Friday 6 April 2012

FITNESS: And baby came too!

Mums and babes together at the
 novel Yumi Mummy fitness class in York
TINY Samuel Stephenson is just four months old – but already he’s attending a fitness class.

For while four-month-old Samuel writhes around on the padded floor of the gym, mum Fay is breaking into a sweat in a vigorous Legs, Bums and Tums workout for new mums.

The class is one of several offered by Yumi Mummy Fitness, a new venture which allows new mothers to lose weight and get fit while still looking after baby.

As the women warm up with some gentle lunges, babies watch from the sidelines, strapped safely into their portable car seats. Some are playing happily with each other – or with soft toys – on the giant padded floor of the Chokdee Academy at Nether Poppleton, which doubles up as a Thai Boxing studio in the evening.

There’s a play pen to place tots in, but toddlers are allowed to roam around – and even join in on some of the moves.

The novel idea is the brainchild of Jo Cadden, a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer, whose husband Richard runs the Chokdee Academy.

When she had their first child, Oscar, 14 months ago, Jo realised how hard it was for new mums to take exercise.

Gym memberships can be prohibitively expensive, particularly when you have to factor in extra charges for childcare or use of a crèche.

“I realised there must be lots of mums who want to get out and exercise but are struggling with child care,” says Jo.

So the solution was to invite them to bring baby along too!

Classes can be noisy and chaotic at times, admits Jo, but mums understand.

“Some weeks they can all be making a noise but the mums are able to get up and down – and even breastfeed if they need to. I just carry on teaching!”

Yumi Mummy offers four classes every week – Bokwa (like Zumba) at 10am on Tuesdays and fitness yoga at 11am on Tuesdays; Legs, Bums and Tums on Thursdays at 10am, followed by Pilates at 11.

Prices range from £5-£6.50 for the hour class.

Fitness trainer and mum-of-three Sarah Vincent teaches the Tuesday classes. She said it was important for women to start exercising as soon as safely possible after giving birth.

“As soon as you get the all-clear from the GP, which is usually after your six-week check, you should get out and do some exercise,” advises Sarah.

“It takes three days to form a habit and three days to break one, so if you get into the habit of sitting on the sofa with baby, telling yourself you’ll lose the weight next year, then go on and have another baby, you will be putting fat on top of fat.

“There is no magical quick fix to losing weight; just have to work hard.

“You don’t have to be at it forever – just until you get it off.”

Fay Stephenson also has three children – the latest, Samuel, was born four months ago. For the past six weeks, Fay, has been coming to Jo’s class and has lost a stone in weight.

Fay, originally from Scotland, but now settled in York, said: “The appeal of coming here is that I can bring the wee fella with me. I don’t have to put him in an expensive crèche on top of the price of a class.”

First-time mum Sherrie Wood had some personal training sessions with Jo before the birth of her daughter Matilda two months ago. Now she is coming to the classes to try to shed the three stones she put on while pregnant.

Sherrie said she felt really motivated to get back into shape. She added: “I’m really looking forward to getting my fitness back.”

Yumi Mummy Fitness runs at Rose Avenue, York Business Park, Poppleton, York, YO26 6RR. Telephone: 07949 761292/ email info@yumimummy.co.uk or visit the website yumimummy.co.uk

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