Trampolining

Every now and again I find myself stalking a Facebook page waiting with bated breath for something to open after seeing some teaser pics. Bounce Dubai was one of those pages which peaked my interested and I am guilty of messaging them a few times impatiently asking when were they going to open. Finally I'm pleased to say they are OPEN for business and I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak last night along with some other media people to see what Bounce is all about. Essentially it's a massive warehouse in Al Quoz (very close to Times Square) stuffed full of 80 trampolines which are connected together allowing you to Bounce your way around. It's a fantastic place for adrenaline junkies and caters for people from aged 3 and upwards. Mere mortals like me who haven't been on a trampoline since my childhood, which was more years ago than I care to remember, spend the evening bouncing up and down on our own trampoline, doing a few simple tricks and screaming a lot (actually that was just me!) - thankfully the music was loud so I wasn't heard too much. The more experienced crew were entertaining the crowds with spins, wall bouncing and vertical acrobatics which were a joy to watch and seemed so easy, but I can assure you they are not ! As well as the standard bank of trampolines, there is a dedicated area for trampoline softball, an area where you can practice acrobatics and land on a cushioned airbag as well as two areas for tricks and stuff - think indoor skateboarding without the wheels and freestyle wall climbing with the aid of a trampoline to give you some lift. Here's how the PR people describe it : "If you thought the euphoric rush of flight was the domain of only the most extreme sports people, think again. BOUNCE offers the thrill of high-octane adrenaline sport to anyone who feels like jumping around. It’s like a giant skate park made out of trampolines. Stunt grade airbags and circus grade padding – think Parkour made easy, or gymnastics gone freestyle in an environment where anyone can do it! Fan favourites including dodgeball courts, basketball hoops, and giant air bags" From a fitness perspective trampoline training is a fantastic workout as its low impact, great for muscle toning and cardiovascular fitness and most importantly for me, it's fun - I defy anyone to try jumping around for a bit and not come out with a big smile on their face. The PR bumf says that 10 minutes of jumping is equivalent to running for 33 minutes, I've not tested that out yet with my heart-rate monitor for calorie burn and will do that another time, but I am fully convinced that it is so much more fun ! Despite incorporating the word running into my blog title I never really found the love for running, I was always chasing the runners high that other people promised would come, and alas it failed me despite running 2 half marathons, anyway I digress - Bounce is FUN with capitals !! Opening just before Dubai gets unbearably hot, I can see that Bounce is going to be busy this summer, it has a great feel and with a one person to one trampoline policy, it's a safe place for fun. Bounce opens today (4th June) - you will need to book to get a space, your time starts every hour on the hour - it's easy to check availability and book on-line. In addition to the activities Bounce have a small cafe and viewing space upstairs and a few party rooms suitable for celebrations. https://www.facebook.com/bouncemideast http://bounce.ae This might give you a better feel of what goes on at Bounce Dubai - Enjoy :) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKf5RDNDVdA] Photo Credit - Courtesy of Bounce PR - sadly my action shots were not clear enough to us, probably as I was bouncing at such high speed (or alternatively and more likely, I'm rubbish at capturing moving action shots).