When I saw Gravity at Fountainpark had HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes for adults, it wasn’t a question of if I would go, but when… no, really – they tend to be booked quite a bit in advance!
I was really excited to try something new (whilst also keeping fit), and Gravity did not disappoint myself or my friend Cath when we went along on Monday.
Getting set up (and what you need)
When you first arrive at Gravity, and it’s your first time, you’ll be asked to confirm your name and fill in your details on one of the handy screens – including an alias for scoreboards. The staff were super friendly and made this an absolute breeze for me.
Like any fitness class, you’ll need to bring a bottle of water (or buy one at the vending machine), but you’ll also need to have special trampoline-friendly socks. These are available to purchase for £3 per pair at reception.
You can also bring a gym towel if you like, but it’s not required. Once I got my wrist band, and put my stuff in the free lockers, it was time to hit the floor!
Getting onto the bounce floor
It’s exciting knowing you’re about to get to bounce for pretty much 45 minutes straight… or is that just me? Once it’s time for the class to start, you choose your own trampoline, and everyone has a bit of a bouncy warm up.
The music starts. The lights go down – DISCO LIGHTS! “Bouncy, bouncy, oooh such a good time…”
But it soon became clear that this is not just random bouncing for 45 minutes straight – it needs to have some element of HIIT fitness for it to be a HIIT class. So once the warm up was complete, it was time to get right into it.
Ease/enjoyability of the class
I found the class to be great fun, and a really good mix of bouncy fun and more standard HIIT exercises, including floor work and even a little bit of midair punching – Les Mills body combat style!
Just like any good exercise class, there are different options depending on your fitness level and ability – but on top of that, it’s also quite a relaxed atmosphere and if you want to take a breather and sit on your purple side mat, that’s fine, too.
I was a little nervous and unsure of some of the bounce moves, but that’s okay – it was my first time, and if I’m not comfortable doing star jumps a few feet in the air, it’s maybe something I can work on (I definitely will).
I also felt it didn’t matter, as everyone is at different levels, and it’s quite a chill atmosphere. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that no-one can be uptight when they’re bouncing in the air on a trampoline – and the music was also pretty good.
The class itself was 45 minutes, and that actually felt just right – an hour might have been too long. Just enough time to decide that yes, I definitely want more of this!
Other fun things to know
Along with the trampolines, there’s also Gravity Rocks – a great selection of climbing walls that are supposedly designed to push you to your limits.
And something I hadn’t actually seen before – a hurricane simulator! That sounds scarier than it is; it’s really just a little clear booth that you can step in and experience a massive rush of air. Not ideal if you take a long time styling your hair, but otherwise looks fun!
Overall
There wasn’t a single thing I didn’t enjoy about this session. Everyone was full of good vibes, I had so much fun, and I’m definitely going to go back!
Saying that, I’m someone who likes fitness classes in general. If you’re just looking for some bouncy fun without any chest presses, lunges and other integral HIIT components, I’d recommend just booking into one of the open jump sessions instead.
The bonus is that going along to this a) keeps you fit with b) no kids involved. Everyone sticks to their own mats, and has civilised, bouncy fun. Added bonus: I can definitely feel my legs after that!
Review: Gravity HIIT class
Summary
A fun, high-octane bouncy class that definitely helps you unwind on a Monday evening – or any time! Plenty of options to suit all fitness levels, and no pressure if you just want to catch your breath.
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