Side Note

Fortnite-inspired fitness classes are a great way to get your kid to stop playing Fortnite

Fortnite celebrated its one year anniversary last month. The video game hasn’t been around all that long at all, and yet it has managed to captivate the controllers of college bros and preteens alike, en route to becoming one of the most popular video games of all-time. As a result, the demand for Fortnite-related merchandise and content has been sky high. And for European parents who wish their kids would get off the couch and get moving, there’s now an option to hold their interest. David Lloyd Clubs, a popular chain of fitness clubs in Europe, is newly offering a class called “Emote Royale.” Based off of the infamous dancing done by the Fortnite avatars in-game, instructors teach kids how to pull off the same exact moves in real life.

They're really doing the damn thing.

The classes started running in July, at the start of the UK’s summer vacation. Bonnie Jack, a spokesperson for David Lloyd, said the class was inspired by marketing research. “David Lloyd Clubs conducted research and found that kids would spend 2hrs 15mins each day playing computer games this summer. We wanted a way to encourage kids off the sofa, but in a fun and engaging way that talks to them.” The classes last an hour, and are offered as part of the full and half-day packages for children. Jack quoted feedback from a member at David Lloyd Kidbrooke, who said: “It was fun to keep fit doing something that was enjoyable and show off the moves that I’ve learnt. I knew how to do The Floss already but I wanted to learn the other moves.”

(“Flossing” is based on the viral dance started by Backpack Kid. Another popular dance is “taking the L,” where you taunt other players by putting an “L” against your forehead. No one over the age of 18 is allowed to do it.)

The company has more than 100 fitness clubs in Europe. According to Jack, 43 clubs across the country already offer the class so far. Many more are planning to add it to their schedules, and possibly continue the classes into the fall, winter, and even the spring if its success continues. Hey, whatever gets the kids not gaming.