Free Workouts for Teen Girls at Local Gym this Summer

South Orange's Ladies Workout Express is inviting girls ages 13 to 19 to work out for free on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Sept. 1.

The national chain created the FitTEEN program to address the nationwide crisis of teenage obesity and encourage teenage girls to embrace a more active lifestyle. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 15 percent of the nation’s youth are overweight or obese, and over the past two decades, the number of overweight teenagers has tripled.

Teens can also attend free wellness workshops at 3 p.m. on the following dates: character building, July 22; AIDS prevention, Aug. 1; nutrition guidelines, Aug. 19; self esteem, Aug. 26; and CPR training on Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. with Dr. Carol Gill, co-owner of the South Orange gym.

In addition, Adesina Sampson, an Alvin Ailey teaching artist who also teaches for the New York City Ballet, has agreed to teach hip-hop classes to teens for $5 per class on Mondays at 2 p.m. and Fridays at 7 p.m.

For more information on FitTEEN, call 973-313-3993. To participate, teens should bring a parent or guardian to sign the consent form.