Trampolining – just a bit of fun for the kids or a serious way of keeping fit and healthy? We bounce on down to Exeter’s first trampoline park to find out more.
We’ve probably all fallen foul of the ‘new year new you’ adage at some point in our lives. Expertly marketed to us by gyms and health buffs to get us off our backsides after our winter hibernation. And rightly so, most of us reading this are probably guilty of over-indulging during the party season and there’s never a bad time to add a bit more exercise into our daily routine.
But winter can prove to be a little tricky if you’re looking for an activity that improves your health and fitness and doesn’t involve just going to the gym. Depleting daylight and unpredictable weather can mean that the usual outdoor activities aren’t always a suitable option – or an easy one to motivate yourself to do either.
Well, we’ve found a solution. A fun, bright and bouncy activity that you’ve probably not considered before – trampolining.
It might surprise you to learn that trampolining is actually a relatively low impact form of exercise that is also 68% more efficient than jogging (according to a NASA study) thanks to the rebounding force of bouncing. This study revealed that 10 minutes of bouncing on a trampoline burnt as many calories as half an hour or more of jogging! Bouncing on a trampoline is also great for reducing cellulite, strengthening bones and can even help your lymphatic system due to the effect of gravity shift on the muscles and cells in your body.
Trampoline parks have increasingly grown in popularity in recent years with parks springing up across the country to provide a fun place for exercise. But it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that iBounce helped bridge the gap between the closest parks at the time, in Bristol and Plymouth, by introducing two parks of their own in quick succession. Newton Abbot’s Milber Trading Estate played home to the first iBounce site and this was followed soon after by the company’s latest park in Marsh Barton, Exeter – the first trampoline park ever to come to the city.
While these parks cater for both adults and children alike, it would be fair to say that you’ll often find that the majority of the clientele during the general sessions are children. We took children ranging from age 5 to 11 on our visit but, with safety policies that ensure only one person is on a trampoline at a time, age really is no barrier to the enjoyment. In fact, I’d say it only enhances the experience as bouncers of all ages can enjoy the care-free feeling of launching to dizzying heights in each other’s company while both reaping the health rewards too.
Sessions are run to suit all needs. General bounce sessions cost £9.95 per person (plus £2 for mandatory trampolining grip socks that you can keep for future use) and give you free access to the many trampolines in the park. Adventurous bouncers can enjoy throwing themselves onto a giant airbag or into one of the foam pits from a launch platform, as well as mixing things up with a game of trampoline dodgeball.
Aside from the general bouncing sessions prospective bouncers can take part in parent and toddler sessions, sibling sessions and the increasingly popular disco sessions held on Friday and Saturday evenings – a hit for all age groups!
If you’re looking to take the fitness aspect of trampolining more seriously then it’s the schedule of fitness classes throughout the week that you’ll be most interested in. iBounce offer pay per session classes at £6 per session or memberships at £25 per month for those looking to make the commitment and save a few pounds (while losing a few pounds).
Whether you’re looking for a wet-weather activity on the weekend, looking for an unconventional fitness fix, or are a parent of active children who are always looking for their next dose of fun, iBounce’s trampoline parks are a unique way of keeping fit and having fun.
Book your session and find out more at www.i-bounce.co.uk
