Gym Stars: Top Spots for Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness Classes

Bring your own baby: Ringo Fitness

Started by DC mom and longtime personal trainer, Karen Ringo, these total body workouts incorporate resistance bands, body weight resistance, core work and interval training. The class vibe is so baby friendly that if your little wants to roam, Karen may pick them up and continue on with instruction. If your little one is old enough, bring a mat and let them join in on the fun! 

Cost: $15 for a drop-in, and $125 for a 10-class pass

Online: ringofitness.com

Stretch it out: Georgie’s Pilates Loft

For the mom who likes props and machines, pilates maybe the perfect work out. Plus, the towers and springs used in the practice are great support for the pregnant body. Not a fluff class but one that challenges the body, this is ideal for the Type A woman but in a safe and guided way. The springs give a stretch you can’t get on your own, making it a great way for a pregnant woman to exercise to get a strong base work out. With an awesome location on King Street in the heart of Old Town Alexandria, Georgie’s Loft classes focus on making muscles supple and building up the ligaments that support pregnancy. Once a week group classes and private lessons are available.

Cost: Drop in, $35; Six-week session, $30/class
619 King St. (Alexandria, Va)
571-312-2802
Online: georgiespilatesloft.com 

Feel the Beat: Jordin’s Paradise

Rania Jaziri is a dancer at heart whose Dupont Circle studio is always thumping with music. A mom herself, she started Baby and Me ballet classes. Think: dancers with babies in front carriers. The newborns act like additional weights for total body conditioning. Classes will be held during the day so moms on maternity leave don’t have to fight traffic.

Cost: $99 for 10 class pass
1215 Connecticut Ave, NW (Dupont Circle)
202-997-8211
Online: jordinsparadise.com 

Relaxation 101: Momease

Affiliated with GW Hospital for eight years, Mommease provides all expectant parent classes…including fitness! They mix up the soon to be moms and those with little ones in their classes, providing relaxation skills all mothers need to master. Bonus: The class is metro accessible. And if you are delivering at GW, lucky you!

Cost: $45/four classes
5 locations all over the DMV
703-739-2831
Online: momease.com

Baby on board: Lil Omm

Pleasance Silicki founded this homey-feeling studio to offer more than just yoga. Started with a focus on prenatal classes, the one-stop shop now offers a full range of fitness classes and levels. Keeping schedule in mind, Lil Omm offers prenatal classes six days a week. With lots of variety you will never get bored. And get this, half of the fitness instructors moonlight as doulas, so you’re getting some birthing training as well (snatch!). Insider note: Saturday classes are more relaxing and restorative, while Sunday is a fitness dance party!

Cost: Drop in, $20; Series of five classes, $90; Monthly membership, $125
4708 Wisconsin Ave., NW (Tenleytown)
202-248-6304
Online: lilomm.com 

Yoga for non-yogis: Tranquil Space

Tranquil Spaces offers a slower flow yoga class with a focus on strength building and standing poses. With many different instructors at their Dupont Circle and Arlington locations you are sure to find the class and instructor you feel most comfortable with. At least one instructor (Anne Theil) is a trained mid-wife with first line insight into the skills a mommy to be needs (think: learning to hold a wide squat for the length of a contraction helps women through labor).

Cost: Drop in, $20
1632 17th St., NW (Dupont Circle)
202-328-9642
Online: tranquilspace.com

Mind over matter: Capitol Hill Yoga

With a decade of experience, Capital Hill Yoga’s two instructors focus just on yoga classes for moms-to-be. Classes are timed perfectly for after work for those on The Hill and those who live nearby. A special workshop for moms and partners pulls the lessons from yoga and meditation to demonstrate how the apply during labor and post-partum.

Cost: Drop in, $20
641 Pennsylvania Ave., SE,
202-448-9680
Online: capitolhillyoga.com

Prenatal home stretch: Fuse

Strengthen your abs and pelvic floor in Fuse’s prenatal push prep class taught by a new mom and her newborn co-teacher. Fuse has great offerings for mommies to be of any trimester and all instructors are pre and postnatal certified and can modify any class for you. They even offer private sessions for the mommy who needs a little extra attention. To ensure results, Fuse recommends mat classes for the first few months before hopping on a more-intense reformer machine. Package prices are the way to go with special flexibility on expiration dates for those that need a break to have baby.

Cost: Drop-in, $19-$40
2008 Hillyer Pl., NW (Dupont Circle)
202-525-3767
Online: fusepilates.com 

Tough stuff: Mommy Boot Camp

Baby is on the move and it’s time for mommy to get her groove back. Mommy Boot Camp has dozens of offerings that are kid friendly. No day care—kids are right there in the class with you! Your fellow fitness buffs are moms who want to get back in shape, but want to do it with other mamas who get it when they’re little one has a melt down. It’s a very pink boot camp with lots of modifications for moms who are still pregnant or have just delivered. Come in anytime (with baby) for a free trial class.

Cost: Monthly unlimited classes, $75/month; 10 class pass, $120 at all locations
571-214-6667
Online:  youtube.com/user/mommybootcamp 

Photo: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/supermommies"> SuperMommies</a> via Flickr