We’ve all seen classes at the local gyms like fitness on the ball, yoga, and Group Power. As these classes have become a draw for members at health and fitness clubs, the offerings have expanded greatly. Even more popular these days are dance-fitness classes, like Zumba and Dance Trance. Now Reebok has decided to get in on the act by offering a fitness class modeled on the Cirque du Soleil acts. I just don’t get this…
If you’ve never seen a Cirque de Soliel performance, you should check it out if you get a chance. These folks are the real deal. They perform amazing feats of strength, balance, and coordination. Anyone who can do things like that is tremendously strong and disciplined. And to get there, they’ve been doing this stuff for their entire lives.
I guess the folks at Reebok determined that the athletes in these performances were doing things that people (women specifically) would find both fun and challenging. They may be right, in the short term. But come on folks – a trapeze? This sounds like there should be a bad punch line at the end, with the trapeze ending up in the bedroom. Way too reminiscent of the post by Cranky Fitness on pole dancing for Fitness.
It has been my observation that the majority of attendees in fitness classes are women. I don’t know if that’s the case everywhere, but that seems to be the trend in the gyms I’ve attended. So I’m more than willing to admit that I may not get this, simply because I’m a guy. But having said that, I just don’t see the practicality of this. At all.
Reebok has published numbers saying that 61% of women polled have said they would be interested in taking Jukari. First of all, interested doesn’t mean committed. Then there’s the fact that outfitting a gym to actually hold these rope trapezes seems impractical. Most gyms don’t have the space to create a dedicated room for a single class. So, how many gym ceilings are rated to safely hold the weight of 1-3 dozen people’s weight simultaneously? And most of those ceilings are pretty high, so taking the equipment down and setting it up between classes probably won’t work either. Then what happens the first time someone falls off one of these rigs and hurts themselves? No – I just don’t get it.
I’m not a “fitness class” type. Getting 1-2 people together to go for a run is about as far as I go with that sort of thing. So admittedly, I might be biased. Having said that, I can understand a yoga class or a dance class. But this sounds to me like something dreamed up by a 26 year old Harvard MBA with little to no practical experience.
What do you think? Am I completely off base, and this will become the next fitness rage, or is this thing going to drop off the map with nary a peep?
ok, I confess, I fell for it. I want to do it. Seriously.
You do bring up some good points about its practicality, unless people take specialized classes in a Jukari studio…in which case I am sure it would cost the big bucks for a class.
I may pay for a class, just because it really does look that fun to me, but I doubt I’d continue going in the long term!
As “cool” as exercising on a trapeze sounds, I must agree with you, it seems awfully impractical. I know for one, my small gym could barely fit these apparatuses in their group fitness room. I recently read about Jukari and so far they are only offering classes at “elite” gyms across the world. So unless you live in NY or LA, you are out of luck to even think about trying it! I’m sure a new and even more crazier fitness exercise will be out in the market before we know it.
I think it would probably be cheaper and more fun to go to the local playground and kick the kids off the swing set and merry go round.
I would be shocked if this turns into some lasting trend. But then I thought “reality” TV was so silly it was going to last a year or two at most… so obviously don’t listen to me.