Stroller workouts are the best postnatal workouts — spend time with your baby outdoors getting fresh air and vitamin D; AND get a workout in! Designed for busy moms with kids in tow, this 20-Minute Stroller Workout pairs cardio exercises with lower body strength training to target the butt, legs and thighs. It’s the ultimate mom workout!
This is a sponsored post in partnership with Bumbleride. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Nourish Move Love, making the content you see on this blog possible.
To be honest, I prefer to workout without my kids around. Which often means waking up early to get my ‘mama time’ without the kids.
But we all know motherhood throws us curveballs and unexpected wake up times. So on the days I need to be flexible and workout with the kids I default to stroller workouts.
Which is why I personally reached out to Bumbleride to see if they’d like to partner on this stroller workout post.
This side-by-side double stroller has allowed me to stay on the move with two kids in tow. I specifically love the Bumbleride Indie Twin Double Strollerfor these features:
Narrow silhouette for a side-by-side double stroller.
Air-filled tires with all-wheel suspension — the smoothest stroller I’ve ever pushed.
Quick, compact fold.
Canopies with ample sun coverage and UPF 45+.
360 degree swivel front wheels with in-line lock option for all-terrain. We truly put this to the test with our ‘off-roading’ on trails and deep California sand.
It truly is the smoothest stroller I’ve ever pushed. And if you’ve ever ran behind a double stroller you know how important a smooth ride is; because running behind a double stroller is HARD WORK.
Indie Twin Snack Pack because a snack is a requirement of all stroller rides (we purchased two of these so we can eventually add one to Bella’s side of the stroller as well).
Lateral Squat Walk or Shuffle Right Side (walk beginner, shuffle advanced)
Walking Lunge + Rear Leg Lift
Lateral Side Squat Walk or Shuffle Left Side (walk beginner, shuffle advanced)
40 Second ‘Stroller Sprint’, 20 Second Stroller Walk
Postnatal Workout Modifications:
I love this stroller workout because you can gradually increase the intensity as you regain strength and muscle postpartum.
Postnatal Workout Beginner (3-6 months postpartum): Default to a stroller walk for the warm up and for exercise number six. As you regain pelvic floor strength you can increase intensity to a slow jog.
Postnatal Workout Intermediate-to-Advanced (6-12 months postpartum): As you regain pelvic floor strength you can increase intensity to a stroller run for the warm up and stroller sprint for exercise number six.
Walking lunges are a great way for postpartum moms to regain core strength and balance. Lunges also specifically target the leg muscles:
Quadriceps, top of the thighs.
Gluteals, or butt.
Hamstrings, back of the legs.
I love adding a chest opener because moms spend so much time hunched over feeding babies; so it’s a great way to open the chest and relax the shoulders.
Squat + Stroller Roll
Benefits of bodyweight squats:
Tone your butt.
Improve your posture.
Enhance circulation.
Improve your flexibility.
Keep your lower back strong (so important for new moms).
Burn fat and speed weight loss.
Lateral Squat Walk or Shuffle Right Side (walk beginner, shuffle advanced)
Lateral squat walks are a great way to strengthen your glutes, hips, and thighs.
This stroller exercise strengthens the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus; which helps to stabilize your knees and hips, and prevents injury.
Walking Lunge + Rear Leg Lift
More walking lunges to build strong leg muscles while also building core strength and balance.
Adding a rear leg lift helps to lengthen and tone the leg muscles, while also increasing core strength after baby.
Lateral Side Squat Walk or Shuffle Left (walk beginner, shuffle advanced)
As mentioned above, lateral squat walks are a great way to strengthen your glutes, hips, and thighs.
40 Second Stroller Sprint, 20 Second Stroller Walk
Not surprisingly, this study found that when compared to normal, stroller-free running, pushing a stroller with two hands while running burned around 5% more calories.
Play music or just enjoy the sounds of nature; the outdoor stimulation is a great way to help babies fall asleep.
Tips for Running with Toddlers
Always pack a SNACK (typically the most important part of a successful stroller run for toddlers). Which is why I love our Indie Twin Snack Pack accessory.
I also pack some books with animals in them and see if we can ‘spot’ them on our run (typically looking for puppies and butterflies).
Find a Local Stroller Workout Group
If you enjoy stroller workouts I suggest looking up a local stroller workout group in your area, like — stroller strides, stroller fit, or 4 moms.
These groups offer great after postnatal workouts and support for active moms.
Aren’t you supposed to run with only one hand on the jogging stroller and periodically switch, that way you can keep some of the arm swing and avoid over-reliance on the legs?
Hi Rebecca, great question and ultimately it’s up to whatever you feel most comfortable with. That said, these are more like 40 second stroller ‘sprints’ if you’re up for the ‘sprint’ which typically requires a lot of legs and both hands on the stroller with good core control!
Aren’t you supposed to run with only one hand on the jogging stroller and periodically switch, that way you can keep some of the arm swing and avoid over-reliance on the legs?
Hi Rebecca, great question and ultimately it’s up to whatever you feel most comfortable with. That said, these are more like 40 second stroller ‘sprints’ if you’re up for the ‘sprint’ which typically requires a lot of legs and both hands on the stroller with good core control!