Caitlin Knute puts Fit4Mom Midtown Raleigh's classes to the test
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Last Wednesday I packed up one of our strollers and my 4 month old daughter, Charlotte, and headed out to Pullen Park, just one of the locations in Raleigh for a class called "Stroller Strides."
It's offered by Fit4Mom Midtown Raleigh. The group is part of the Fit4Mom franchise that bills itself as "the country's largest fitness program for moms," offering classes for all stages from expecting moms to those who are weeks, months, or even years postpartum.
I actually first started reading about this on a friend's Facebook page. She'd been posting pictures of herself working out, and I couldn't get over how toned and fit she looked after having two children! I went and checked out her blog and learned that she was now teaching Stroller Strides after having taken that class and a more intense boot camp program called "Body Back," having lost 14 pounds and almost 4 inches around her middle in the process.
I decided if I was this intrigued by the classes, other moms would be, too. I set out to do a story on them, and to learn a little more information for myself!
To be completely honest, I was a little nervous at the prospect of working out with a group of strangers for the first time since having my second child. I come from a fitness background, having played and coached sports for much of my life. However, having two kids in less than 3 years has taken its toll on both my body and my time to get back in shape, leaving me feeling a little less than confidant about jumping back into things.
From the second I pulled into the parking lot last week, I felt at ease. These weren't all flawless moms in spandex (although there certainly were many for whom these classes were obviously working!) Instead, there were all kinds of moms, in all shapes and sizes, lugging giant strollers, sometimes multiple kids, sippy cups and diaper bags galore, just like me. And simply having that common denominator of being with "fellow moms" seemed to break the ice.
After being greeted with warm hellos, smiles and brief introductions, it was down to work. A jog around the park with my stroller got the blood pumping. And then it was time to start working on some upper body with the help of a resistant band. Then we did some plyometric exercises all while singing nursery songs to keep the kiddos entertained. Then more running, followed by some exercises shuffling between parked strollers that reminded me of high school basketball drills. From there we did more resistant band work, utilizing props in the park, such as step-ups on benches and sprints up stairs. One more run around the park and then we finished off with some upper body and back work, followed by core and cool down on mats.
All-in-all, the workouts weren't anything different from what I've done in previous workout classes. However, they were effective. For me, it was enough to feel that I was getting a good workout.
There were water breaks and chances to catch your breath in between exercises. But overall, you were moving most of that time and felt like you were constantly getting your heart rate up. I was sore for a couple days afterward, but that's to be expected having not worked out some of those muscles in a long time (too long!)
In addition to liking the physical aspect of the class, I think what I most enjoyed was the camaraderie of being with fellow moms. No one bats an eye if you have to take a quick break to change a diaper, pick up a dropped toy, or pop a child's pacifier back in their mouth. And when you complain about still having 20 plus extra pounds of baby weight, you're sure to get a sympathetic "me too" or "I hear you" from a nearby mother.
The moms I met were so nice, in fact, that I plan on going back. In fact, I've even signed up for the more intense 8 week boot camp class called Body Back. So stay tuned to my Facebook page for updates and to follow my progress!
