Published: January 14, 2006 11:57 pm         

Strolling along -- Moms get fit while working out with baby

info box: StrollerFit classes start Feb. 13 at Oakwood Mall. To sign up, call 484-2904, stop by the mall office, or go online at www.strollerfit.com.



Who would have thought you could turn your baby stroller into a portable fitness machine?

StrollerFit, an exercise program that is rolling through large cities from New York to Los Angeles, is making its way to Enid.

Blending an aerobic workout with child development and bonding experiences, StrollerFit is designed to benefit both mother and child.

For Christy Northcutt, a mother of a 16-month-old, choosing StrollerFit was “a perfect fit.”

“I felt there was a need in Enid for moms and their babies,” said the aerobics and kickboxing instructor. She said her friends have told her they want to be able to work out without being separated from their babies.

Of the four fitness centers in Enid, only one offers a nursery, which is overcrowded, Northcutt said. As a result, mothers have to put their babies in day care or find someone to watch them.

“Some moms feel guilty of leaving their child behind,” Northcutt said.

With StrollerFit, “they can bond with their child and still get their workout,” she said.

The Enid native saw a segment about StrollerFit on NBC’s “Today Show” while she was pregnant with her son, Nate. At the time she was teaching kickboxing at Vital Signs.

“They don’t have childcare,” Northcutt said. After Nate’s birth, she returned to her exercise schedule, without her son in tow.

Desiring to have Nate nearby, Northcutt began researching about the two workout programs that use strollers — StrollerFit and Stroller Strides. She said she decided to purchase a StrollerFit franchise because the name and logo visibly promote fitness.

StrollerFit starts Feb. 13 at Oakwood Mall. Northcutt will serve as the instructor as she is certified with the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America as well as StrollerFit. She is set to lead two morning classes and is planning to create an evening class, too, primarily aimed at working mothers.

“We are the smallest community using StrollerFit,” Northcutt said. Enid also will be the first site in Oklahoma to have a franchise.

According to the Web site, StrollerFit has 65 locations throughout the United States, most of which cater to cities with a population of 150,000 or more. It is held at malls, recreation centers, parks and churches.

“We are excited about the program,” said Betsy Mittelstet, marketing director at Oakwood Mall. “It is a great community service, a great way to bring out people to the mall.”

StrollerFit means more than walking behind a stroller, Northcutt said. It is a 50-minutes workout with cardiovascular endurance, muscle conditioning and strength training. Among the exercises are the lullaby lunge, peekaboo squats, baby shuffle and power skips.

“We finish by working core muscles and practicing flexibility. That’s when the kiddos get out of their strollers and stretch with mommy,” Northcutt said.

Moms are encouraged to bring a toy and snack for their little ones, she said. They also need blanket or towel for floor exercises with their children.

Of course, a stroller is required and any stroller will do, except umbrella strollers which have a tendency to tip, Northcutt said.

“We’re completely portable, so in nice weather, we’re going to go outside,” she said.

Northcutt said StrollerFit is structured around parental care.

“Baby comes first. If Mom needs to step away to take care of baby, she can,” she said.

Each step of the way — “We’ll travel from end to end of the mall” — Northcutt will let mothers know where the next exercise will be so they can rejoin the group after tending to their babies.

Youngsters ages 6 weeks old to 4 years old are allowed to participate.

“Children will need to be able to stay in the stroller for a large part of the class,” Northcutt said. She said she will make an exception if a mother wants to bring an older child who has disabilities and is confined to a stroller.

Northcutt added the classes are not limited to mothers only. If a dad, nanny or grandparent wants to bring a baby in a stroller, he or she is welcome to participate.

Pregnant women also are invited to join (but they will still need to bring a stroller). “Start coming so you’ll be used to the exercise,” Northcutt said.

One of the major benefits of StrollerFit is “it helps get past those baby blues,” Northcutt said. She said activity with others help mothers feel better, too.

She hopes StrollerFit will serve as a support group and social time for mothers.

The fee per class is $10; however, discounted packages can be purchased. For example, a package of 50 classes is $250.

Northcutt stressed the first class is free so moms can see if StrollerFit is for them. To sign up, call 484-2904, stop by the Oakwood Mall office, or go online at www.strollerfit.com.

There is a one-time enrollment fee of $50, which includes a nylon backpack with a resistance tube, resistance band and a water bottle (when filled doubles as a dumbbell). T-shirts with the StrollerFit logo are available for an extra fee.

“Nate and I have been practicing. We’re ready for people to join us,” Northcutt said.