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This ninja gym makes 6 figures from kids' programs

Steal their party strategy to make thousands on weekends.

Author

John Franklin
May 30, 2025

What’s up Gym World?

In 2015, Joshua Fry used inheritance money and opened Ottawa’s first (and only) obstacle course racing gym to give Spartan athletes a place to train.

Before opening the gym, Joshua was one of the OG Spartan employees back when the company was just getting off the ground.

But when parents kept asking about kids’ programs, he decided to pivot—and that’s when the business took off.

Now 90% of OCR Academy’s revenue comes from kids, including $140,000 from summer camps. And every weekend, Joshua makes a few thousand dollars just from parties.

If you run a kids’ program, these are relatively easy add-ons that can boost your gym’s annual revenue.

Here’s what you can take from Joshua’s playbook.

Add thousands to your gym’s revenue

It’s hard to find indoor spaces where kids can run around and have fun—so when parents find one, they jump on it.

Around 1,500 kids come through the doors of OCR Academy every year. Inside, you’ll find 7,900 sq ft packed with equipment Joshua built himself, including:

  • Walls ranging from 4 to 8 feet

  • A 12-foot slip ramp with a crash mat landing

  • Monkey bars and climbing ropes

  • A Ninja Warrior-style warped wall (from 10 to 14 feet)

  • Plus traditional training gear like squat racks, sleds, barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, rowers, and bikes

Joshua built all of this using his experience working for Spartan, where he helped set up and take down obstacle courses across Canada.

OCR Academy offers:

  • Adult classes — open gym, obstacle fit, and HYROX training

  • Kids classes for ages 7 to 13 — strength and conditioning

  • Field trips for school groups (ages 7+)

  • Homeschool sessions for kids 7 and up

Since it’s not a typical gym with a typical clientele, long-term members are harder to come by.

OCR Academy kind of operates like a seasonal gym—Joshua sees more adult interest in the summer from people training for Spartan races.

So Joshua leaned into what was already working—kids—and built programs that help keep revenue flowing throughout the year.

That includes: 👇

1. Camps

Joshua runs camps for kids 7+ whenever they’re out of school, like:

  • PD Days (professional development days for teachers)

  • March Break (spring break)

  • Summer

  • Winter holidays

Each week costs $320 per child, with the option to add lunch and snacks for $75 a week or $15 a day.

These camps run for about 12 weeks each year and bring in $120,000 to $140,000 in revenue.

It’s a win-win: kids stay active and have fun, and parents get peace of mind knowing their kids are supervised and out of the house.

2. Parties

People are always looking for fun places to host birthdays, team parties, and special events. If you’ve got the space, parties are an easy way to boost revenue.

And while most events take time, money, and effort to run, Joshua’s are simple—they’re only two hours long and follow the same schedule:

  • Arrival and check-in

  • Quick tour and safety instructions

  • Free time on the obstacle course (with instructor)

  • Pizza break in the party area (gym provides it)

  • More free time until the two hours are up

Guests bring cake if they want it. Pizza is frozen and cooked onsite, so Joshua doesn’t need any special food permits.

Parties run every Saturday and Sunday at $30 per child. Joshua averages about four parties a day, bringing in up to $3,000 each weekend.

To make sure the adults have a great experience too, Joshua checks in with parents and guardians after the pizza break—right before it’s time to pay.

He asks three simple questions:

  1. How was your party?

  2. How was your instructor?

  3. How was the food?

It’s a small gesture, but the timing is intentional.

The kids are still having fun, the parents are in a good mood, and if the answers are all great—most people are happy to leave a 15%, 18%, or 20% tip when Joshua brings over the payment terminal.

Joshua used to take a deposit and collect the rest at the beginning of the party, but he realized people are far more likely to tip generously after having a great experience.

And with new traffic coming through the doors every weekend from parties, Joshua uses it to generate leads by:

  • Sending 3–4 follow-up emails or text messages

  • Asking for a Google review (to boost SEO)

  • Mailing a handwritten thank-you card with a free open gym pass

Most gyms in his area don’t follow up like this, so it’s an easy way for him to stand out.

He also reaches out to local teams and kids’ clubs to pitch parties, team-building events, or off-field training. These often lead to ongoing contracts with the gym.

Could these programs work in your gym?

According to Joshua—yes. Especially if:

  • You’ve got the space (a training area, a party room, etc.)

  • It doesn’t interfere with your adult classes

  • You already run a kids’ program

  • You want something that’s low-cost, easy to run, and repeatable

It really depends on what fits your gym.

Camps take more effort to organize—but they bring in a solid chunk of revenue that wouldn’t otherwise be there.

Parties are simpler, require less planning, and can add a few extra thousand dollars every weekend.

For more insights on OCR Academy, be sure watch or listen to Joshua’s full interview on Gym World.

hope this helps,

j

📣 P.S. If this sparked any ideas, send it to a gym owner who’d appreciate this article too.