7 Best Stroller Exercises For Toned Legs
If you struggle with finding time to exercise as a busy mom, stroller workouts are one of the best ways to torch calories for overall fat loss as well as tighten and tone your lower body!
And stroller workouts are basically a sanity saver on wheels when everyone needs some fresh air!
The added weight from pushing your babies gently increases the intensity level of your workout to kick that calorie burn into high gear.
But I’m not talking just traditional stroller jogging workouts.
I mean specific exercises that help tighten and tone your lower body while blasting calories.
This has been one of my go-to workouts for months now and I love how it makes me feel challenged yet refreshed.
Sometimes squeezing in a workout as a busy mom requires some creativity but it doesn’t have to feel impossible. Simply Move!
What Makes This Workout So Awesome?
- The exercises in this workout target every muscle in your lower body.
- The interval training helps to ramp up your calorie burn for fat loss while also building muscle to tone and tighten your legs.
- The fresh air is great for soothing grumpy kids and stressed out moms!
- The workout can be done in as little as 20 minutes
- You don’t need a fancy jogging stroller. Most strollers will work just fine but make sure to use caution if needed.
Safety Tips For Stroller Workouts
For you:
- Keep your shoulders relaxed and back and try to prevent hunching over.
- Focus on keeping your core engaged.
- If you’re wearing one baby while pushing another, make sure to use a sturdy baby carrier and you follow proper safety tips for babywearing.
Related: The Best Guide To Safe Babywearing Workouts
For your little ones:
- Make sure they stay buckled in properly.
- Avoid certain exercises that cause jerky movements such as running until your little one is about 6-8 months old and has good neck control. If you have any questions about whether your baby is ready for jogging in the stroller, make sure to consult with your healthcare provider.
- Make sure they are kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
- Bring them juice or water to stay hydrated, especially in the heat.
- I personally avoid snacks during our stroller rides just in case they choke but this is an option if you feel comfortable.
Tips To Keep Your Little One’s Happy During Your Stroller Workouts
One of the best tips to get your little ones used to your stroller workouts is to start them young! Your baby will get used to the routine and learn to enjoy the ride.
My kids are ages four and under and they have been doing stroller workouts with me since they were newborns!
You can start gentle stroller walks as soon as you feel ready after delivery.
Once they get a little older, keeping the occupied can be a little challenging.
So, what’s the trick to keep them happy so you can finish your workout?
- Keep them involved. This is a great time to teach them things like counting by having them count your exercise reps or learning songs such as ABC’s or Old McDonald.
- Listen to kids music and encourage them to sing along.
- Bring flash cards. We have recently been bring these flash cards and it has been a lifesaver. (they are perfect because they have a ring so you don’t lose any!)
- Bring books and if they can’t read, encourage them to make up their own story.
- Make an “I Spy” game and have them look for things while you walk.
How To Do This Stroller Leg Workout For Tight and Toned Legs
- Warm-up with a steady paced walk for about 5-10 minutes.
- There are 7 exercises in this workout. Perform each exercise for the indicated number of reps back to back in a circuit.
- Complete as many rounds as possible for 30 minutes.
- Use given exercise modifications if needed!
Let’s get sweaty!
When you’re done, don’t forget to pin this workout so you will have it forever!
Calorie Burning Stroller Workout For Tight and Toned Legs
Lateral Band Walk
1. Start by carfully placing a loop band around your lower legs. For easier movement, place the band closer to your knees. For more challenging movement, place the band around your ankles.
2. Place your feet shoulder width apart with your knees and hips slightly bent in a half squat position. Zip up your belly to engage your core and pelvic floor.
3. Staying low, begin by taking a lateral step with your right foot. Focus on pushing off your left foot to initiate the movement.
4. Slowly bring the right leg back to your starting position and continue walking in the lateral direction.
5. You should feel this in your glutes.
6. Reps: 15 each leg
Walking Lunge Reverse Lunge Combo
1. Start with your feet together with your hands holding your stroller firmly.
2. Initiate the movement by stepping your right foot forward and lower your body into a lunge position.
3. Press through your right foot and bring your left knee up in front of you.
4. Return the left leg back behind your to perform a reverse lunge.
5. Then bring your left leg through to take a large step forward.
6. Repeat on the opposite side.
7. Repeat for 20 reps or 10 each leg.
Skater Jog
1. Start with most of your weight on your right foot and in a small squat with your hands comfortably holding the stroller.
2. Start by pushing off of your right foot to jump forwrd and out to the left landing slightly crouched onto your left leg.
3. Immidiatly push off your right foot to jump forward and out to the left landing on your right foot.
4. Continue back and forth as if you are ice skating
5. Repeat 30 Seconds
Stroller Single Leg Deadlift
The baby wanted to join me on this one and I welcomed the extra weight!
No babywearing, no problem, this is still a great exercise for your booty.
1. Start with both feet directly under your hips. Shift your weight to the right leg. Keep the leg straight but a slight bend in your knee.
2. Slowly lift you left leg and begin to hinge at your hips. Make sure your back is flat and chest slightly up.
3. Slowly continue to extend your left foot back with your leg straight until your body is parallel to the ground. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to your foot.
4. At the bottom of the exercise, engage your glutes and begin to raise your body back to standing by focusing on using the back of your leg and glutes, not your lower back.
5. Repeat 12-15 reps each side.
What to avoid
-Dropping your hips as you extend your leg back. Focus on keeping your pelvis straight.
-bending your low back. keep your back flat and core engaged.
Stroller Frog Jumps
I want to preface this exercise as an advanced stroller exercise!
If you do not feel comfortable jumping forward while pushing your stroller, do a simple stationary squat jump instead!
1. Place your hands lightly on the handle bars of the stroller with your arms straight. You do NOT want to use the stroller for any support during this exercises. Your hands on the stroller are just there to help glide the stroller forward as you jump.
2. Engage your core and squat down and jump to propell yourself forward making sure to keep the stroller at arms length to give your room to jump.
3. Land as lightly as possible in a squat postion and continue to jump forward while guiding the stroller.
4. You can also alternate jumping feet together then feet out like a hop scotch!
5. Continue 15-20 reps.
Stroller Sumo Squats
1. Place your hands on your stroller handle bars and stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width and toes slightly pointed outward.
2. Begin squatting by inhaling and engaging core with weight in your heals.
3. Keeping your knees tracking in the same direction as your toes, engage your core, hinge at the hips and lower your body into a squat as if you were going to sit in a chair. Lower until your thighs are paralell to the ground.
4. Slightly push the stroller forward as you lower.
5. Press through your heals as if to push the ground away from your feet to stand and pull the stroller back toward your body to stand.
6. Repeat 15 reps
Stroller Exercise High Knees Skipping
1. Place your hands lightly on the handle bars of the stroller with your arms straight. You do NOT want to use the stroller for any support during this exercises. Your hands on the stroller are just there to help glide the stroller forward as you jump.
2. Step your right foot forward and jump up and foward off your foot as you bring your left knee up toward your chest.
3. Land on your left foot in front of you and immediately jump up and forward while bringing your right knee up toward your chest.
4. Continue alternating back and forth as you move in a forward direction.
5. Repeat 30 seconds
I hope you like this workout as much as I do!
And remember, the best ways to teach your little ones to live a healthy, happy and confident life is if you show them by example!
Brooke is a certified Prenatal and Postnatal Exercise Specialist with a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology-Exercise Science. She is also a mom of 3 girls with more than 15 years of experience in health and fitness. Brooke’s goal at Struggles of a Fit Mom is to help motivate, educate and inspire other busy mamas who struggle with finding time, energy and motivation to take care of themselves in the chaos of motherhood.
