Stroller Fitness & Workout: Exercises that you can do using the Stroller

Stroller fitness/workout: Various exercises that you can do using the Stroller. Having a child who’s still in diapers doesn’t have to keep you from getting a good workout. There’s a lot more that moms can do to stay fit, besides walking.

Pressure on Moms to Stay Fit

When Stroller company Bugaboo came up with their advertisement that showed a scantily dressed mom running with their baby stroller, reactions of moms ranged from outrage over a seemingly unobtainable post-baby body, to people defending the model.

The reactions highlighted the pressure on new mothers to quickly lose their baby weight.

“Totally ridiculous photo. At least have something realistic. Even the fittest moms I knew when my kids were bubs weren’t half as fit, and were doubly clothed”. “Give moms a break,” read one post.

Others reminded women that everyone has a different body type.

Another post said, “Really ladies?…Women should support each other not tear each other down because you feel inadequate. I would never get away with wearing that while I run, but great for her!

Bugaboo clarified saying that the firm had used a mom to feature in the ad.

“The model featured in the ad is 23-year-old Dutch model ‘Ymre Stiekema’, who’s an avid runner. She spends time with her family [2-year-old] daughter Lymée and manages to find time in her crazy schedule to work out,” according to the company.”

The intention here is not to pressurize anybody but to suggest that moms can exercise when they are out with a stroller.

The Stroller / Pram is the new treadmill for moms with constraints of time

A baby is definitely one of the most exciting things to happen in a woman’s life, and a stroller is a very useful product for parents as it lets you and your little one get outdoors, and get some fresh air & sunshine.

However, you (especially moms) do not have to limit yourself to just walking.

You can do physical fitness workouts and exercises such as strolling, jogging, stretching, lunging and yoga, while your bemused children have a good time watching, laughing, and clapping along.

Mothers of infants may find it difficult to spare time to hit the gym, and it also may not be practical to leave the child behind and hit the gym.

A more practical approach is to get your kids along to the workout, along with the pram.

The good thing is that several fitness instructors are designing fitness programs using the pram/stroller.

Related: Top ways to get outdoor fun and exercise with a stroller

Stroller Fitness Exercises

So what sort of exercises can be done around the stroller?

You can do a good mix of exercises around the pram – yoga, cardio workouts and core exercises. The fitness programs around strollers may focus on areas like building stamina and strengthening certain areas such as pelvic muscle, abdomen and legs.

Here are some exercises & workouts that you can do using your stroller.

You could actually kick-start your fitness routine and get rid of those post-pregnancy pounds (and raise your fitness levels) through several fun, stroller-based workouts/exercises that you could do while spending time outside with your baby.

• Several stroller based workout programs (of varied intensities) are available that you could do around the stroller and using the stroller as support.
• You could pick up some exercises from here, or you could join a local stroller fitness program where you could exercise along with others in a group
• The fitness program could be yoga based, or circuit-style workout, or you could even chose to train for a marathon.
• These stroller fitness programs will help you regain your pre-pregnancy fitness levels (cardio benefits and strength), and later on you could even exceed those levels.
• Checkout for Stroller Fitness bootcamp sessions in your area – these offer playtime for the kids (age newborn to preschool) while you focus on your training/workout.

Baby Stroller Workout Guide

Here’s how to use the Baby Stroller for a quick and complete exercise. You can definitely do it when on a stroll outdoors with your baby on-board. Why not make the maximum use of your outdoor time? Besides, its also a good time to kick-start your workout routine, which probably may have taken a back-seat after your kids were born.

Were you regular with your fitness regime, before you had a baby? In that case, i’m sure the exercising would have fallen on the wayside by now.

Of course, nothing beats the joy of having a baby, but now that your little one is bit grown up and you have started going outdoors, why not take the time to have a quick workout.

And you don’t have to move away from the stroller a bit!

In fact, the easiest form of exercise is to look for opportunities to step outside your house, just put your baby in the stroller and hit the streets.

Want some more? Here are some more tips on how to work out with a baby on board.

Maintain Good Form
Its very important to maintain a good form (right technique) while exercising, else you may not benefit much from the exercise, and you could also end up hurting yourself.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Focus on your posture, take long strides, stand tall with abs drawn in, chest lifted.
• Always keep your wrists straight and your elbows pointing slightly outward, when holding the stroller handles, or using weights (dumbbells)
• Focus on your breathing – Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth
• Avoid overexertion (you should be able to talk or sing to your baby while exercising).

Warm Up
Before you start, warm up with a five-minute jog or power walk. After each exercise, repeat the run or power walk for three to five minutes.

As a rule, if you find any of the exercises painful, it’s best to stop immediately.

Squat
Starting in a standing position with your hands on the stroller handlebar, place your feet hip-width apart with your feet and knees facing forward. Sit down as if you’re moving backward into a seat, and squeeze your glutes and thighs to bring yourself back into the starting standing position.

Push the stroller out as you sit, and pull it back in as you come up. Try to do around 15-25 reps.

Side Plie Squat
With your right side facing the stroller and right hand on the stroller, stand with your toes facing out and take a large step away from the stroller. Squat down, dropping your bottom as low as you can with your body weight in your heels, pushing the stroller away from you. As you come up, pull your right leg in to meet the left leg.

Repeat all the reps on this side, and then switch sides. Again, aim for 15-25 reps per side.

Walking Lunges
Standing behind the stroller with your hands on the handlebar, step forward with your right leg. The stroller will move forward as you move forward. Bend your front knee to a 90-degree angle so that your right thigh is parallel to the ground and your right shin is perpendicular to the ground. Your back leg should be almost straight. Keep your torso upright with your hips and shoulders facing forward. Use your right leg to return to your starting position.

Don’t use your stroller to help lift you; it may tip backward if you put too much weight on it. Instead, use the power of your front leg. Alternate with the other leg.

Abs Pull
Face the stroller with your right side, standing with your feet no more than hip-distance apart with your toes facing out. Use your right hand to push the stroller away while reaching overhead with your left arm. Your right arm should extend out straight. Use your abs, focusing on the left side, to pull the stroller back. Go through all the reps and then switch sides. 15 reps per side.

Cardio Baby Tickle
Standing in front of the stroller with your feet together, jump your legs apart and lower your bottom into a squat position with your body weight in your heels. As you lower, reach forward with your arms and do a tickle motion toward your baby, but don’t actually touch your baby, as this could put stress on your lower back. Do this for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. Repeat four times.

Peek-a-BOO Stroller Crunches
Lie on your back next to the stroller facing your baby with your feet flat on the ground, knees bent at 90 degrees. Put your hands behind your head, keeping your elbows back. Squeeze your belly button to your spine and crunch up. As you come up, peek into your stroller, saying “Peek-a-boo” to your baby, and lower back down. Exhale as you come up, keeping your elbows back. Do 25 reps.

Cardio Drills
Standing in front of the stroller, bend at the knees and push your hips back, running with your feet staying as low as possible. Run this way for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat it four times.

Before You Start (Precautions)

Here are some precautions to be taken while doing these exercises:

• Make sure you let your doctor know that you’re planning to start your fitness training program. Inform your doctor that you’re starting with a stroller based fitness program (in case you have delivered in the last few months)
• Put minimum weight on the stroller, and just use it for support. You don’t want the stroller to trip.
• When doing abs exercise, make sure the brakes are ON, and the stroller is not stationed on a slope.
• If you find any of the exercises painful, its best to stop immediately.
• You will need to get along a large water bottle, probably sunscreen for you (and baby-safe sunscreen for your little one if necessary) (make sure your stroller has a nice canopy to protect from heat).
• You may also need to invest in shoes, exercise mats, exercise bands, and some weights.

Exercises Without Stroller Fitness Accessory

Love handles elliptical trainer is an fitness accessory to help you exercise, but if you don’t want to use any accessories, you can still continue exercising by just using your stroller.

Walking and jogging are some of the most common exercises that you can do with the stroller but apart from that, you can do exercises specific to your body parts such as your arms, leg muscles, shoulder muscles etc.

All you need to do is make slight adjustments to your walking schedule with your baby and learn to hold the stroller with the grips that will help exercise that particular part of the body.

Exercises Using the Stroller

Let us look at some exercises that target specific body parts with the stroller:

• Arms: Worried about your arms looking out of shape? You can get cool toned triceps by doing some simple exercises on the stroller. You can easily get lean and sporty arms by just holding the stroller in certain ways or by pressing the handle up and down continuously. By repeating these throughout your walk, you can get a toned arm giving your triceps a complete workout.
• Legs: For working out your calves and glutens (your bottom) you can practice by walking uphill and downhill on an inclined road. You can also walk in deep sand which is another way to work your legs and back muscles.

• Cardio exercises: With the increase in the number of heart diseases among women, cardio exercises are a must. These exercises not only work out your whole body but also exercise your heart muscles and keep you healthy. You can do brisk walking with your stroller or jogging which are both great cardio workouts. You can even go for power walks if you are a beginner. You can find several cardio exercises here at http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/59/3333/get-fit-with-your-stroller/
• Stretching: Stretching is a must when you exercise. Stretching helps loosen your muscles. Without stretching your muscles could become tight leading to structural misalignment. So, always do a stretching routine along with all of your other exercises. There are many stretching exercises and they are all very simple to do. You can choose either one or alternate it each day (http://www.pilatesfornewmothers.com/2012/11/5-incredible-ways-to-stretch-with-your-stroller/)

• Using the elliptical trainer: This has been discussed in detail above. You can buy one of the extra love handle accessory and workout your arms, abs and cardio.
• Abs: The most common desire for every new mom especially is to lose the post partum belly and get back into shape. You can do simple exercises like grip the stroller handle with your elbows close to the stomach and you will get a toned flat belly by doing this regularly.
• Strengthening exercises: For lower body strengthening, you can opt for lunge walking or do stroller squats. It will strengthen your lower body muscles. You can also do some push ups. Mix these with your other exercises to get a complete body work out.

Stroller Exercises for Moms

You can even enroll for stroller workout sessions where you can workout alongside other moms. There are several full body conditioning classes where mothers can bring their babies and/or strollers and work out with them.

It’s fun for the moms because you can talk about baby things. all the moms are almost at similar level because everybody is a new mom, little de-conditioned, out of breath. All the participants understand if your baby starts crying, you need to pick them up and walk around with them.

As far as the exercises are concerned, these full body conditioning classes incorporate all functional movements, such as squatting, hinging, pushing and pulling. Most stroller classes follow a circuit – perform three to four exercises that you repeat.

Here are some of the stroller exercises:

• Grab the stroller and walk or jog few laps to warm up.
• Standard squat with one hand on the stroller and one on a kettlebell. As you squat, push the stroller forward; as you stand up, pull the stroller backward. Similar general stroller movement is followed with a single leg deadlift, in which you stand on one leg and lower the kettlebell to the ground.
• Stroller version of a farmer carry is where you hold the kettlebell up with one arm and push the stroller with the other arm as you walk across a designated path. When you reach the end of the path, you switch arms and repeat.
• Work out on a cardio machine – stationary bike or a rowing machine.

Stroller Barre: Fusion of yoga, pilates, ballet and more

Stroller Barre is a stroller-based workout routine for moms with babies; the program combines yoga, Pilates, ballet and stroller-based exercises, and usually lasts around an hour long.

The babies remain seated in their respective, usually parked behind or in front of their moms, while the mothers sweat it out – rebuilding their abdominal muscles and doing exercises to tone the body.

In the class, participants move from one spot to another. For example, they’ll exercise in a grassy area at times, then walk or run to a nearby parking lot, and so on.

Watch: Fit4Mom’s Stroller Barre Workout

Join a Stroller Physical Fitness group

Joining a Stroller Physical Fitness group is definitely one way to get back your social life, and also get back in shape. And you don’t have to worry about taking care of your baby, because they will be with you during the stroller physical fitness exercise sessions.

Most of the babies hang out in strollers, usually parked behind or in front of the moms, while the women do plie squats, walking lunges and other moves for toning and strengthening.

As the class takes place, participants move from spot to spot or station to station. For example, they’ll exercise in a grassy area at times, then walk or run to a nearby parking lot. That helps them to get some cardio in, in addition to the slow, controlled movements.

Not only your body will get some workout, its also a great way to win over loneliness & depression. Most women have found salvation in a mothers stroller workout group and also ended up being physically fit.

Make sure you do the right forms
For any exercise to be effective, you need to make sure that you’re doing it with the right form (right technique). So play special attention to the form, else it may not help your body at all.

Go All Prepared

If you’re a mom who also loves physical fitness, jogging around the park with your baby in the stroller can be exciting. But make sure you go well prepared and have a good stroller organizer handy so that you have easy access to all the necessary things when outdoors.

So if your baby requires a diaper change, replace it with another one from the stroller organizer, it’s a quick change round, and off you go again.

Child stroller organizers come with additional cup holders ideal for beverages or baby bottles. For all those mommies out there stretching & jogging, any infant stroller accessories will certainly come handy because of the various pockets they have.

To Conclude

Parents can combine exercise with their regular routine, using the stroller. Even though it may not yet be possible to hit the gym daily, with an infant in your life, you can still get the necessary workout done. Just pop your baby into the stroller, hit the streets, and do the exercises mentioned here. However, take care to lock the stroller wherever the exercise requires you to put weight on it and do enough stretching exercises to avoid any injuries and loosen your muscles. So stay fit while pushing the stroller.