By LOIS KINDLE
Ruskin resident Katy Crews recently kicked off a local iStroll chapter for the Apollo Beach, Ruskin and Sun City Center area.
“It’s a mommy-and-me, outdoor-format stroller workout,” said Crews, a stay-at-home mother. “It’s high intensity, interval training for pregnant women, new parents and anyone who is a parent or caregiver of kids. Each class includes strength training and cardiology.”
There are no age restrictions.
“Today, (for example) we had a woman who was six-months pregnant and a mom with a 3-year-old and a 12-week-old,” said Crews, who has an 18-month-old son and a baby girl due in July.
iStroll workouts are 60-minutes in duration and taught by professional instructors. They include walking, jogging or running, depending on a person’s fitness level, and the use of light hand weights or dumbbells in the two- to eight-pound range, resistance bands (provided by Crews) and a sturdy, safe stroller. A yoga mat is required for strength training. The use of a stroller is not mandatory to work out.
“We provide an effective workout for participants, while keeping babies moving and happy,” Crews said. “The workouts can be modified for all fitness levels, from beginner through all stages of motherhood.”
iStroll is also an opportunity for both adults and children to make new friends and socialize. In addition to the workouts. Crews will host a monthly moms’ night out for the adults and playdates for the kids.
The classes take place Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Waterset Club, 7281 Paradisio Drive, Apollo Beach.
There are four membership packages, the most popular an unlimited monthly membership for the entire family for $40 per month. Or you can choose 10 classes within six months for $60; five classes within two months for $30; or $7 for an individual class within two weeks.
Thus far, reviews are positive.
Ruskin resident Lauren Mullins, 39, just began working out with her 11-month-old daughter Maddie. She signed up for the unlimited-class package.
“It’s a great way to meet other moms while doing something healthy with your child,” the stay-at-home mom said. “I think it’s great Katy is bringing something fresh and new to mothers in the South Hillsborough area.”
Alyssa Archila, the mother of a 3- and 5-year old, agrees.
“I discovered Katy on Instagram and met her at Playtime in Apollo Beach,” said the 32-year-old Ruskin resident. “So when she launched iStroll, I decided to join.
“This works well for me because I want to exercise, but I find I’m a little more motivated when someone tells me what to do and my children are involved,” she continued. “I feel this will set a good example for them.”
About the owner/instructor
Crews, 36, is certified as a group fitness instructor by the American Council on Exercise and is CPR- and AED-certified by the American Red Cross.
She was a radio and television reporter first in Montana and then in North Carolina, where she met her husband, Nick, an active-duty member of the Coast Guard. Before giving up her career to become a stay-at-home mom, she was a public information officer for the Arizona State University Police Department.
The couple moved to Florida last year.
“I wanted to join a gym but didn’t want to leave my son in daycare, while I worked out,” she said. “I came across the iStroll chapter in Brandon and wanted to do that, but it was a 40-minute drive to FishHawk [Boulevard] and Bloomingdale [Avenue].
“I saw on the iStroll website I could start a chapter of my own, and I thought, ‘If I’m interested in this, at least one other person will need or want to be.’”
Crews uses social media to solicit members. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/istrollsouthhillsborough or follow her at https://www.instagram.com/istroll.southhillsborough/.