Our class structure is based upon simple yet effective fundamental movement patterns executed at high intensity. These workouts deliver time-tested measurable health and fitness improvements. This technology delivers the most effective broad-based fitness results in the most efficient manner possible. A SPARTA or SPARTABox class for example relies on group energy, community, and often, teamwork. These classes require a diversity of exercises and athleticism throughout the hour class. See our schedule page for more details on class times and locations.

Simply put, No. We provide a level of service above any other fitness facility in terms of personal attention, challenging work that will produce incredible results and an atmosphere that will keep you coming back for more. If you break it down you’re getting a personal trainer for $10 or less!! You will not get that value anywhere. Period.

New recruits can expect about a 15-20% improvement in strength and endurance following the first fifteen sessions. In addition our findings show that flexibility, agility and body composition are improved. Subjective things like increased mental toughness, energy levels, improved sleep and reduced joint stiffness are also reported. Most of our members are shocked at their improvements even though they would consider themselves exercisers.

Comfortable workout gear and some running shoes. Cross Training, trail or off road running shoes are most appropriate but any type will do.

The workout sessions are constantly varied. We keep your interest and your curiosity levels high in anticipation of the workouts. Depending on the workout of the day, the coach may direct or lead a group warm up followed by technique review and practice dedicated to skills training and development.

The coach will brief the workout of the day (WOD), and ensure everyone is set up with exercise progressions that suit their current capabilities. When you arrive you should warm up and mobilise ( Get familiar with SPARTAFIT mobility routine) until the coach begins the session. The skills training component will thoroughly prepare your body for the workout to follow. We also allow time for stretching after class.

You will enjoy the combination of personal attention and social interaction that our classes allow.

One of the many great things about BOOTCAMP is that every workout can be scaled or modified to suit all abilities. What that means is that a new BOOTCAMPER and a veteran CrossFitter can do the same workout, and the workout is adapted according to your skill and fitness level. We teach our members how to adapt the workouts and the coach always provide modifications in our group classes.

Your SPARTAFIT Coach will instruct you how to perform a progression of the exercise as an alternative. This could be a modified version of the exercise prescribed or a foundational exercise that will develop the required strength and skill, progressing you toward the prescribed exercise.

Yes. If you have a friend who is considering SPARTAFIT membership or just wants to come along and share a workout with you, we have Bring a Friend Day every Saturday.  Your buddy should be sure to arrive 10 minutes early to complete a waiver and introduce themselves to the coach. Remind them to come with a water bottle and towel.

We encourage you to attend at least three BOOTCAMP/ Boxing training sessions per week as consistently as possible. If you know in advance you are going to miss your regular training time due to un-changable circumstances, book in for another workout on the timetable as a substitute. We’re open 6 days a week with 6am, 9:30am and after work options daily. ExpressFit sessions are 12:00pm Monday & Friday.

We ask members to cancel bookings they can not attend to allow others the opportunity to fill the available place.

SPARTAFIT training methods cater for all fitness levels, sizes and ages. You don’t need to be fit to start; you join to get fit. Our youngest members are 5, and our eldest in their 70′s.

This program is not suitable for those with a condition or injury that would put themselves or others at risk of harm during the course of a training session. If in doubt consult your GP or specialist for a full medical screening prior to commencing any exercise routine.

If you are recovering from injury or have unique orthopaedic needs (herniated discs, joint replacement, back pain, shoulder impingement, ACL issues, knee pain, patella dysfunction etc), specialised personal training may be more suitable than our fast-paced group classes. The coach will customise appropriate strength and conditioning to allow for maximal results while maintaining and enhancing pain free and optimal function.

Our assessments are based upon a series of Bench Mark Workouts that are repeated over time giving you a baseline to measure against. It is highly motivating to see weekly evidence of your ongoing progress and development.

We encourage members to keep a training logbook to track your daily workouts. You will definitely feel and see the results, and looking back to where you started and seeing how far you’ve progressed is very rewarding. We also recommend that members perform the tasks outlined in the “Level Testing” tables provided in our training logbook. This will provide you with goals to work toward and a measure of your current athletic ability. We’re big on recording data – it never lies! Make use of your Zen planner member app! 

Great nutrition is paramount to achieving wellness, and having ample energy to attack your workouts and life in general. Nutrition is a primary tool for achieving and maintaining your ideal and healthy weight.

There is so much conflicting dietary information available to us these days, and finding the right choices and balance can sometimes feel daunting. You can find some gold amongst the simple information and tips on our blog page; and if you need specialised assistance beyond what our SPARTAFIT Coaches can provide, join us this month and you will receive free nutritional support for up to 4 weeks!

Yes! While you will not see us do many crunches at SPARTAFIT , we know that a weak trunk and poorly stabilised spine is the single most significant limiting factor in all human movement and sports. Our programming specifically addresses trunk or “core” strength.

Surely because we never do any long distance running sessions, our members can’t have any endurance or stamina. Wrong. The widely touted measure of aerobic stamina and endurance is VO2 max, the amount of oxygen that your body can consume during sustained aerobic exercise – medium intensity stuff like distance running or biking. There is a common misconception that long bouts of aerobic exercise are the only way to build stamina and endurance, but this simply isn’t true.

In the same way muscles must be taken beyond their limits and torn to simulate growth, your ability to process oxygen must be pushed out of equilibrium in order to increase your capacity to process it. Running at a level below your aerobic threshold (i.e. less than 100% VO2 max) will do little if anything to increase this ability. To push it out of equilibrium and induce growth you have to workout at 200% or more of your aerobic ability. In metabolic terms, you need to work the high-intensity phoshagenic and glycolytic pathways in order to improve the medium-low intensity aerobic pathway.

Want to learn more? Check out this article from the CrossFit Journal.

AFAP as fast as possible

AHAP as heavy as possible

AMRAP as many rounds (and reps) as possible

ATG ass to grass means your deepest squat

BP bench press

BS back squat

BW body weight

CTB chest to bar

C2 Concept II rowing machine

DL deadlift

DU double under

DUBS double unders

EMOM or EMOTM every minute on the minute

E2MOM or E3MOM every 2 minutes on the minute or every 3 minutes on the minute

FOR TIME  you are timing yourself

RFT rounds for time

FOR LOAD you are going for your heaviest load possible

FOR DISTANCE you are carrying something for your max distance possible

FS front squat

GIRLS benchmark workouts that are named using a girls name i.e. FRAN or GRACE. These are generally amongst some of the first named CrossFit benchmark workouts.

HEROES heroes workouts are named after military, law enforcement and firefighters that have died in the line of duty.

GTG grease the groove, a protocol of doing many sub-maximal sets of an exercise throughout the day

HSPU hand stand push-up

HSW hand stand walk

IF intermittent fasting

KB Kettlebell

KTE knees to elbows

METCON metabolic conditioning

MP military press

MU muscle-up

BMU bar muscle-up

OH over head

OHS overhead squat

PR personal record

PB personal best (same as above)

PP push press

PJ push jerk or power jerk. Push Jerk referring to using foot transfer and Power Jerk referring to keeping the feet planted.

REP repetition

Rx’d as Rx’d means as prescribed or as written. WOD done without any adjustments.

RM repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times.

SDHP sumo deadlift high pull

STO shoulder to overhead

GTO ground to overhead

SET a number of repetitions. e.g., 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.

TGU turkish get-up

TTB toes-to-bar.

WO or W/O workout

WOD workout of the day

OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING

CL clean

C&J clean and jerk

PCL power clean

HCL hang clean

HPCL hang power clean

SN snatch

PSN power snatch

HS hang snatch

HPS hang power snatch

In Olympic weightlifting a SN or CL on it’s own refers to pulling the bar from he ground, through a full Squat Snatch or Squat Clean in one uninterrupted movement, to a standing position, feet side by side, with the bar under control and arms fully locked out without a press out or rebend of the arms (in simple terms).

Letters BEFORE the exercise, HSN OR HPSN changes the starting and or finishing position of the bar i.e. Hang Snatch or Hang Power Snatch.

POWER refers to a Snatch or Clean received in a power position. This is a semi squat. Receiving the bar anywhere above thighs parallel to the floor is considered a power receive.

HANG refers to the starting position of the barbell in the Snatch or Clean where the bar starts anywhere from the knee to the hip position (the high hang).

SPARTAKIDS is a progressive coach led kids gym program offering classes in the following age groups: Kids – 5 to 9yrs, Juniors – 10 to 13yrs and Teens – 14 to 18yrs. Following this, teenagers matriculate into adult SPARTAKIDS classes. The class structure across the age groups is generally the same. Classes include a warmup, skill drills and workout and exercise intensive games. For Juniors and Teens we’d encourage post workout study as research has found there is an optimal learning capacity of the brain for 20-40 minutes after exercise.

The SPARTAKIDS fitness program combines gymnastics, bodyweight calisthenics and weightlifting elements to develop capacity across ten general physical skills: cardio-respiratory endurance, power, strength, stamina, speed, agility, flexibility, balance, accuracy, and co-ordination. Additional elements that encourage bone density development, cross body movements and exercises that involve the vestibular system are also incorporated.

Children and teens have a greater opportunity (relative to adults) to maximise their physical skills when exposed to this stimulus during years of peak development. The elements are combined to keep children engaged and entertained, while teaching them proper movement technique and creating a broad athletic foundation. Nutrition is also discussed as the basis of athletic performance and health within a supportive community.

Coaches will determine and discuss with parents when children are ready to move from one program level to the next. This will differ for each child; the age recommendations for each program are just that. When a child is ready to move onto the next class, graduation will be awarded and the coach will advise the parents. There are three primary elements that are evaluated: physical capacity, behavioural ability/control, and safety. Many children excel in one area but not in another. Graduation is at our discretion and we attempt to place all children in the appropriate class.

In some cases a child’s needs may not be met by the class environment, in which case the assessing coach will advise private training as an option.

One of the hallmarks of SPARTAKIDS is inclusion. Training in a group of peers can have a profound positive effect, increasing daily compliance with the program, pushing mental and physical limits, and maintaining a positive sense of self (Beets et al. and Vorhees et al.). Children that are deconditioned will also benefit from exercising in a group. The key to incorporating children with various physical abilities is in modulating the planned workout, often referred to as scaling, to accommodate differing abilities and capacities. The immediate goal is inclusion and maintenance of the general movement patterns, the long-term goal is to have each individual continue to improve and require a decreasing amount of scaling.

Beets MW et al. Social support and youth physical activity: The role of provider and type.American Journal of Health Behavior 30(3): 278-289, May 2006. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16712442

Vorhees CC et al. The role of peer social network factors and physical activity in adolescent girls. American Journal of Health Behavior 29(2): 183-190, 2005. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15698985

We receive questions regarding safety and weightlifting for children. Weightlifting is both safe and beneficial for children when properly supervised. The following may provide more insight and helpful information into the topics of organised fitness activities and training of young athletes.

Proper Training Age

“At what age should my child start participating in an organized training program or kids gym?”

Human muscle innervation is completed around 6–7 years of age (Grasso 2005). This implies that the brain has formed its neural connections to the muscular system and that optimization of these connections can begin. This makes it more possible to perform coordinated activities. By 10–12 years of age, reflexive motor patterns are conditioned and relatively permanent (Grasso 2005). These findings suggest that introducing proper motor skills between the age of muscle innervation and the age of permanent motor pattern formation may be advantageous (Drabik 1996).

Research has demonstrated that children as young as 5 have experienced benefits from organized programs, such as resistance training (Annesi et al. 2005). However, while the neuromuscular system may be ready to acquire skill at a young age, starting on an organized regimen requires an adequate level of mental, physical and emotional maturity (Ashmore 2003; Drabik 1996; Grasso 2005). Regardless of age, the child must be able to focus, follow directions, understand coaching cues and be physically proficient enough to accomplish movements in response to cues. The criteria for beginning a program, therefore, have more to do with these characteristics than with exact chronological age (Grasso 2005). A physically and mentally capable youngster benefits from a well-designed program that increases motor coordination, strength, aerobic capacity, flexibility, bone health and a variety of other physical traits (Faigenbaum et al. 2009). Additionally, the child develops exercise habits that will mold his/her lifestyle for years to come.

It is essential that an organized training program for a child is safe, developmentally appropriate and engaging; it must offer the child an all-round positive experience. Much of the hesitation that parents feel is due to tales of inexperienced, overzealous coaches who implement unsafe poorly designed programs—particularly in resistance training. During the 1970s and 1980s, data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System suggested that resistance training was a dangerous activity for youth, given the numerous emergency-room reports of injuries from exercises and equipment. When the data were revisited, however, researchers concluded that nearly all of the injuries resulted from improper training techniques, excessive loading, lack of adult supervision or faulty equipment (Faigenbaum et al. 2009). Current research has not discovered any overt clinical injuries during properly designed and supervised resistance training at any age (Faigenbaum et al. 2009).

Children of any age can benefit from organized training as long as they have the physical, mental and emotional maturity to address the demands of an appropriate, well-designed program in a positive, engaging environment.

The SPARTAFIT Coaching staff have years of experience in the field of fitness and human performance. We invite you to review our expertise and educational credentials.

Training Type

“What type of training should a particular athlete do?”

Parents often want to improve a child’s physical characteristics as they apply to a particular sport. When you consider the wide array of physical capabilities—strength, balance, coordination, power, visual perception, etc. that combine to create athleticism, sport specific training for youth is a ridiculous notion. A recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) found that young people who participated in a variety of sports and other activities prior to puberty were more consistent performers, had fewer injuries and had longer athletic careers (AAP 2001). Regardless of the sport a youngster chooses to play, he/she will need to be proficient in all of the capabilities mentioned above in order to advance his/her level of play and learn positive exercise habits that last a lifetime.

Parents often confuse sport skills and general physical preparation. Every sport has a specific set of tactical skills. In soccer, for example, you must be able to dribble, pass, trap the ball and shoot. These are specific skills related to the game of soccer. These skills, however, are made up of more general physical capabilities, such as strength, coordination, balance, mobility, etc., that aid in creating overall athleticism. Even this wide range of general physical capabilities can be broken down into primary physical attributes, such as rhythm, kinesthetic differentiation, body awareness, movement adequacy and others (Drabik 1996; Grasso 2005). If you focus your training primarily on a specific skill set, you ignore the important foundations of that skill set.

The less experienced a child is with physical movement, the wider the range of physical abilities you must address. As the child becomes proficient in basic abilities, you can introduce more specific skill sets. For example, a young or physically inexperienced client should begin with movements that require very general physical abilities. Good choices include exercises and games that require skipping, marching, hopping, grasping, crawling, climbing, rolling, catching, throwing and kicking (Drabik 1996; Grasso 2005). When the child can accomplish these tasks well, move on to more specific preparatory activities, such as running, resistance training exercises (beginning with body weight), sustained cardiovascular exercise and other related athletic drills.

Author: Brett Klika (IDEA Author and Presenter) is the director of athletic performance at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, California. He specializes in youth fitness and athletic performance. Brett oversees a staff of eight strength coaches and develops program for over 300 youth athletes (and non-athletes) per week. He is a regular contributor for a variety of publications, produces DVDs on fitness and athletic performance and presents around the world.