by: Sadie Stresky
Anyone who knows me knows I am a group fitness fanatic. From Zumba to Piloxing to Pound, I will try anything at least once. So it was a surprise to me when I realized I had never given Jump & Pump a shot. Fortunately, there’s a first time for everything!
Jump & Pump is a high energy workout that mixes intervals of jumping rope and strength training to achieve a full body workout. Throughout the 90-minute class, the arms, legs, shoulders, back and chest muscle groups are each hit twice, usually using hand weights or kettlebells. In between those sets are intense, two-minute jump rope intervals that include periods of standard jumping, full speed bursts, and even a few agility tricks for those brave enough to give it a try.
Longtime Club Julian fitness instructor Joy Weber talked about her love of teaching Jump & Pump, saying “It’s my favorite class to teach. When you finish, you really get the feeling that you’ve worked every part of your body.” In fact, High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is known to be an especially effective method for losing body fat and gaining muscle tone.
I must confess: I avoided Jump & Pump because in the back of my mind, I was always afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle it! I would see people taking the class come out looking exhausted by the end, and it made me wonder if I could even make it through a cardio-based class for an hour and a half.
With some encouragement, I gave Jump & Pump a try and was pleased to see people of all ages and fitness levels in the class. Just like in Joy’s other classes, the goal isn’t to compete against others in the class but to work at a level that makes sense for the individual. Even those who aren’t comfortable using a jump rope can benefit from the class by doing jumping jacks or running/jumping in place instead, which is what I elected to do. The 90-minute format took a bit of getting used to, but the more I went, the more I realized Joy was right: it felt like my entire body was worked, and even though I was tired by the end, it felt great! Jump & Pump really gave me a sense of satisfaction and showed me I can do more than I gave myself credit for.
Check out Jump & Pump at Club Julian every Wednesday from 6:00-7:30 pm. Speed ropes are provided.