Are you stuck in a gym rut or have your usual fitness classes suddenly lost their sparkle and appeal?
A good way of maintaining your motivation and inspiration to work out is to spice up your regime every once in a while by trying something new, and perhaps, out of your comfort zone.
For example, when was the last time you got on a trampoline?
Indeed, many adults are getting back in touch with their inner child through this unique jump fitness experience that is both challenging, yet fun, and certainly amusing.
Long-time freelance personal trainer Jennifer Chalouhi, who recently brought trampoline fitness (she’s calling it trampoline cardio) to Dubai, explains why you need to try it.
“I’ve been a freelance personal trainer for over six years and I started out getting certified in all the basic, well-known workouts like TRX, Bosu, Swiss Ball, Strength Training, Circuit Training,” she said.
“My eyes are always open whenever I travel for something different – I go to all the gyms and love to keep myself knowledgeable of what’s going on in the market of exercise.
“But I realised that many of these workouts are extremely impactful on the joints, unlike trampoline cardio (since the trampoline works as a good shock absorber).
“I discovered the class, believe it or not, last summer while on vacation in Lebanon, where I’m originally from, through my friend and personal trainer Elie Mitri. After attending his Trampoline Cardio classes several times I knew it could work in Dubai.
“So many of us are always looking for a new and fresh workout, and I loved the fact that this class was low impact on the joints as well as fun, energising and literally for every age – in fact, I have a 55-yearold client, my daughter has been memorising the tracks as well, and I can see this as an after-school activity for kids, easily!”
A typical class consists of segments of high-energy, high-jumping aerobics-style routines on the trampoline itself.
You’ll do lots of fancy but easily memorable footwork including lateral ‘ski’ jumps, heel taps, and star jumps to high knees, throwing your legs out and clapping under them. There’s even something called ‘the windmill’, that Chalouhi created, where the hands alternate in reaching back behind you to touch the opposite foot, mimicking a big waving motion.
She cleverly incorporated arms and abs through moves like push-ups with your feet on the ground and arms slightly higher resting on the trampoline face, burpees where you start in push-up and jump onto the trampoline and back down and lots of core-crunching work on your back while lying on top of it.
Sometimes light weights are thrown in for an added burn and don’t mistake this for a playground date, you do burn.
As in up to 500 calories in a 45-minute class.
“Any type of exercise where you sweat you’re basically removing toxins,” explained Chalouhi, who had us lightly dripping after just 30 minutes. “And for me this is such a fun way to sweat.”
There’s no place for boredom here and no two classes are the same as Chalouhi admits to constantly dreaming up new routines, even in the car while listening to the radio.
She said: “The music is new and fresh and the moves are choreographed to the latest and most upbeat music from Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull to Shakira, to name a few. And as a trainer I love to mix up the moves, as well as create new ones.”
There is also the added benefit of being out in the open in a really nice garden setting versus the harsh lights of a stagnant gym setting.
As Chalouhi is freelance, it is often that clients invite her to teach in a garden or studio at their compound.
She’ll provide the trampolines but more and more people are even purchasing their own, which is another perk of picking up trampoline cardio – it’s easily transferable to a home setting with your iPod plugged in.
Just try not to break anything!
What: Trampoline cardio
When: Sundays and Wednesdays at 8am
Where: Location details provided when you register
Cost: Dh50 with a minimum of 6 people needed per class
Contact: You can reserve your trampoline by writing to j_ [email protected].
Jennifer can also be found on Instagram under the username “jenchalouhi”.
