New York magazine named it the best fitness trend of 2013 and now The Lift Pilates and Core Align Studio in Fox Point is the only place in Wisconsin to offer it. Centered around rebounding – or what you might call jumping on a trampoline – this class was the most fun I’ve had working out, possibly ever.
Owner and instructor Patty McNichols led me through a class she calls CardioLates – mixing rebounding with traditional Pilates moves for strength – that was more akin to recess than a workout. The tension of the rebounder (trampoline) can be adjusted for different fitness levels, but Patty assures me this workout is safe and beneficial for people of all ages.
The hour-long class whizzed by as we listened to top 40 jams and bounced up and down, following different sequences of movements, all while trying to maintain a perfectly vertical posture and activated abs, glutes and quads.
“The health benefits are through the roof,” McNichols says, “Mostly because it charges up your lymphatic system, which is the only way to rid your body of toxins.”
According to McNicholas, rebounding lowers blood pressure, sharpens focus and alertness, improves balance and circulation, boosts the immune system, improves muscle tone and joint health and fights bone lost – just to name a few of its benefits.
What I liked best is that it cleared my head and gave me that “runners high” without the achy joints and the fatigue. Actually, rebounding is 68% more efficient than running, according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology and it’s estimated to burn 40-50 percent more calories, too.
The Lift offers CardioLates three times a week: Mondays evenings, Wednesday morning and Saturday late-morning. For a full schedule and to see pricing, click here. If you’d like to join me on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. to try your first class for free in August, email me at jlkashou@gmail.com.
Hey, you! Follow me on Twitter as @jkashou and search #GirlAboutTown to stay on top of what’s happening around town.
