An 8-month-old baby goes viral with her pull-up bar skills

A female fitness expert amazed the online community by sharing a video showing her daughter, less than one year old, firmly gripping a pull-up bar and hanging for a few seconds.

Fitness expert Kayla Fontaine, based in Ottawa, Ontario, always encouraged her children to join her at the gym. However, she was surprised when her 8-month-old daughter skillfully performed a fitness exercise.

In the video shared on Instagram, Fontaine, a fitness influencer, allowed her daughter to grasp a pull-up bar. She let her daughter hang for a few seconds, always keeping her hands close to the baby's sides for safety. The baby looked at her mother, gently swayed her body, and then released one hand from the bar. Immediately, Fontaine caught her daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Intense focus, I think she's holding her breath," Fontaine wrote in the caption.

Kayla Fontaine and her daughter. Photo: Kayla Fontaine

Kayla Fontaine and her daughter. Photo: Kayla Fontaine

Speaking to People magazine, Fontaine stated that she always provides opportunities for her children to participate in gym activities. She even designed a dedicated safe play area for children within her home gym. "We utilize our garage as a gym and actively create a space where our children can move and play safely," she said, adding that it features a gymnastics bar, a small climbing wall, a climbing frame, and a set of mini weights for children.

8-month-old baby on pull-up bar. Video: Instagram

8-month-old baby on pull-up bar. Video: Instagram

Recalling her daughter's special moment, Fontaine remembered: "One day, while watching her two older siblings (3 and 5 years old) practice on the pull-up bar, she kept reaching up as if she wanted to try it herself. So, I let her try." The mother mentioned that when she recorded the video of her 8-month-old daughter on the pull-up bar, both she and her 3-year-old daughter were surprised by the baby's ability to hold on for so long.

Fontaine said her youngest daughter enjoys coming to the gym with her, and she feels happy sharing this experience with her child. "She finds it exciting, largely because she wants to imitate what I do," Fontaine explained. "When my children participate, my workout intensity naturally slows down, but observing them try to keep up with me is a sweet experience. At that point, the goal is no longer just pure training but rather the bonding between mother and child."

All three of Fontaine's children are enthusiastic about going to the gym. The young mother believes her children enjoy this because she doesn't create pressure. "My children have been exposed to the gym since they were infants. They learn a lot through observation, but having a safe space where they can 'work out' alongside their mother is what makes the difference," she emphasized. "The key is to keep everything fun and pressure-free. I believe that joy is what helps children maintain an active lifestyle sustainably."

Fontaine affirmed the importance of building a positive connection between children and physical activity from an early age. "I strive to create positive impressions about movement early on. This isn't about achievement or strict discipline; it's about showing my children that physical activity can bring joy, confidence, and be a family bonding activity," she said.