At WOLA, workout programs are available for the whole family. (photo courtesy of Craig Juda)

A Third Street fitness studio offers a workout for the whole family.

WOLA, which stands for Work Out Los Angeles, opened last year to fill what cofounders Craig Juda and Leonard Chung saw as an unmet need: a place to exercise while their children receive more than just day care.

WOLA offers spaces for adults and youths, where parents can exercise while their children train in an adjoining studio in an age-appropriate program. Or, if a youth is 13 or older, they can participate in the adult classes. Some classes are also all-ages.

“What we quickly discovered as we evolved was that the teens actually enjoy working out with the adults and even with their parents,” Chung said. “They just want to be with other adults and feel respected and treated like an adult.”

Chung said he works out with his 17-year-old son, and spending that hour-plus together allows them to bond and catch up on what’s going on in each other’s lives, bringing them closer together.

“After completing that workout, it’s interesting how more open the lines of communication are … because the endorphins are flowing through your system and you’re in a better frame of mind,” Chung said.

At WOLA, vivid decorations welcome the attendees, colored lights help control the participants’ heart rates and music videos accentuate the workouts, with custom playlists setting the tone for an upbeat regimen. The music, which comes complete with scheduled alerts, indicates when the exercisers should move onto the next activity or station.

The workout programs aren’t necessarily focused on weight loss or fitting into a smaller size.

“Our main objective, as you’ll see on our motto on our wall up front, is keep active and keep moving,” Juda said. “We just want people to move their bodies.”

Mercedes Dean, chief engagement officer for WOLA, said the studio also strives to create an atmosphere that welcomes families and makes them feel comfortable.

“The biggest thing is family for us … Every day is different here in terms of exercise, but we’ve got to keep our service consistent and really deliver on that five-star service,” Dean said.

In addition, WOLA offers special classes and hosts fundraisers to raise money for different causes. For instance, a team of Junior Ambassadors of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, including Juda’s daughter, Evvie Juda, and her friend Pippa Tarses, helped raise approximately $3,500 for CHLA by holding a sale of slightly used clothing.

WOLA’s special workout classes have raised money for everything from the South Sudan national basketball team to local schools and nonprofits that combat sex trafficking. This January, the WOLA Women’s Empowerment Series will honor local women who make a difference and raise money for causes they select.

“For us it’s a marketing tool, and it’s also a place where people can see that this is a [family-oriented], fun place to come,” Juda said. “And so, as much as we want to be making money right now, as any business does, we truly believe in giving back from the get go.”