutes)
Handstand Walks | 6:00
Wrist Circles + Wrist Stretch (1 minute)
2 x 30-second Wall-Facing Handstand Hold or Plank Hold
2 x 10 Shoulder Taps in Wall Walk Position or Box Handstand Position
2 x 20-foot Handstand Walk Practice or Wall Walks (focus on control and breathing)
For Pistol Squats | 4:00
10 Cossack Squats (5 per side)
10 Cyclist squats
5/5 Box Step-Downs (control on the eccentric/lowering)
6 Assisted Pistol Squats (hold onto a post, rings, or band)
4–6 Unassisted Pistol Squats (build range and balance)
Break | 2:00
WOD | H:25 | TC: 30:00
RX:
5 rounds for time of:
100-foot handstand walk
30 one-legged squats, alternating
Intermediate/Beginner:
5 rounds for time of:
2:00 to 3:00 handstand walk practice or feet against the wall with hand-to-hand practice per round
1:00 to 1:30 assisted pistols per round
Cooldown (4–6 minutes)
Hold for 30 seconds:
Seated Forward Fold (hamstrings)
Pigeon Pose (hips/glutes)
Couch Stretch (quads/hip flexors)
Child’s Pose + Thread the Needle (shoulders/lats)
Wrist Flexor & Extensor Stretch (for handstand pressure)
Enjoy!
Accomplish Personal Bests
"Empower has provided our son with a safe and supportive environment in which to test himself, accomplish personal bests and celebrate the results among peers."
-Chris H.
Incredibly Supportive Environment
"Empower has become a gym for our family. The coaches are so knowledgeable and can also scale weights/movements to your fitness level. Smaller group classes allow coaches to ensure all movements are performed safely. It is an incredibly supportive environment which makes Empower Youth unique."
-Carmine L.
Empower
Contact Us
© Copyright 2025 | Design by Zen Planner