Having a baby is no joke. It might be the biggest physical task you’ll ever endure — like your own mommy marathon. However once you get on the other side, it’s amazing how weak you feel. How is such a quick shift from your strongest to your weakest physical moment even possible?
During maternity leave I wanted to start to change that. I realized how spoiled I was when we still lived in Manhattan, where we lived during that much discussed fifth trimester with our first child. Options in New Jersey were more limited – even moreso when I tried to find options where baby could come with me to class.
Thank goodness for Google, where I found mention of Project Mommy + Me, a series offered by Summit, NJ studio Project Physique. I sent them an email. Is this class still a thing? I quickly received a response back from them that it was and that there was space. Did I want to check it out? Obviously the answer was yes.
The first class was complimentary – and then I had the option to enroll for the full month’s session. During class, L came in with me in her car seat (a huge selling point). The babies bordered the room, just to one side or the other of their mama’s yoga mat. What happened when a baby (or babies, plural) started to fussy? No problem. The owner, Katye Kane Stanzak and Lindsay Strickland, who carries the title of Executive Hustler, are baby whisperers and multitasking whizzes. Katye taught class many times with a baby in each arm!
The class itself was honestly just what I needed. While I love taking classes in my own home, there’s just no replacing the studio dynamic. At a time when it’s easy to feel self-conscious, I found the energy of women going through the same experience both encouraging and inspiring.
And don’t get me wrong. It’s challenging. But I like to say, it was somewhat of a choose-your-own adventure. The class format itself flows across three main styles – yoga, barre and Pilates. I loved that just as I thought I couldn’t do it anymore and wanted to give to, we were on to the next section in class. The pacing is perfect!
Katye definitely doesn’t take it easy on you, but it’s a safe space. If you’re ready to jump in fully and push, you have the set-up to do so. Need to scale it back a little and ease back in? The class works with that approach, too. Or maybe you’re coming in after your baby has had you up all night, and are just barely getting by? No worries. You can make it work for you, too — because if there’s anything you need at this point is some flexibility!
The studio, of course, offers a number of other classes beyond the Mommy + Me series. They all have a combo style to them. There’s coreRIDE (cycling + Pilates), BARREride (barre + cycling) and PHYSIQUE (barre + Pilates + Vinyasa). So many great options! Can’t get out to a class? They also have a streaming option!
Check the studio out here. Also, follow them on Instagram, where they share updates from the studio and even some great healthy recipes!
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