Pembroke Pines Gyms and Fitness

The two founders of Aquachild Swim School—Scott Launer and Brian Lilburn—came to embrace aquatic education through disparate means. When Scott took his then 2-year-old daughter, Jaya, to swim lessons, he was amazed to see 10-month-old babies floating on their own and began his journey to becoming a youth swim instructor. Brian, who nearly drowned in a backyard pool as a toddler, learned to love the water rather than fear it after his mom enrolled him in swim lessons. Scotty and Brian now share their life-saving knowledge alongside a staff of instructors that are all certified in water safety, first aid, and CPR.

Through Aquachild Swim School’s specially designed lessons, infants as young as 10 months learn to roll from facedown positions to back floats where they can breathe easily, and 1-year-old students begin to swim with their heads down, then twist onto their backs for air. As kids progress, they learn the four major strokes (front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly), brush up on the basics to keep them confident, or start snorkeling. The instructors lead adult lessons to help older students learn how to paddle at pool parties or triumphantly retrieve their boss’s golf ball from a green’s lagoon during corporate outings.

CrossFit 305 traces its lineage back to a modest, 300-square-foot studio that opened in 2008. Shortly after the staff began reading about CrossFit and testing out the workouts themselves, they decided to dedicate their business entirely to the functional fitness program. Even as they restructured their workouts, their studio continued to grow. Today, they hold their group classes in a 3,500-square foot facility equipped with gymnastics rings, kettlebells, and barbells for Olympic lifting.

Co-owner Dominic Sirianni says that many clients are hesitant to begin training at CrossFit 305, due to CrossFit’s reputation as a brutal, challenging workout. He assures them that they shouldn't be worried. "We scale the workout's intensity to their ability," he explains. "We have people as young as 10 years old and old as 77." In fact, it’s this inclusive atmosphere that keeps members coming back for more.

When they aren’t pushing clients to run faster or throw their boulders further, CrossFit 305's certified trainers encourage them to stay mindful of nutrition. They have even partnered with the Florida Heart Research Institute to help them give accurate body-composition readings and determine ideal body-fat percentages.