For many kids, the biggest challenge with fitness isn’t ability — it’s interest. Traditional exercise doesn’t always connect with every child, especially when they’re used to experiences that are interactive, fast-moving, and built around play. That’s why organizations like the YMCA of Greater Birmingham are finding new ways to make movement feel more natural, exciting, and engaging. At YMCA Hoover,…
There is a phrase that perfectly describes what the Boys & Girls Club of Shelby County is trying to accomplish with its Exergame space: “Meeting the kids where they’re at.” Today’s kids have grown up with technology. Video games, smartphones, tablets, interactive entertainment, and digital experiences are simply part of their everyday lives. For youth organizations, that creates an interesting…
When we talk about getting kids more physically active, reducing sedentary screen time is often part of the conversation. But what if technology itself could become part of the solution? At Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama, an Exergaming space is showing how gaming and technology can be used differently—turning screen time into an opportunity for movement, communication, friendly…
The fitness industry has traditionally focused on visible measures of health: strength, endurance, flexibility, weight, and cardiovascular fitness. But as the population continues to age, the definition of fitness is beginning to expand. The future of healthy aging will not be limited to keeping the body strong. It will also include maintaining memory, attention, coordination, balance, reaction time, and the…
Technology is often viewed as something that competes with physical activity. At Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama, however, technology is being used to inspire movement. Through support from a Meta Data Center Community Action Grant, Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama was able to introduce a complete Exergaming room at one of its newer Club locations. The…
The beginning of your fitness journey can be tough, but continuing for a long time is the real challenge. Repetitive sets of equipment and doing the same workout might bore you and lead to a loss of engagement. Gamified fitness is the game-changer that brings engagement and interactive fitness solutions, which keep your fitness journey going. Exergame Fitness is the…
At the Hoover YMCA, part of the YMCA of Greater Birmingham, play is about more than keeping kids active. It is about helping them connect, build confidence, and feel like they belong. That is one of the reasons exergaming has become such an exciting part of youth programming. In the video we are sharing alongside this blog, we asked an…
As YMCAs continue to evolve to meet the needs of modern communities, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: technology-based fitness is no longer optional—it’s essential. In a recent follow-up conversation with Kristin Harris, Executive Director of the Hoover branch at the YMCA of Greater Birmingham, we asked a simple but powerful question: “What role do you see technology-based fitness solutions…
🎮 Experience the Lu Interactive Playground at the BGCA National Conference For the first time ever, attendees of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Conference will have the opportunity to experience the Lu Interactive Playground live and in action. While many Boys & Girls Clubs across the country are already seeing the impact of Lu in their facilities,…
🚴♂️ CycloBEAT Launch at Boys & Girls Club National Conference We’re excited to introduce the next generation of Boys & Girls Clubs of America fitness innovation with the official launch of CycloBEAT, a cutting-edge exergaming system, at this year’s National Conference. As one of the most influential events in youth development, the conference provides the perfect platform to showcase how…
It takes innovative, quality programs designed to empower youth to excel in school and lead healthy, productive lives. Boys and Girls Club of America do whatever it takes to ensure all kids have a great future. As we have seen over the years with more medical studies based on the benefits of physical activity, and academic test scores; Exergame has…
What is the best kind of physical activity? The activity you enjoy enough to actually do every day. Exergames, active-play games, are a high-tech approach to fitness that could help many people become active and stay active. Interactive fitness and gaming is simply active play. That is, participants are physically playing a game and not just passively watching it…
