TODD DAVIS. The workout starts with a five- to 10-minute warm-up and moves into intervals of strength training and cardiovascular drills. Moms can walk or jog; the ones who finish faster can do jumping jacks while they wait for the rest. By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR | The Tampa Tribune. October 23, 2010
ST. PETERSBURG - Losing your pregnancy weight is just one of the tough parts of being a new mom.Days pass in a haze of diaper changes and 3 a.m. feedings that can leave you feeling isolated from your friends. You may wonder whether you've found the right activities to help you bond with your baby. And you might not know how to juggle time spent with your child and your own fitness.
Christie Bruner, 30, has a solution for all of the above.
Bruner owns a Baby Boot Camp (formerly StrollerFit) franchise in St. Petersburg that allows moms to spend time with their babies and meet other mothers while getting a cardio and strength workout.
"It's a social outlet for moms, and it's a mental outlet," Bruner says. "You're not stuck in the house."
Bruner began teaching StrollerFit in late 2005 after her daughter Grace was born. She opened her own franchise in 2006. The 55- to 75-minute workouts offer new mothers a chance to get back in shape after pregnancy. Children from six weeks to 3 years go along for the ride in their strollers, as moms alternate strength moves using resistance tubes and bands with short jogs.
Bruner leads moms through the moves and entertains the children with songs, counting games and developmental activities.
"Passing on that active lifestyle is why I started it," Bruner says. "I like to be active, and my kids — they don't know any other way. They love it. They thrive on it."
Here's what to expect at a Baby Boot Camp class:Ages: Some moms come with 6-week-old infants as soon as they get their doctor's approval. Participants also bring toddlers. Bruner's youngest, Jocelyn, is nearly 3 and has accompanied her mother since she was a baby.Crowd control: A little fussiness is OK. Moms can break to feed their babies or take a walk with a cranky child. "It's a super laid-back class," Bruner says. "If we're doing a circuit and everyone's screaming, we'll go jog a lap. I'm there as the entertainer and the workout leader and the motivator."
The workout: It starts with a five- to 10-minute warm-up and moves into intervals of strength training and cardiovascular drills. Moms can walk or jog; the ones who finish faster can do jumping jacks while they wait for the rest. Near the end, the children come out of the strollers and can play on mats while the moms do abdominal exercises.Equipment: Any stroller is fine, except the flimsiest umbrella models. Some exercisers use joggers. Others with younger babies who need more support use their travel systems.Relationships: The moms often make post-class play dates for the zoo, Sunken Gardens, Zumba or yoga. Boo camp: Bruner has a special "Baby BOO Camp" planned for her 9:15 a.m. Friday class at Vinoy Park. Pumpkins will serve as weights, and kids can come in costume. After class, they will decorate pumpkins and share cookies and treats.Trying it out: The first class is free. Regulars pay a one-time $50 fee for a membership kit that includes the resistance bands and tubes, a bag and water bottle. Participants can pay $15 per class or buy packages. Prices, dates and locations are available at .Bruner has daytime classes at Crescent Lake Park and Vinoy Park, and she recently added sessions at the Tyrone Square Mall. A 6 p.m. Tuesday class at Crescent Lake offers working mothers an option. She plans to add Saturday classes in November.
Liz Park owns the Clearwater and Dunedin franchise and offers classes in that area as well. The Stroller Strides fitness program is also available in Hillsborough and Pasco counties. See for details.
Contact Courtney Cairns Pastor at (727) 815-1072 or . Follow her on TBO.com, search: Moms, at facebook.com/TBOMom or twitter.com/TBOMom.
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