Baby Boot Camp currently accepts registrations for workouts in Scotts Valley.
Geared towards pregnant and postpartum women, the group aims to provide a supportive environment for new mothers who may otherwise feel cut off from the world because of their little arrivals.
Scheduled to meet at Skypark on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting in October, owner Nia Hildreth said she aims to provide a comprehensive workout with baby bearing issues in mind.
“All our classes are set up to specifically take into the account the challenges and physical requirements for women who just had a baby,” she said. “We plan each class so that every major muscle group on the body is going to be worked, from arms, to abs, down to the legs.”
With attention to new mom issues, the classes work to strengthen the core, focus on abs, arm toning as well as flexibility.
Each boot camp session takes 60 minutes, with an opportunity for the moms and their kids to play at the park afterwards.
At Hildreth’s ongoing classes in Campbell and Los Gatos, she usually has approximately 15 moms attending each class. She said she expects the same turnout for ScottsValley.
Currently, Hildreth expects to hold Skypark classes twice a week, but increase the number of days as demand grows. Plans are also in the works for expansion into Santa Cruz.
Having a variety of students at different levels of fitness ensures that moms can make connections with each other. Moms are welcome to bring their kids to all the classes.
“We start with women who are pregnant, or we have clients who have preschoolers,” she said. “The only requirement that we have, if you have recently had a baby, is that you have to be six weeks postpartum. Other than that, we’ve got the full spectrum.”
Hildreth, who owns the franchise business with her sister Ana Grasberger, started Baby Boot Camp because she saw the need for this type of physical activity.
“We are thrilled to help improve the health and wellness of local moms,” said Grasberger. “Baby Boot Camp is not just about losing weight. We are about helping and supporting moms to build positive fitness and healthy lifestyle habits within their families and communities.”
When asked about how the sisters got into the business, Hildreth said the idea found her. After growing up in San LorenzoValley, she made her rounds working as a lawyer. But having babies of her own changed all that when she realized there was a need for new mom fitness.
“I found it really hard to find something that let me stay in shape and work out because I had these little ones and didn’t know what to do with them,” she said.
After looking around, she joined a stroller group over the hill. At that time, the owner of the group was ready to sell the business, and that’s when Hildreth made her career change without ever looking back.
In addition to her sister’s help, Hildreth also works with other personal trainers. Every instructor involved has certification, training and knowledge of what it’s like to work with pregnant and postpartum women.
“We are looking for physical things that could be potentially dangerous. Women with C-section or traditional birth,” she said. “If you are a member of that population, you want to go to someone who wants to make sure you are not put into a bad position.”
Annie Barlesi is one of the trainers working with Hildreth. She also started attending Baby Boot Camp as a student, and liked it so much that she got certified to teach and now heads a running class through the Baby Boot Camp program.
“It’s a 5K training class,” Barlesi said. “We start with moms that don’t have any experience running, but have been going to camp for at least a few months.”
While the idea of running may sound uncomfortable when one is just post partum, or prenatal, Barlesi teaches moms how to run correctly and have fun doing it.
“We usually sign up for a race at the end of an eight week program,” she said.
Barlesi said she wants to emphasize that Baby Boot Camp is an excellent choice for new moms because everyone who attends is in the same boat. While it may be awkward to go to a gym, and use the day care facilities there, it’s easy to watch one’s own kids at Baby Boot Camp.
“It was a life saver for me. I am a pretty outgoing person and I didn’t fully realize how isolating it can be after having a baby, even a second baby,” she said.
Because Baby Boot Camp offers different plans and packages, deciding on the best routine is up to the individual. Barlesi started out going just a couple of days a week, but then quickly moved up to doing Baby Boot Camp daily.
Depending on how many times a week a mom may want to come, Baby Boot Camp works with people to make the financial side of things less daunting.
If one is going to attend ScottsValley classes twice a week, they would enroll on a monthly basis, which totals to eight classes per month. “You would come twice a week, and get eight classes for $70,” Hildreth said.
It’s also possible to take classes at other locations within Hildreth’s and Grasberger’s franchise.
To sign up, or for more information, visit http://babybootcamp.com or call 408-679-1681.
