MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Mothers and their young children attended a one-hour Stroller Fit class that took place starting behind IronWorks Gym here Sept. 2.
The Stroller Fit class is a new class offered by Marine Corps Community Services to help promote good health and fitness for parents.
Stroller Fit is held 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. every Monday and Wednesday on the sea wall directly behind IronWorks Gym.
Since the class is new to everyone, it is going to evolve as it progresses, incorporating newexercises and equipment from the gym.
“We might incorporate running depending on the different fitness (level and desire) of the class,” said Darci Kruse, health promotions assistant director.
A total of four mothers with their children met up on the sea wall where Kruse and Rebecca Bethard, MCCS fitness trainer, were waiting ready to instruct the four eager mothers on healthful fitness.
“Our cardio was the walking and then we did a few strength exercises along the way,” said Kruse. “We started with standing lunges then we did incline pushups on the sea wall followed by squats and some dips on the sea wall as well.”
The mothers and children didn’t stop at one spot to do all the strength exercises. They would walk about .25 miles then stop and stretch before they began each strength exercise.
The children ranged in ages from 9 months old to 2 years old. All the children seemed to enjoy the nice sea breeze as their mothers worked up a good sweat.
“It was a good class. I think she liked it, considering she was able to fall asleep,” said Michele Navarro about her 2-year-old daughter Olivia.
Strollers are available to check out at the IronWorks Gym front desk for those mothers or fathers who do not yet have a jogging stroller. There are only a limited amount, and they are given out on a first-come-first-served basis.
Checking out a stroller at the front desk is as easy as walking in and signing your name on a roster. Once a stroller is checked out you have the opportunity to use it for the whole day before it must be returned.
“They have a couple of different types of strollers there,” said Kruse. “There are double and single ones, but they are all jogging strollers, so they work well with you and there is some shock resistance for the children.”
The shock resistance makes for a more comfortable ride for the children, as shock absorbers minimize the bumps of the road and help the children enjoy the exercise for the parents.
For parents who would like to participate in the course, the easiest way to get on top of the sea wall with a stroller is to go up the access ramp right next to the obstacle course next to the outdoor basketball court by the gym.
“Walking is a great exercise for everyone. It’s easy and you don’t need a lot of skill for it. You can choose your own intensity level by how fast you want to go; it is somewhat self-paced,” said Kruse. For more information on the Stroller Fit class or any other classes,call the MCCS Semper Fit Division at 253-5225.