Fitness targeted at families, new mothers

St. Vital

Fitness targeted at families

By Andrea Geary

A baby crying at the top of their little lungs is a no-no in most gyms and fitness facilities, but it’s par for the course at a Peg Family Fitness class.

Babies can be cuddled, snuggled in carriers, laid on blankets or in their strollers. And nursing and changing diapers are a common occurrence. Instead of using hand weights, parents can lift theircdhildren.

Peg Family Fitness owner Steph Minor said she will sometimes hold a fussy baby so its parent can exercise.

Minor offers prenatal, postnatal, and family fitness and yoga classes at various community centres in St. Boniface and St. Vital. She trained as a group fitness instructor through the Manitoba Fitness Council.

“I fell in love with mom and baby fitness,” she said.

Minor said she was once a new mom who wanted to increase her activity level. She previously worked in public health, providing services to new parents.

Prior to opening her own business, she was an instructor with Fit 4 Two Winnipeg East. When that company closed, she reopened under her own Peg Family Fitness name in 2020.

Her aim is to encourage parents of infants to leave their homes and meet others who are at the same stage in their lives.

“When I see moms exchanging cell numbers it makes me happy.”

From May to October, she holds her stroller-fitness classes outdoors. While each class varies, she generally includes an introduction, warmup, cardio intervals, full-body strengthening and core work as well as time to talk and share.

“The goal is not to lose weight or to look at certain way,” Minor said. “Movement is therapeutic and fun. I focus on general health – mental and physical.”

Minor is pleased to have students come to in-person classes after having to run online classes off and on throughout the pandemic.

“The social aspect can be as important as the activity,” she said.

She still offers an online class for those who wish to exercise in their homes.

Her Baby and Me Yoga class in St. Norbert began recently with 13 moms and 14 babies registered.

“This is not a typical yoga class,” she joked.

Rather than situate her business in one location, Minor said she’s found that it’s financially beneficial to rent community centre space in various places. This allows her to offer classes in many different locations. She teaches seven classes a week and has four instructors contracted to deliver another six classes.

Minor said it’s important to her that her business be accessible to all and to do so, she offers drop-in rates for classes that don’t have full registration. She also is willing to accommodate people who need a discounted rate.

She hopes to continue to expand her client base and reach diverse family groups within Winnipeg and the surrounding area. Learn more at pegfamilyfitness.com

Andrea Geary
St. Vital community correspondent

Andrea Geary is a community correspondent for St. Vital and was once the community journalist for The Headliner.

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