Mothers on a stroll

Deepa Bharath

What do you do when you’re overwhelmed by the weight of motherhood?

You run, jog or walk.

It all depends on how you feel, says Newport Beach entrepreneur

Amy Webb, who started Stroller Strides, a group exercise class for

moms in January.

The class usually takes place at Bonita Canyon Sports Park. It

begins with warm-ups and stretching as most classes do. But after

that, women take off on a walk, jog or run, stopping at “stations”

along the way to do toning exercises such as lunges or abdominal

exercises, Webb said.

The moms push their strollers, which can be quite a workout in

itself, said instructor Kim Tremoulet.

“Some of those strollers could weigh as much as 100 pounds

depending on how heavy the child is,” she said. “Some moms are

pushing two children.”

The class is a great way for moms to connect with other moms and

find support, said Tremoulet, who has two children.

“These are women who have undergone an interesting, challenging

time of their lives,” she said.

The workout is refreshing because it’s all done outdoors,

Tremoulet said.

“It’s not like being confined to a gym or being limited by the

equipment,” she said. “You’re out in the elements.”

She usually maps out a route spanning a little more than three

miles.

Children are a big part of the workout, she said.

“We try to involve them as much and as often as possible,”

Tremoulet said. “We get silly. We sing to them songs like ‘Head,

Shoulders, Knees and Toes.’”

There’s no problem with women wanting to take it at their own

speed, Webb said.

“We have new moms who are just recovering from a C-section or moms

who are pregnant,” she said. “And we have moms who run marathons.”

The class is structured in such a way that everyone can be

accommodated, Tremoulet said.

“When someone wants to step it up, I tell them where to go and

what exercises they can get started on till the rest of us catch up,”

she said.

The women use exercise tubing when making their stops, which could

be a playground or a grassy area. They carry toys and trinkets to

keep their children occupied while they tone up.

Webb caters to Newport Beach and Newport Coast residents. Classes

are an hour with at least 50 minutes of walking. There’s a one-time

$75 enrollment fee. Classes cost $50 a month and run six days a week

with a break on Sunday. Dads are encouraged to come to Saturday’s

class.

“Dads are often pleasantly surprised by the intensity of the

workout,” Webb said. “It’s not just a stroll in the park.”