By nature, I’m a creature of habit. I like knowing what’s next and I tend to frequent stores, restaurants and places with familiar menus, aisles and people. That being said, I force myself to step outside of my comfort zone, and it’s during those “pushes” that I have found some of my favorites in life.
It’s the same with your exercise routine. It’s easy to fall back on what has worked for you in the past, but if you’re not seeing the results you once saw or you’re just bored with the same pattern, check out some different ways to get moving. Many gyms offer a variety of classes and you can usually check out the group fitness schedules online, but sometimes it’s fun to “think outside the gym” and explore other options. So, I did exactly that and discovered a couple of workouts that made me feel like a kid again.
If you grew up with a trampoline in your backyard (My kids are still mad at me because I wouldn’t let them have one) or jumped on one in your gymnastics class, you remember the sheer joy of “flying” with your whole body buoyant and breathless with each bounce. Indoor trampoline facilities are popping up all around the country and they offer jumping classes, open jumping and even corporate team events. Research has shown that jumping strengthens every muscle in your body, but is easy on your knees, back and ankles. At Sky Zone, a St. Louis indoor jumping facility, they offer SkyRobics (their trademark classes), low impact classes that combine aerobics, running, and jumping. Rebounding, or jumping, for 10 minutes on the trampoline is equal to 30 minutes of jogging without the stress on your body. My daughter and I tried the workout (including jumping, running on the trampoline called “rouncing”, and throwing a weighted ball) and we had a blast but it wiped us out!
Even if you don’t have a facility like SkyZone in your area, a backyard trampoline or mini trampoline (about 3 feet in diameter and 9 inches high) can work for you at home. Rebounding has been shown to improve blood pressure, circulation, and coordination while stimulating metabolism. Plus, it’s really FUN!!
If you were a kid in the early 60s, you probably remember growing up with the Wham-O Hula Hoop! Many hours were spent on playgrounds, in backyards and at basement parties trying to keep the plastic rings turning. The fad lost momentum but has recently re-emerged as a fitness craze. According to the web site hooping.org, the band The String Cheese Incident deserves some credit for kicking off the second revolution of hooping. They have been known to toss hoops into the audience during shows starting in the mid-90s and apparently their fans spread the word. Hooping began showing up at underground dance community events and raves.
Today it has re-emerged as a popular new fitness trend and provides an alternative cardio and core strengthening workout. Hooping uses a larger and heavier hoop than the hula hoop you remember as a child. Because the hoop is bigger and heavier, the rotation is slow enough that even clumsy amateurs can keep the hoop going. At the Healthy Kids Fair hosted by Michelle Obama, the First lady actually twirled her hoop 142 times. My record doesn’t come near that, but I try to swivel my Toys r Us hoop when I’m working out at home, and I can sometimes really rack up the spins on Wii Fit. I figure once I order the heavy hoop, I’ll look like a pro. You can compare hoops by checking out the LA Times review by Roy Wallack at http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-gear23-2009feb23,0,420871.story
Actual hooping classes are popular on both the East and West coast, but if you can't find a hooping class near you, instructional DVDs about hooping can show you the basics of how to use these larger (35-40 inch plus diameter) hoops to become fit. Click on
http://www.hooping.org/archives/000863.html for a review of several different hooping DVDs.
So even if you can't make time for the gym, pull out your jump rope or add a few of these new “toys and games” to your routine.
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