Tony Valainis
Bounce Back Indiana isn’t just a clever name riffing on the trampoline boots students wear in the classes to perform Kangoo jumps. “It’s my mission to motivate, inspire, transform, and encourage women to live healthier lives through fitness and fun,” says owner Vanessa Rogers, a certified fitness instructor and Kangoo Power teacher. Bounce Back is a supportive community where many clients take up to four classes a week and have successfully shed more than 100 pounds.
Unlike other high-cardio workouts, Kangoo is easy on the joints, making it more accessible. “The springs absorb 80 percent of impact,” Rogers says. “We’ve had a 77-year-old in class, and she did great.”
Rogers trains her tribe in two locations on the east side. Students wear what’s considered the world’s lowest-impact athletic shoe. Each one weighs four pounds, and the spring on the bottom takes the brunt of the bounce, protecting the joints. “You can even run in them,” Rogers says. “We sometimes do 5K races wearing the boots.”
Shoes are provided at Bounce Back classes—bring high socks, and arrive early, because standing nearly a foot taller with the boots on takes some getting used to. But special balance is not required. A person with an aversion to inline skating, ice skating, and all other things balancing should be able to stay upright for an hour. Once comfortable, bouncers perform standard aerobic moves, including kicks, squats, and dances. A session can burn up to 1,500 calories per hour thanks to the continuous core stability used to balance on the springs. Yet the class feels more like a fun family reunion than a workout. At Bounce Back, that community is the springboard to a healthier life.
Bounce Back Indiana
Renaissance School, 8931 E. 30th St.; Incrediplex, 6002 Sunnyside Rd.
Cost
$12 per class, including shoe rental
Schedule
bouncebackindiana.com
