By Alesha Capone
A Point Cook fitness studio is boosting fitness and friendship between mothers.
In 2 Life Fitness owner Carolyn McMillan said she started running the studio’s Mums & Bubs program online due to the pandemic lockdown.
The program is run via the video platform Zoom, with about 10 or 11 mums participating at once.
Ms McMillan said the program ran twice a week, during school terms, in blocks of around nine weeks.
“We call it virtual training and we do it exactly as we would in the studio, except that we’re not standing there next to you,” she said.
The sessions include 30 minutes of exercises – which can be done solo by mothers, or with their babies – and another 30 minutes or so for the mums to chat with each other.
“I wanted to look after their physical health as well as their mental health,” Ms McMillan said.
She said that although some participants were “sceptical” about virtual training, many mothers now preferred it, as they can take part while their babies are asleep and save time by not driving to the studio.
Tarneit mother Emily, whose first child – a son, named Jordan – was born in February, said she was not sure about online training when she first enrolled in the Mums & Bubs program.
Emily said that as a new mother in a time of pandemic restrictions, she has missed out on attending traditional mother’s groups, and that the Mums & Bubs sessions have helped to fill in the gap.
“It’s so good to feel normal and be able to chat,” she said.
“These ladies, who I had never met before, have become my best friends.”
Emily said she and the other mothers did not all live within five kilometres of each other – one mum is in Yarraville – but were hoping to meet in-person when lockdown restrictions were lifted.
The next online Mums & Bubs program will start on September 28. Details: www.facebook.com/In2LifeFitness
