The classic Hot Ground Gym teaches kids life skills through exercise

The city’s oldest fitness center offers special programs for children, helping them develop physically and mentally, teaching them life skills along the way.

Doug Gialds, an Afghanistan war veteran who served eight years in the Marines, and Sam Simpson, an Iraq war veteran who served nine years in the Army, are the owners of Hot Ground Gym, which has locations in Arlington Heights and Libertyville. The two met after their military service in security work.

“It was tough at times, and Sam and I cared about each other,” Gialds said.

They wanted to use their experience to teach children through unique fitness and leadership programs.

“The first of its kind really … using obstacle courses, combining that with team building, eye contact skills and life skills,” Gialds said.

Hot Ground Gym opened in 2013 in Northbrook, specializing in hand-to-hand combat, weapons training and obstacle courses. Gialds then decided to add a children’s program in 2014, with challenges including tasks such as lifting heavy tires or walking an obstacle course blindfolded.

“The word Hot Ground comes from the military language. It means a place where training is effective and ongoing,” Simpson said. “Although we use subtle military language to greet our brothers and sisters, the gym is not tough and not strong. We are firm but compassionate, with the goal of helping children push themselves beyond what they thought they could do.”

Seeing how beneficial it was to help children grow, Gialds upgraded the gym to offer just these types of programs. Simpson, who first ran the Northbrook location as general manager, joined as co-owner in 2021. The two reorganized the business during the pandemic.

“Over the next year or two, we improved the program a lot. We are updating the program every week, every day. The classes … and the experiences are much cooler,” Gialds said.

At the time, Simpson was also working as a firefighter in Grayslake, and Gialds asked him one day if that was all he wanted to do in life. Simpson said he was initially offended by the question, but soon realized what Gialds meant by it.

Gialds “saw potential in me … believed in me,” Simpson said. I liked it so much that I stopped putting out fires.”

Gialds currently owns Hot Gym’s Arlington Heights location at 8 W. College Drive #A, while Simpson owns the Libertyville location at 1950 Route 45, Canlan Sports Complex. Looking to spread their ideas across the country, the two opened the Hot Ground gym in Dripping Springs, Texas.

The passion they both have for the business is rewarded every day by the steps they watch their students take. Gialds shared a recent moment when she watched a sophomore who started a class in tears, convinced she would never be able to complete obstacle courses, become a confident student.

“At the end of it, a kid who couldn’t even look me in the eye … is out here hitting me so hard my arm hurts,” Gialds said.

Hot Gym’s unique state-of-the-art system encourages children to progress through physical challenges and life skills such as power and hand tools, first aid and knot tying. At the highest level, participants volunteer to be junior instructors.

Gialds and Simpson describe their exercise as the best therapy they can find.

“As a veteran, and more than anything we go through … these kids are real therapy. This has helped me a lot,” Simpson said.

While being in the military allowed both to develop lifelong skills, it was also a painful experience.

“Most of us have seen very bad things happen to children. Giving back to kids the way we do makes us feel good,” Gialds said.

Hot Ground Gym offers classes, day camps, team building events and birthday parties for children in kindergarten through high school. More information can be found at hotgroundgym.com/.

• Shaw Local News Network contributed to this report.