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Brentwood Gazette, January 2007
Trampolining is the sport where it is easy to make progress from the beginning
Boing! Boing! For the love of keeping fit
Over the past month our reporters have been out and about trying new sports to highlight how many opportunities there are for our readers to get healthy. Here, Alison Jackson jumps at the chance to get fit through trampolining with Brentwood Trampoline Club. If you would like to know more about the national Everyday Sport initiative backed by Sport England visit www.everydaysport.com
WHEN I turned 23 a few months ago the Governments warnings over obesity finally had an effect and I decided it was time to take control of my health.
After four student years where my diet consisted mainly of cheap wine and kebabs, I needed to take responsibility for the damage I was doing to my body.
A fundamental part of that damage was the fact that I had not exercised since
the 1990s. So I did what anyone would do after such an epiphany and started
spending £30 a month on gym membership, which was effective but very little fun.
Then Sport England sent me a list of activities happening literally on the doorstep and I decided to try something that sounded more enjoyable than the treadmill at the local gym — trampolining.
Brentwood Trampoline Club is based in Brentwood School and. holds various classes for youngsters with Olympic ambitions and luckily one for oldies (over 16s) like myself who want to have fun while keeping fit. And the class certainly had me sweating quick time!
As it is run by experienced coaches I was taught some nifty moves in my first session despite my limited sporting prowess and fear of hurting myself
Club coach and secretary David Kingaby said: “The class is suited to anyone of any age though it is mostly women who come along. A lot of parents want to try it to see what their kids are raving about.”
Trampolining is a sport where it is easy to make progress from the beginning so you can feel you are achieving something straight away.
But despite learning about exotic sounding ‘swivel hips’ and various ‘seat drops’
the most exciting thing was just bouncing up and down. I defy anyone to bounce
on a trampoline and not start laughing like a child. It is the most fun you can
have while exercising at the same time and believe it or not trampolining is one
of the best forms of exercise.
Just jumping up and down exercises and strengthens every muscle, organ and cell in your body and it enhances co-ordination, strength, flexibility, timing and balance.
According to NASA scientists bouncing on a trampoline is 68 per cent more effective than jogging.
“I defy anyone to bounce on a trampoline and not start laughing like a child”
David Beckham and Wayne Rooney were both seen on mini-trampolines during fitness sessions for the last World Cup.
Brentwood Trampoline Club has been in existence since the 1980s, has gone from strength to strength and has many children who could be in line for star performances at the next Olympics.
It is also one of the few clubs that gives older people the chance to use the equipment for fun.
Mr Kingaby said: “We have had people in their fifties up on the trampoline for the first time because they want to know what it’s all about. Trampolining is a very unique sensation.”
The classes are pay-as-you-go and cost £5 for a 90-minute session.
Anyone interested should contact Dave on 01277 220722 or visit www.brentwoodtc.org
© Brentwood Gazette 2007