By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer
Bungee fitness is the latest fitness trend among fitness classes and social media users alike, and it’s sure to take your workout to the next level. Bungee fitness, for the most part, is exactly what it sounds like: taking the best of the fitness and bungee jumping worlds, and putting the two together. Of course, bungee fitness comes without the fear of major heights or plummeting off a platform with a mere wavering cord to keep you attached.
The idea behind bungee fitness is that it’s a low-impact indoor workout in a group or class setting. Participants wear a harness, just as you would if you were rock climbing. Like rock climbing, each harness is hooked onto an anchor attached to the ceiling, with participants’ feet on the ground. The whole bungee part of the activity is to give participants buoyancy, so they can, effectively, spring themselves both up in the air, or low to the ground (like they’re trying to bypass a laser boobytrap). Each participant is also hooked up at a staggered distance, so there’s room to move around. A quick search of bungee fitness on TikTok or Instagram will likely generate a video of participants taking advantage of this space, by jogging diagonally, placing their hands on the ground, and kicking their feet in the air.
The workout mostly targets core and glute muscles, resulting in increased strength. It also helps with balance and mobility, and can even reduce lower back pain in some people. Some bungee fitness classes are tailored more towards dance, while others involve the same workouts you’d see at the gym: lunges, squats, burpees, and bear crawls. Some people attend bungee classes to take part in more traditional exercises while reducing pressure on their joints; the bungee shoulders some of their weight, so participants don’t have to feel like they’re carrying all their body weight. That’s why this exercise is ideal for anyone building up their strength, dealing with joint issues, or wanting to have the extra cushion of support that comes with bungee fitness, while receiving some elastic resistance.
Who doesn’t love socialization that involves flying through the air and bouncing and bobbing up and down like a baby in a baby jumper? Surely, whoever came up with bungee fitness clearly liked the idea of an adrenaline rush without inducing their fight-or-flight response. If you thought aquatic fitness was the best way to bop around to some jazzed-up ‘80s dance remix while treading water in neon spandex swimsuits, just wait until you try bungee fitness. This springy workout just might be the latest and greatest sweat session for you!
Bungee fitness has been making other fitness fads jealous lately. Not only have aquatic fitness and aerobics taken a hit, but I see spin classes giving bungee fitness the side eye, and barre is about to take a back seat, too. Move over, aerial yoga, there’s a new soaring fitness flight that just landed in town. Why not try all the fitness trends and see which one fits you best? Bungee fitness takes many of these elements and combines them into one.
Classes are offered around the lower mainland, including at Tantra, which has two locations in Vancouver, and one in Richmond. Tantra recommends avoiding heavy meals two hours before the activity, and bringing lots of water as well as a towel to any bungee fitness class. A size guide for harnesses is available online. Harnesses are given out in class and accommodate a wide range of body sizes, with additional bungees added if needed. Bungee fitness equipment is available online, but should only be bought after professional consultation or by individuals with extensive experience. If you’re interested in upping your resistance for workouts, but drilling holes or bungee fitness still isn’t in the cards, resistance bands should be the happy medium you’re searching for.
