It's Exercise... But not as we Know It!
When personal trainer Liz Stuart decided that she wanted her pre-baby body back, she got together with friends from her Mother and Baby group, and Powerpramming was born. Here, FlyingStart gets the low down on this revolutionary fitness programme for new mums
Getting back into shape after the arrival of a new baby can be an impossible task. Many new mums find that no matter how much they want to exercise they can’t find the time or the energy.
Powerpramming is a potential solution to both of those problems. Designed especially for new mums, Powerpramming is a fitness programme that both mother and baby can enjoy!
What happens in a Powerpramming class?
Powerpramming classes start with a warm up and then progress onto the main work out, which is a mixture of fast walking and jogging round a park. The classes are suited to all abilities so don’t worry if you’re not fit enough to jog as you can power walk.
After walking and jogging, you then park up your pram and do a workout in front of the babies, which will tone you up and work your heart and lungs. You’ll also work your legs, bum, tummy, shoulders and arms.
The class ends with a cool down and a stretch. Then it’s off for a refreshing drink and some lunch!
Do I need a special pram?
Your usual pram will be fine as long as the handles are the right height for you and it is comfortable for your baby.
If baby cannot hold his/ her head stable you should use a head guard like the ones you get in car seats.
What should I wear for Powerpramming?
A sports bra, trainers and comfortable clothes.
What does my baby do while I exercise?
The older babies find Powerpramming fascinating and hilarious, and they often watch carefully as mum works out. They are given the opportunity to get out of their prams when the class is stationary and play on a blanket or a crawl or toddle around.
Younger babies tend to find that the movement makes them sleepy and they often stay in the pram throughout the workout.
What happens if my baby cries during a class?
All babies cry and all the other mums are in the same boat! When the class parks up for the main workout you can get baby out of the pram for a cuddle or a feed if you feel that is what is needed.
Make sure you feed your baby before the class if you think he/ she may get hungry. If baby is a little older, and on solids, bring a little snack for them.
Where can I find out more about Powerpramming?
You can visit the website at http://www.powerpramming.co.uk/
Case Study
Keeping Fit – A Mum’s Story
I used to be something of a keep fit fanatic. You’ve probably seen me or my kind down at your local gym. Five two-hour sessions a week kept both my body and mind in peak physical condition.
Then along came Jack 7 pounds and 4 ounces with my nose and my husband’s eyes. As the months went by the motivation I had for keeping fit was just a distant memory. It transformed into a mother’s passion for nurturing her baby.
Me time turned into our time and frankly exercise was the last thing on my mind. Although I occasionally felt guilty about not exercising it was easy to justify given the hours in the day or lack of them.
I was of the opinion that having babies and personal fitness were not happy bedfellows. That is until one of my enlightened friends told me about Powerpramming a way to combine parenthood and personal fitness.
Basically a group of parents exercise in a park under the leadership of a lady called Liz Stuart a personal trainer who conceived this idea after the birth of her own son. I was sufficiently motivated to hit the World Wide Web and track the powerprammers down. This was not particularly difficult given a web address of http://www.powerpramming.co.uk/!
What impressed me was that it seemed to combine the camaraderie of being a parent together with a structured exercise programme and the best bit was that I could do this with Jack!
I booked myself into the next available session, which was conveniently the very next day. We met at the entrance to Battersea Park at 10am and was relieved to find welcoming faces, lots of adorable babies and lots of pushchairs!
It was quite a sight. More pushchairs in one place than I have ever seen. In fact the whole scene must have been stunning for passers by to see over thirty parents and their pushchairs firstly go though warm up, power walking exercises, strength and toning exercises and a cool down and stretch.
I felt really alive after that first session and the best thing was that Jack was as good as gold. Afterwards we all went for lunch and the babies got a proper chance to check each other out which I now know is what babies like to do best (apart from feeding) I was hooked!
Powerpramming has enabled me to regain my level of fitness, which has in turn given me more mummy energy. I have met some great people who I often see outside of Powerpramming and Jack gets to socialise with other babies.
The only slight downside is that my pushchair seems a tad dull compared with the masses of funky Stokke Xplorys that the majority of parents favour. They just seem to be a lot more manoeuvrable and the high seat height means that the babies seem to have a better view of what you are up to.
I’ve just about convinced myself to buy one because after all, it’s important to keep up with fashion, especially when you are a Powerpramming mum!
For more information on Powerpramming go to http://www.powerpramming.co.uk/
Coming soon... Flying Start's collection of Prams and Buggies
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