Do you remember the last time you were on a trampoline? If you’re an adult, it may well have been years ago.
But have you ever thought that you can go back to your youth? Getting back on a trampoline can indeed make you feel like a kid again, but a new fitness format allows you to have fun while getting an effective workout at the same time.
"The benefits of the trampoline is that nothing is turned off. Everything from head to toe is working the whole time that you're on the trampoline, so it's just about made for everyone," says Waukesha Sky Zone fitness manager Barbie Gonzales.
SkyRobics fitness classes combine advanced calisthenics and three-dimensional cardio and strength training, and advocates say the combination allows participants a healthy mixture of fitness and fun.
Research indicates that twenty minutes of exercise on a trampoline is equal to about one hour of running and can burn up to 1,000 calories in one hour, according to fitness instructor Kelly Bullard.
"The interval training is a very effective way to burn fat and to burn the calories," she explains. "So think about two cars - one car that's on an interstate going fast and one car that is starting and stopping on the side roads...the car on the side roads will burn more gas, more fuel. Same with your body when you start and stop. You really seem to work a lot harder and in the long run you have a bit more of an after-burn as well."
In addition to a more effective calorie burn, exercising on the trampoline significantly reduces the stress on your joints, improves your sense of balance and increases both endurance and strength, says Gonzales.
Skydance as well as other boot camps and classes are gaining popularity with the advent of trampoline parks in cities and suburbs around the country. But another factor that adds to its popularity is simply the fun factor.
"It's so freeing! It's amazing to see people come in for the first time and they are just giggling, they're laughing, they're having a good time," says Bullard. "And for some they say it's the first time they've had so much fun exercising in a long time, so it's great to see them come and enjoy what they do."
