SKYFIT
One of the most fun and dynamic workouts to hit our shore this year is Skyfit (if you
remember our autumn cover story). Skyfit is a fitness class where participants get to jump
and workout on their own trampoline, with a little bit of swapping during the class. It’s not
‘1980s rebounder makes a comeback’ (even though they are trying to make their way
back in to the mainstream) but a super-duper backyard trampoline. Classes are run at
Sky Zones, mega trampoline parks, which are popping up all over Australia.
Australian Skyfit program developer and head instructor at Alexandria’s (NSW) Sky Zone,
Stephen Parker, says that all classes are designed around jumping – forward, backward,
sideways, off the walls, you name it, each of the six class types have it covered.
“The whole workout is on a trampoline, which is an unstable surface, so your core muscles
have to work a lot harder,” says Stephen. The high intensity interval training based
workout is big on challenging body control and proprioception, and Stephen admits that
“These are all the skills and exercises that you wouldn’t get sitting or lying on a bench
press or doing a pump workout.” The most popular class is aptly named ‘tightbum,’ and if you try one, you’ll see why, the use of
sandbags make it a killer.
Stephen uses his 18 years of industry experience as a group exercise instructor, health club manager, presenter and mentor
to design these innovative classes that can challenge even the best non-trampolining athletes. With a choice of six styles of
30-minute classes: cardio lite, cardio, tightbum, xjump, suspend and core fit, those instructors who crave creativity have endless
possibilities available in class design. Classes are loosely choreographed and have a four-part structure; warm up, drills, an
intensity component and conditioning, and instructors do their own class plan to suit the members’ ability on the day.
The idea is that it’s a short, sharp and intense workout, fitting in with people’s busy schedules. “People are time poor, they don’t
have an hour to spare,” says Stephen about the reasoning behind the 30-minute classes. “Plus as it’s such a new program, there’s
going to be a lot of people who have never been on a trampoline since they were a kid and that means a lot of people’s fitness
just isn’t going to be there.”
The fully certified course is delivered over eight hours and instructors receive five CECs. With an ever-growing timetable and the
expansion of Skyfit to other Sky Zones nationwide, Stephen is looking for passionate fitness professionals (minimum Certificate III) to
join the Skyfit team. Experience on the trampoline, gymnastics or coaching qualifications is unnecessary.
www.skyzone.com.au/page/skyfit-alexandria
Can’t get enough? Try these other certification courses on for size:
ZENERGY YOGA FOR KIDS
Make a difference and introduce kids to the benefits of yoga with the guidance and
expertise from Australia’s leading Yoga instructor for children, Loraine Rushton. With over
15 years experience in teaching kids yoga, Loraine will teach you everything you need
to know to engage 4-17 year olds i.e., Zenergy Yogis, Tweens and Teens. Starting with the
foundation course, there’s a further Advanced and then a Yoga Therapy course, which
aims to correct and treat ailments and conditions from colds to cancer. If you are really
committed, try the Mastery Course. All courses are recognised by Yoga Australia.
www.zenergyyoga.com/teacher-training/
INDOORWALKING
There is indoor cycling and there is indoor rowing; now Indoorwalking, and Europeans
just can’t get enough of it. Performed on purpose-built elliptical cross-trainers called
Indoorwalkers, the class is designed to simulate walking at different speeds, tracks and
shifts in gradients. The full-body workout is performed to motivating music and is easy to
learn and suitable for a broad range of folks. The two-day Indoorwalking Certification
Level 1 course helps you master the Indoorwalking technique so you can teach your own
30-minute classes.
[email protected]
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WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - SUMMER 2014