Weights that smile at you

Most infants find Baby Boot Camp to be quite painless.

After all, it’s their moms who do all the work.

Several times a week, local moms gather at Wieder Regional Park, where they either complete circuit training or do a series of power walking and resistance tubing exercises, from squats to lunges to push-ups, on the way to and along the beach. On the way back to the park, moms have the option of walking or jogging.

“There’s really no other place where you can look at Catalina, then turn around and look at the snowcapped mountains,” mother Danae La Trobe said.

“We’ve even been able to watch dolphins while we work out,” said instructor and local franchise founder Jana Jacobs. “You can’t get that everywhere.”

While she and her fellow moms complete their 75-minute morning sessions, their children — who spend the majority of the time in their jogging strollers — watch, socialize and enjoy the outdoors.

“The instructor is so awesome,” La Trobe said. “She lets you go at your own pace.”

Moms said they were drawn by the prospect of not having to find a babysitter or drop their little ones off at a gym day care. The promise of a small class also helped them make their decision.

The length of the session means that should a mother need to tend to her child during the session, she still has about an hour of workout left, Jacobs said.

But Jacobs is also happy to rock a stroller or retrieve a dropped pacifier while a mom is completing her repetitions.

The classes are designed for mothers with babies from 6 weeks to 36 months old, although Jacobs said mothers with children up to 5 years old are welcome; one mother’s 4-year-old participates with the group when she attends.

The classes are limited to 12 moms per session, and Jacobs gives each mother personalized attention.

“The best part is getting to be with other moms and getting back out of the house,” La Trobe said; she is preparing to return to her firefighting career.

“I was going to a personal trainer before, and I needed a hard workout. This is awesome. She kicks our butts, but everyone gets to work at their own level.”

“Women can get in better shape after having a baby than before,” Jacobs said. “During the pregnancy, the body goes through so many changes, and after giving the birth, the moms often feel they are in the worst shape ever. After just a few months of exercising and a healthy diet, the moms end up in a better shape than they have ever been.”

At the end of each class, the moms may perform mat exercises like yoga poses and stretches, including the babies’ favorite — the Airplane.

While lying on their backs, the moms can balance their children on their lower legs, which are raised parallel to the floor.

The babies serve as weights, offering 12, 20 or 25 pounds of resistance in an irresistible package.

Most of the exercises are targeted to specific muscles, but Jacobs warns mothers that no regimen can tone only certain parts of the body.

“I tell them that 100 crunches will not tone their bellies only,” she said. “They work all over your body; you can’t control where.”

The socialization isn’t just for the babies; moms are able to converse about shared experiences, learn tips and just get out of the house, all while losing fat and gaining muscle. Measurements are taken monthly at a local nutrition shop.

Jacobs also organizes Moms Night Out events, where the moms receive spa treatments and drink champagne, at discounted rates.

The group will begin a competition on Feb. 2 that will pit members of the group against each other for prizes; they also will compete as a group against other Baby Boot Camp groups around the country.

“I’m very competitive,” La Trobe said. “We’re gonna win.”

Jacobs is a certified personal trainer, and has been certified by Baby Boot Camp in both prenatal and postnatal instruction.

Interested in fitness all her life, Jacobs first taught in the Czech Republic, where she was a competitive swimmer. After moving to the United States, she sought an opportunity to work with women and their young children, and thought the franchise would be a perfect fit.

Currently, a single class can cost $18, but there are drastic reductions for longer commitments; a 12-month commitment offers unlimited classes for $60 per month. Some moms purchase the longer packages as motivation tools.

“I’m going to be a die-hard, I’m telling you,” mom Lisa Spasov told Jacobs.

Jacobs plans to divide her classes into prenatal, beginning postnatal and advanced postnatal in the near future.

And there’s a special incentive to resolution makers: For mothers who sign up in January, Jacobs is offering one week of classes free. Normally moms get to try one class free.

For more information, call Jacobs at (714) 369-2582, e-mail jana.jacobs@babybootcamp.com or visit babybootcamp.com and search for the Huntington Beach class.

FRESH BEGINNING

Jana Jacobs’ New Year’s resolution fitness tips:

 Don’t be afraid to start. Motivation is the hardest part. With a group like Baby Boot Camp, it’s easier because moms in the group motivate each other while getting the extra kick they need from Jacobs.

 Be patient with your progress. It’s never too late to start. Try beginning Jan. 2, or on a Tuesday instead of a Monday.

CANDICE BAKER may be reached at (714) 966-4631 or at candice.baker@latimes.com.