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Gyms have their positive points: they are convenient, house lots of equipment, and often have childcare available to parents who need to tote their tots to the gym (this includes yours truly). Gyms also can offer a range of fitness classes and most have personal trainers on staff. If you’re not a huge fan of going to the gym however, and would like to try something different, check out these fun alternatives…
Stroller Fit® SF targets the “mommy muscles” – those muscles used during labor and delivery, and post-partum, and basically every day thereafter. Moms have a chance to get their bodies fit and healthy and babies have fun in the process, so it is a win-win.
For a complete list of classes near you, visit Strollerfit and click on “find classes.” Bonus: First class is always free!
Stroller Strides® - Amp up your energy levels, lose weight, increase strength and stamina, and have great time making new friends in the process. The interval-based workouts are 60 to 75-mins long and designed to put you through the paces so that you can reclaim your pre-baby bod. It is recommended that babies be at least 6 weeks old before participating.
To find a class near you, visit Stroller Strides or email info@strollerstrides.com
(866) FIT-4MOM
Adventure Boot Camp – If you are ready for a solid commitment (5 days/week for four weeks), you enjoy working up a sweat outside in a variety of settings, and you want to get fit fast, check out Adventure Boot Camp for Women. In addition to adventurous workouts, you’ll also receive nutritional counseling and decent doses of motivation. To find a class near you, visit Adventure Boot Camp and click on “Find an Adventure Boot Camp near you.”
Zumba® – A blend of Latin rhythms and caloric-blasting intervals, along with resistance training, gives exercise a shot of fun. Zumba® is one of the most popular dance exercise formats today, and for a good reason — it is a high-energy fitness party with no rules (so if you mess up, no one will know!) Zumba® classes are abundant in most major cities across the U.S, so it is likely there is one right around the corner from where you live. To find one, visit Zumba
Nia - Short for “neuromuscular integrative action,” Nia integrates western dance, such as jazz and modern, with eastern practices such as T’ai Chi, Tae Kwon Do and Aikido into a non-impact, whole-body movement class that is ideal for all ages and fitness abilities. Find a class through Nia Now
Improve your ab awareness with BalleCore® – a blend of Yoga, Pilates and Ballet designed to engage your core and improve posture. You need not be a dancer, past or present, to reap the benefits of this fusion class. Improved body awareness, balance, and long, lean muscles can be yours. Check out BalleCore to find out more!
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Wouldn’t you rather spend your free time this spring enjoying the nice weather instead of sifting through page after page of websites looking for information? Google is great, but finding the right information when you need it can be very time consuming, so to help you take the thinking out of online research, I’ve compiled a list of what I think are the best websites for all things walking/jogging/running. I hope you find them helpful too!
Training teams/national outdoor exercise groups for women:
1. Baby Boot Camp
2. Nordic Walker
3. Stroller Fit
4.Stroller Strides
5. Walk4Life
6. Walking 365
7. Walk Vest
Running tools:
Runkeeper and Imapmyrun track your runs to see how far you’ve gone, track your speed, find out if your pace is on track…you can even find out the elevation of your route (great if you’re training for the Cincinnati Flying Pig marathon on May 3rd! – one of the hilliest races in the country.) If you have an iPhone, a free application (with ads) is available for download. The imapmyrun application is ad-free! Visit their websites for more information.
Training Advice on the Web:
Hal Higdon
John Bingam
Road Runner Club of America
Peak Running Performance
Online tools:
-Â Â Â Maps: Plan your route in advance, or retrace your route online post run, or plan a route to walk or run while you’re out of town. Run the Planet and Trails. Trail Link offers outdoor enthusiasts a way to find a trail for hiking, cycling, and even horse back riding. It is FREE and even has trail descriptions and photos!
-Â Â Â City Running Tours Great for travelers who like to see the sites on foot. You’ll get a guided tour of your destination by a an experienced runner/tour guide.
Running Shoes
Women's Shoes