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Champion Fit Kidz
Jon Thaxton has teamed up with local schools to encourage children to take part in fun and energetic after school clubs that are aimed at teaching children the joys of exercise, encouraging these vital skills so they can develop into healthy, confident adults.
• Phase 1 Introduction to fitness and exercise
• Phase 2 Improving your fitness level
• Phase 3 Advanced Training
With so much concern over child fitness and obesity, Jon Thaxton’s aim is to deliver fun and energetic fitness classes where children can gain confidence and improve fitness levels, as well as self esteem.
During his 17-year boxing career Jon Thaxton's supreme fitness level took him to British, European and world titles as well as a titanic clash against fighting legend Ricky Hatton.
Now the former lightweight has unveiled his ambition to become a Jamie Oliver-style health guru getting the region's youngsters into shape and motivating them to take up sport.
Year five and six youngsters at the new after-school club will be put through their paces in a variety of circuit training exercises and also given tips on healthy eating.
Jon has been partly motivated by his concern at reports that Britain is facing a shocking youth obesity problem.
He said: “When I was at school I was doing four martial arts as well as amateur boxing, and training every day of the week. That was probably too much, but nowadays the level of physical activity among young people has dropped to a worrying level.
“I will be introducing students to fitness in a fun way. My message to them will be that I was no good at boxing when I started - if I could do it through discipline and determination so can they, whether it is playing football, netball or whatever.”
Each participant will give them a fitness test at the start and one at the end so they can measure the difference. If they listen and do what they are told, they will improve their fitness and gain an understanding of it. They are sure to be motivated by the results - in the first week they might struggle to do a few press ups, but by week three they might be reeling off 20 easily.
Aiming to take his camps to schools across the region, Jon concludes: “I would like to change youngsters' lifestyles the way Jamie Oliver changed food in schools.” | 
