Postpartum Stroller Workouts (with Baby!)

The Stroller Tone and Burn Workout

Time: About 28 minutes.

How-to: Perform as follows with short cycles of cardio with basic toning moves.

You'll need: Your stroller and an exercise band.

5 minutes: Warm up with a moderate, easy walk at RPE 4 (this should feel moderately easy; you should be able to talk comfortably without effort) or a very light jog.

5 minutes: Walk briskly at RPE 5 (moderate effort; requires some effort to talk while doing it).

Now move through the following exercises in sequence:

TRAVELING SQUATS with a side leg lift
(See traveling squats demonstrated here.)

• Muscles targeted: Hamstrings, glutes, and quads
• Reps: As many as you can do in 1 minute
• Move A: Start with your feet hip-width apart, knees bent in a squat position with your knees over your toes, holding onto the stroller.
• Move B: Extend both knees and lift your left leg out to the side, hip height, leading with the heel so that your toes are pointing downward. Go back into a squat as you slightly travel forward, then lift the right leg to the side.
• 5 minutes: Jog at RPE 6 (moderately hard activity; requires a bit more effort to talk). Or, if you're still not comfortable jogging, keep walking but increase the pace by taking bigger strides.

STATIONARY LUNGE with triceps extension
(See stationary lunges demonstrated here.)

• Muscles targeted: Triceps, glutes, hamstrings, and quads
• Reps: As many as you can do for 30 seconds on each leg
• Move A: Stand in a lunge position with your right leg in front of you and your left leg behind you. Wrap the band under your right foot, hold onto both ends of the band, and slightly pitch the torso forward from the hips. Bend the elbows close to your sides with the elbows pointing slightly behind you.
• Move B: Exhale and extend the elbows behind you while simultaneously bending both legs into a lunge. Next, bend the elbows and extend the legs back to start position. Repeat with your left leg forward, your right leg behind you, and the band wrapped around your left foot.
• 5 minutes: Jog at RPE 6 (moderately hard activity; requires a bit more effort to talk). Or, if you're still not comfortable jogging, keep walking but increase the pace by taking bigger strides.

SUPER MAMA'S PUSH-UPS
(See these push-ups demonstrated here.)

• Muscles targeted: Chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and abs
• Reps: As many as you can do for 30 seconds
• Move A: Situate yourself in front or to the side of the stroller with your hands shoulder-width apart on the ground, and place your knees on the ground. Make sure your torso is in a straight, diagonal line from your head to your knees.
• Move B: Bend your elbows as your torso lowers to the floor, and exhale as you contract the abs, drawing the belly button toward the spine as you extend the elbows.
• 5 minutes: Light or brisk walk at RPE 5 (moderate effort; requires some effort to talk while doing it).
• Cooldown: Walk slowly to gradually bring the heart rate back to normal.

Excerpted from Super Fit Mama: Stay Fit During Pregnancy and Get Your Body Back After Baby by Tracey Mallett. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright © 2009.