The Best Workout Class To Bounce You Into The New Year

It’s a new year, which means you have probably resolved to work out more. How’s that going for you? Still fine, right? We’re only two weeks into 2018, you couldn’t have given up that easily. Chances are, you’re in the honeymoon stage where the future seems rife with opportunity, and your optimism about staying consistent with your new regimen is still high.

Try to hold on to this feeling because it won’t last. Like, statistically speaking, it really won't. Studies have found that 73 percent of people who set fitness goals as New Year’s resolutions give them up. Why? Because voluntarily putting your body through hell isn’t fun, and people like to fill their days with fun things. But what if we told you working out didn’t have to be torturous? And that it could actually be pretty enjoyable? Friends, let us introduce you to trampoLEAN.

When you enter the Stepping Out Studio in Manhattan's Flatiron District, you're met with about 30 mini-trampolines lined up facing a mirrored wall. The first thing that probably comes to mind is those cheesy '80s workout videos you saw your mom do back in the day. This isn't that—though I wouldn't mind if the attire included leg warmers, sweatbands, and leotards. Nor is it like the carefree jumping you did on your next-door neighbor's trampoline as a kid. Instead, trampoLEAN has science to back it up, founder Louis Coraggio explains. And it all starts with the equipment, which is different from a recreational trampoline. “Some health clubs still have the old trampolines that have the springs on them,” he says. “The trampolines that we use are elastic cord-based, like a bungee cord material, and it's a smoother bounce and more efficient.” Plus, the approach is more purposeful.

You can choose from a bunch of different classes, including Total Body Burn, Abs + Arms, Rave, Twerkout, and Sweat & Tone. For the most part, each is a combination of interval and high-intensity training. I’ve been taking “Sweat & Tone,” which is more of an all-over workout. Jumps may be broken up with the occasional squat, and the resistance bands and mini weights are utilized more than those with no upper body strength (hi!) might like. Then, toward the end, comes the abs section. Each body part will be worked out, and you’ll find out just how hard over the next couple of days when the soreness starts to creep in.

Full disclosure: Getting the hang of jumping on the trampoline in a controlled manner isn’t easy. The intent isn’t to jump as high as possible, like when you were a kid. “It's all about trying to stay nice and low to the mat as you bounce,” Coraggio says. Training your mind to keep your jumps quick and short (ideally, your feet will stay in a 90-degree angle with your knees) takes some time, as does coordinating and balancing on the trampoline and following along with the moves. Remember, as is the case with all workout classes, go at your own pace. The more times you go, the easier it will get.

The best way I can describe the class is still that it's just plain fun, and it has the added benefit of being less strenuous on the body than many of the other high-intensity workouts out there. “Trampolining is really good for people that have knee and ankle issues because it's low-impact,” Coraggio says. “So, for people that can't really go running or jogging, it's a good alternative.” It’s not cycling or boxing or 305 fitness, where you typically sweat buckets and feel completely drained afterward. With trampoLEAN, you’ll actually be able to enjoy the endorphins that come along with a good workout, without wanting to pass out on the subway during your commute home.

It's also a no-judgment zone. At no point during the 50-minute class did I worry about not being able to keep up with the pace or feel pressure to be the bounciest bouncer. It's just an enjoyable, efficient class—the perfect kind to bounce you into 2018.