Oh Baby, it’s Almost Spring!
Instructor Leanne Fuccillo leads the pack as nine women strap their kids into baby joggers for what proves to be no ordinary walk in the park.
Fuccillo has brought a whole new era to baby strolling in Ridgefield. Interval training, singing childhood songs, moms shaking tambourines and using their baby strollers and exercise bands for resistance training are just some of the methods used in this one hour Stroller Strides class. It is a total body workout and your children are active participants.
The classes are carefully designed with baby in mind; the routine is designed to entertain the baby while mom gets to exercise. Fuccillo is inspired by so many facets of her Stroller Strides business including the fact that her two young children completely enjoy it. “When we stop to do our resistance exercises, my daughter shouts ‘come on ladies’ and when we are circled around she laughs with her friends’. When I think about how this experience is going to benefit my children in the long run, it just makes me so happy and grateful,” she says.
Stroller Strides is a program which was born in San Diego, CA in 2001 by a personal trainer who was on maternity leave after giving birth to her first child. She didn’t want to leave her baby in the local gym to get in shape. She began walking her baby in her stroller and soon made a complete fitness program out of her stroller walks. It became a craze and soon everybody wanted a piece of the action.
Leanne Fuccillo purchased a Stroller Strides franchise and brought it to the Danbury/Ridgefield area a few years ago. Fuccillo is a certified Stroller Strides instructor who is trained in pre/post natal fitness including the anatomy and physiology of the female body before and after birth. She is committed to seeing new mothers reach fitness goals while being positive role models for their children. “Teaching the best class I can, making it the most fun I can, and having the word spread in my community about how Stroller Strides can inspire mom’s to reach optimal health and well being” are Fuccillo’s primary goals in the success of Stroller Strides.
The Stroller Strides workout enables mothers to progress in harmony with their bodies. When moms are at their weakest after giving birth, the baby is small. As the baby grows, the stroller naturally gets heavier and the mom’s strength and fitness levels increases.
The moms who participate have seen tremendous changes to their mental and physical fitness. They have gained core muscle strength and endurance. Because Stroller Strides offers support to the mothers outside of the exercise class, moms have created strong friendships. There is a mom’s night out, family day when daddy can do some pushing and sweating, and a mom book swap. In addition to the toning and cardio benefits of a Stroller Strides class, some of the moms have admitted that their children are sleeping better at night! Now that’s a stride worth pushing a stroller for!
Look for mom’s pushing strollers on Main Street some time in April.
To learn more about Stroller Strides click here.
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