One, Two, Buckle My Shoe; Three, Four, Exercise More

By Nancy K. Crevier

Anyone who has lifted a child’s car seat in and out of a vehicle half-a-dozen times a day, picked up a crying baby from the crib and carried him or her around while vacuuming up the crumbs beneath the table, played the “I’ll throw it and you retrieve it” game with a toddler, or sprinted from room to room picking up toys before company arrives probably wonders why parents would need more exercise, let alone with the baby.

In Bethel, Leanne Fuccillo owns the Stroller Strides franchise and teaches classes there one day each week, with staff instructor Amy Reiss leading the mothers’ exercise group three other days of the week at Meckauer Park in Bethel. Ms Fuccillo splits teaching in Danbury with Amy Sturdevant, and also teaches in Ridgefield, where she first became involved with Stroller Strides.

Ms Fuccillo joined the Ridgefield Stroller Strides when her first child was born four years ago. When the owner of that franchise decided that operating the whole northern Fairfield County Stroller Strides was more than she wanted, Ms Fuccillo jumped in. “Stroller Strides wants mothers as the instructors,” she said, “and I was a big believer by then in the program, so I took over the portion of the franchise that covers Danbury, Ridgefield, and Bethel.”

She had always been athletic, but the former interior designer had never entertained the idea of being a personal trainer until this opportunity presented itself. “I went to training classes and was certified by Stroller Strides, and as a Fit for Baby prenatal exercise instructor, in 2007, and I am always taking continuing education classes, as well,” said Ms Fuccillo.

Stroller Strides is a franchise that is dedicated to making sure that parents and children come to view exercise as a fun and worthwhile pastime. Utilizing strollers, Stroller Strides combines cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening exercises that give parents a safe and healthy workout while spending quality time with their children.

The classes consist mainly of young mothers, along with a few grandmothers, caregivers, and the occasional father eager to keep fit despite the challenges of juggling home and work.

“Besides the physical aspect, there is the mental and emotional support women need,” said Ms Fuccillo. What Stroller Strides offers that just running around the house does not, she said, is the knowledge that women are giving themselves an hour. “We know the benefits of exercise. Moms have a tendency to forget about themselves, and there are a lot of muscles moms need to work out, especially as kids get older and bigger — the back muscles, the abdominal core, the legs,” she explained.

The added benefit to the cardiovascular workout is the release of endorphins that improve the mood and rid stress from the body, she said. Studies have shown, said Ms Fuccillo, that mothers who participate in an exercise class postpartum tend to suffer less from postpartum depression. Through nutrition tips and socializing with other mothers at Stroller Strides classes, women also come to understand what is going on with their bodies and to accept the changes that follow giving birth. The focused exercise program can also alleviate the distress of sleep deprivation, said Ms Fuccillo, and parents have told her that the children, stimulated by the outing, often sleep better later on.

Stroller Strides, by involving both child and parent, overcomes one barrier that frequently prevents mothers from getting back into a regular exercise program at a gym. “New moms don’t want to got to the gym and leave the child, or put the child in an unfamiliar day care at the gym,” said Ms Fuccillo. There are other parent/child programs out there, but unlike Stroller Strides, those classes tend to focus on the child, leaving the mother still in need of a true workout.

The strollers are definitely used during classes, said Ms Fuccillo, but children are always safely secured in them. “It would be too dangerous and time-consuming to do exercises that have the baby out of the carriage,” she said, although she can modify the floor exercises so that the parent can hold the child if the baby becomes too fussy to remain in the stroller for the entire hour.

Children can be initially a little confused and grumpy when a parent joins the class, but they soon adapt, she said. What child wouldn’t have fun watching mom jump up and down in front of the stroller as if in a strange game of “Peek-A-Boo”? And how fun is it to feel the breeze and watch the world spin past as mom speed walks behind the carriage? “I don’t think there are too many other classes around,” laughed Ms Fuccillo, “where bicep curls are done to the tune of ‘The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round.’” It is understood that sometimes a parent has to step out of the routine to care for the child, and that is absolutely fine. “There is no pressure on the moms,” she said.

“We tend to utilize the environment, like park benches and stairs, and the ground for floor exercises,” said Ms Fuccillo. When weather is inclement or during the winter months, the classes meet at the Danbury Fair Mall, where they use the space available there.

Isabel Almeida and Cheryl Fiorillo are two Newtown mothers who take part in the Bethel/Danbury class. “I showed up at the mall one day last winter when my baby was only about 8 or 9 weeks old,” said Ms Almeida, “not really knowing what to expect. I really enjoyed it.” Mothers exercising with the children right there made it a very welcoming situation, she said, and being with other women in the same stages of trying to get back in shape is less intimidating than returning to a regular gym.

“The workout itself is great. It’s tough, and you leave feeling you had a good workout,” Ms Almeida said. “I definitely think my daughter enjoys it, too. She sits in her stroller and laughs when I am running around.”

“If you join a gym, you end up paying extra for child care,” noted Ms Fiorillo, one reason that she found the concept of Stroller Strides appealing. “I found out about the class when I was online looking for something to do with my children, who are 3½ and 2 years old now. Stroller Strides was perfect. I got my exercise, and we found play groups, too.”

The instructors are good about keeping the mothers motivated, said Ms Fiorillo. “They make it seem fun. It doesn’t get to be routine. I would recommend this class highly, because you really see results. Plus, I find I am more prone to go because it gets the kids out and we all socialize.”

The first Stroller Strides class is free, so that parents and children can see if it is right for them, said Ms Fuccillo. If it seems like a good fit, there are different packages that can then be selected.

“I do hear from moms that their fitness is improving, and I try to check in during the class with individuals to see how they are doing,” Ms Fuccillo said. “I do challenge the class to work harder and to reevaluate what they are doing if the do not see the results they want. The most obvious benefit to mothers, though, is just feeling better overall, and having the energy to keep up with the kids and the house. It’s an ego boost,” she said. What she really likes, too, said Ms Fuccillo, is that the mothers are setting a good example about exercise for their children, and helping the children to view exercise as a fun part of life, not a chore.

The Bethel class meets from 9:30 to 10:30 am, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at Meckauer Park, off of Old Shelter Rock Road near the Newtown line. To find out more about the classes, visit strollerstrides.com, or call Ms Fuccillo at 203-313-0630.