Remember that dance step in Dil Chahta Hai ’s ‘Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe’? The one which was so hip in every disco back then? When we jumped high with every thump of the music? That’s what jumping on the trampoline feels like.
A trampoline is the springboard on which a gymnast artfully lands, and on which non-gymnast types like you and me can simply jump – because jumping is effortless. The springboard enables you to bob up! And down! And you skip from one arena to the next (the space is divided into little boxes, so you’re not throwing someone else off balance when you jump).
I wanted to break away from the routine of gym-ing and running, and in my search for alternative workouts (and some fun) I chanced upon Play Factory, located in Electronic City, Bengaluru.
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I was asked to come wearing sports clothes and not a salwar-kameez, for free-flowing movement. ‘Also, leave your inhibitions behind,’ the voice seemed to say. For Bengalureans, a drive to Electronic City would seem like a workout in itself. When I reached, the sight of the colourful 10,000-square-feet trampoline, resembling a vast swimming pool because of its deep-blue springboards, and of children and adults, alike, jumping with glee, made all the tiredness evaporate.
First up, a video, telling us about trampoline etiquette—yes, there is such a thing—so we don’t step (jump) onto other people’s toes. And a cautionary note about landing on both feet always, and keeping the legs straight, to prevent ankle twists—if you’re a beginner. Our warm and vibrant instructors tell us that age is no bar, but that those who have any sort of leg or back injuries or past surgeries should avoid it. Jump in a spot for a bit, taking tiny leaps, and once you find your footing, go higher. Always take breaks and never continue when tired.
As I jumped higher and higher, the buoyancy led to my feeling light, and I couldn’t stop grinning. The trampoline, also called rebound exercise, is said to improve balance. An American Council on Exercise (ACE) study found that though the exercise is actually a moderate to vigorous intensity workout, participants rated it as low to moderate, simply because of the fun they had when doing it. The benefits, though, were the same as running at a pace of 9.6 kmph. It’s the reason why so many gyms today offer trampoline workouts.
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You could go armed with a workout video, or simply jump from one cube to the next. There’s also basket ball on a trampoline for the experts, where kids dash into the basketball space, leap, and slam-dunk the ball into the basket. Phew!
The big jump
According to a study by NASA, the trampoline “makes it possible to exercise the entire body, knowing that there is no undue pressure applied to any part of the body, such as the feet, ankles, and legs, and at the same time knowing that each part of the body is receiving the necessary environmental stresses it needs to become stronger.”