Stroller Strides:
30-Minute Total Body Workout

ant to get back into shape after baby? Grab your stroller (and little one) and follow this 30-minute workout created by Stroller Strides founder, Lisa Druxman.


WARM-UP (3-5 MINUTES)
Start with an easy walk, gradually warming up your body and your muscles. The most common postural dysfunction when pushing a stroller is hunching forward, so be sure to keep your shoulders down and back throughout your walk.

STROLLER SQUAT (2 MINUTES)
The squat is one of the best exercises for the lower body. Stand behind your stroller with the brake off, hands about shoulder width apart on the handlebars. Your feet and knees should face forward with your legs about hips width apart. Sit your bottom way back, and put your weight on your heels. Push your stroller out in front of you as you squat down, and pull it back in as you pull yourself up to a standing position. When squatting back, keep your spine long and strong, with your upper body only slightly tilted forward. A common mistake during this exercise is to bend too much from the upper body, when it should be the lower body that is reaching back.

STROLLER WALK (3 MINUTES) 
Let’s do some interval training. Walk for 30 seconds as hard and fast as you can, then recover by slowing your pace a little for 30 seconds. Repeat this sequence until your time is up.

SINGLE ARM CHEST PRESS (2 MINUTES)
This exercise is best done pushing uphill. (A sloped driveway will work fine.) Start with the stroller just in front of you, with one hand on the handlebar and your arm bent. Use that arm to push the stroller uphill, and focus on your chest muscles as you push. 

Return and repeat about 12 times, then switch arms.

LUNGE WALKING (2 MINUTES)
The lunge is by far one of the most effective exercises a woman can do to tone and strengthen her lower body. It’s a compound exercise, which basically means it works a lot of muscles in just one move! A good lunge will effectively work your quadriceps (front of your thighs), hamstrings (back of your thighs), and gluteus maximus (your bottom). This exercise will be part of your walk so that you lunge-walk by taking really long strides and lowering your upper body down until your front thigh is almost parallel to the ground. Your front knee should not go farther forward than your toes. Lower your body slowly and squeeze your thighs and glutes as you come back up.