The mission of Lift For Life Gym is to offer at-risk St. Louis city children a safe, enriching environment in which to strengthen their bodies, enrich their minds, develop healthy social relationships, and learn to make positive life choices.
In 1988, Marshall Cohen started Lift For Life Gym, then, a youth weightlifting team in the basement of Globes Drugs in downtown St. Louis. The purpose of the Gym was to offer impoverished youth constructive, recreational opportunities as an alternative to idleness, crime, drugs and violence.
What began as a simple weightlifting program grew over the next 28 years into a full service after-school youth activity center offering services that are designed to alleviate the burden of poverty and build a sense of resiliency that will help them archive success personally, academically, and professionally. Lift For Life Gym is now located at 1415 Cass Avenue and serves over 440 youth each year and provides over 30 different programs.
The gym offers a nurturing environment for St. Louis youth after school
FITNESS & WEIGHTLIFTING
Physical activity fosters confidence, instills discipline, and encourages perseverance. At Lift For Life Gym, we provide multiple, diverse avenues for our youth to build strong bodies. Each day, our members spend their time participating in fitness activities.
These activities include:
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Olympic Style Youth Weightlifting
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Power Lifting
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Strength & Conditioning
Our signature fitness program is the Olympic Style Youth weightlifting. The individuals on our weightlifting team practice three to five times a week totaling over 4,500 hours each year. The team compiled over 60 medals and trophies in 2017 and two of our elite lifters are ranked 1st and 3rd in the country as youth (17&under) athletes for the sport of weightlifting. The program continues to have much success and is an example of how to “Build Strong Minds and Strong Bodies”.
- Summer camps
- Summer camps
We are only able to offer these programs because of the generosity of people like you.
Our partners help us to provide fitness, nutrition and education to more than 440 of St. Louis’ youth each year.
LEAP
Clay Elementary Satellite Program
Bryan Hill Elementary Satellite Program