Mom’s 8-Month-Old Joins Her in the Gym. The Internet Can’t Get Enough of Her Daughter’s Impressive Deadhang (Exclusive)

NEED TO KNOW

• Kayla Fontaine had been encouraging her kids to join her at the gym, but she was surprised to see that her 8-month-old was already a pro at deadhanging

• In a now-viral video, Fontaine captured the moment her baby daughter hung onto a bar for much longer than she’d anticipated

• Now, she tells PEOPLE how she’s been able to get her kids excited about the gym

Kayla Fontaine has been encouraging her kids to join her in the gym — but she was surprised when her 8-month-old was already a pro at one exercise.

In a video shared to her Instagram, the fitness influencer could be seen gently placing her baby daughter on a bar. Hovering her hands on either side, she lets her daughter hang for several seconds. Fontaine and her daughter keep eye contact as she lightly swings back and forth, before dropping one of her hands.

Fontaine is quick to catch her daughter, swooping her in for a kiss on the cheek. “Focus locked in and pretty sure holding her breathe 😮‍💨,” she wrote in her caption.

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Now, Fontaine tells PEOPLE that she’s always encouraged her kids to get involved in the gym and shares that she’s even created a kid-friendly space in her home gym.

“We have a home gym in our garage and have intentionally created a space where our kids can move and play safely,” she says. “It includes a gymnastics bar, a small rock-climbing wall, a climbing structure and even their own little barbell set.”

“One day, my 8-month-old was watching her older siblings, who were 3 and 5 at the time, hanging on the bar. She kept reaching up like she wanted to try it herself, so I let her,” continues Fontaine. “My 3-year-old daughter was with me when I recorded the clip of her hanging at 8 months old, and we were both in shock at how long she held on.”

Fontaine says her youngest loves going to the gym with her and is happy that she’s been able to share the experience with her.

“She loves it, mostly because she loves copying what I do,” she explains. “Recently, I’ve filmed a few videos of her ‘working out’ with me, deadlifting, squatting and even attempting burpees. When she joins me, my workouts naturally slow down, but watching her try to keep up is incredibly sweet. It becomes less about the workout and more about sharing the experience.”

All of Fontiane’s kids love joining her at the gym, and the proud mom says she believes they enjoy it because she made the experience pressure-free.

“All of our kids have been in the gym with me since they were babies. They’ve learned a lot just by watching, but having a safe space where they can ‘work out’ alongside me has made a big difference,” she explains. “Keeping it fun is key, and ensuring there is no pressure. I truly believe enjoyment is what keeps kids active long-term.”

Fontaine tells PEOPLE it was important for her to have her kids associate positive connotations with working out from an early age.

“I try to focus on building positive associations with movement early on,” she says. “It’s not about performance or discipline, it’s about showing them that being active can be fun, empowering, and something we do together as a family.”

Read the original article on People