Paige Dunn and Kelly Singer know firsthand how challenging it can be for mothers with young children to find time to exercise.
After giving birth to her son three years ago, Dunn said she “was desperate to find ways to get off the baby weight.”
Finding it difficult to break away from her 24/7 job as a new mother, Dunn even went so far as to bring a physical trainer into her own home. But with "the baby crawling on me (and) two dogs crawling on me," Dunn soon realized she would need to find another way to get some exercise.
Enter MOMentum, a new outdoor gym organization founded by Dunn and Singer that will celebrate the opening of its second outdoor gym at Redmond's on July 21.
The idea behind MOMentum is simple: Bring adult exercise equipment to the playground and allow parents to get in a workout while keeping an eye on their kids.
Butch Lovelace, a program manager for King County Parks and Recreation, said the MOMentum equipment at Marymoor were installed as part of a larger project that created a new play area for younger kids next to an existing playground by the park's ballfields.
“It’s in a great location as far as keeping track of your kids while trying to get your exercise in,” he said. “It’s a very nice set up.”
Lovelace said MOMentum, which is on its way to becoming an official nonprofit, donated $3,500 toward the $16,000 cost of the adult equipment at Marymoor. Dunn and Singer said most of the money they provided came from local mothers who donated toward the cause.
The MOMentum area has five pieces of human-powered exercise equipment that target the arms, abs, hips and thighs. The "signature piece," Singer said, is a set of three connected elliptical machines that enables moms to socialize while breaking a sweat.
The idea of "playgrounds for adults" was featured in a recent New York Times article that included mention of MOMentum. Dunn and Singer, who both live in the Seattle area and opened their first MOMentum area in Auburn last October, say the equipment not only makes it easier for moms to exercise but also gives parents and kids an excuse to spend time outdoors together, engaging in a healthy activity.
“We really believe that it’s a domino effect—that healthy moms help raise healthy children,” Dunn said.
A grand opening ceremony to welcome MOMentum to Marymoor Park will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 21. Free family activities and snacks will be provided.
The new facility is located next to the north playground by the K parking lot and baseball and soccer fields. For more information, visit MOMentum's website or Facebook page.
