Parents' questions about CrossFit Kids

Yes, when it is coached properly – and that is the whole job. CrossFit Kids is a physical education programme, not the adult class made smaller. Most of the hour is bodyweight movement, games and technique, run by a coach who is CrossFit Kids certified, in small groups where every child is seen on every rep.

No. That worry has been studied repeatedly and has not held up. Supervised, well-coached resistance training is widely supported for children by paediatric and sports medicine bodies, and it is linked to stronger bones, better motor control and fewer sports injuries – not more.

Only once technique is solid, and then with an empty or very light bar. Day to day they use their own bodyweight, medicine balls and light dumbbells. Load is set child by child and technique always comes before weight.

Tell us on the enquiry form and we'll talk it through before the first session. We coach around all sorts of things – asthma, hypermobility, recovering fractures – and we'd rather know in advance than find out mid-class.

Nothing is done to failure, efforts are short – usually five to twelve minutes – and children are taught to speak up if something hurts. No child is ever pushed to keep up with someone else.

Warm-up games, then one skill taught properly – a squat, a press, a jump or a hang – then a short workout built around that skill, then a cool down, a game and a word with each child about what went well.

Competitive in the fun sense: relays, team games and beating your own score. It is not a class where children are ranked against each other.

Small groups, deliberately. It means every child gets coached rather than just supervised.

Not at all. Plenty of our kids do no other sport; plenty are county-level players looking for extra strength work. Every session is scaled, so both get a good hour.

That's usually why parents come. Strong, well-coached basics make children harder to knock over, quicker off the mark and less prone to the niggles that come from moving badly when tired. Our kids play rugby, football, hockey, netball, swimming, athletics, gymnastics, cricket and martial arts.

CrossFit Kids is for ages 10-14. Ages 15-18 train in CrossFit Teens, which follows the same approach with more structured strength work.

CrossFit Kids runs Tuesday at 16:00, straight after school, and Saturday at 11:30. Teens sessions run midweek evenings – the full weekly timetable is on the timetable page.

Trainers, shorts or leggings, a t-shirt and a full water bottle. We have all the equipment.

Yes. There is seating at the side of the gym and parents are welcome to stay for the whole session, especially the first one.

Unit 2 Site 1, Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted, HP4 1EH, with parking on site. Families travel to us from Berkhamsted, Northchurch, Tring and Hemel Hempstead.

Wendy Blanton, a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer who is also CrossFit Kids certified, with Rob covering some sessions.

Fill in the short kids enquiry form and we'll come back to you with a session time. The first class is free and there is no obligation afterwards.

£120 for a ten-session pack, used whenever they suit you – handy around school terms, fixtures and holidays.

If they're both 10-14, yes. If one is 15 or older they'll be better suited to the Teens class, and we'll help you sort the timings.

Then it isn't for them, and that's fine. The free trial exists so you can find that out without committing to anything.