OZARK, Ala.

After strapping themselves into harnesses connected to bungee cords, a gaggle of girls acquired able to sweat.

And sweat they did. For 45 minutes, the category at So Fly Bungee Health in Ozark labored their means by a routine that concerned the whole lot from toe faucets to leaping jacks to burpees. Harnessing the advantages of plyometric train — leaping or explosive actions — with a bungee wire not solely offered a superb cardio exercise for the category, however the individuals didn’t pound their joints with each transfer. Plus, they appeared to have enjoyable.

“I’ve some knee issues,” Shalene Schmidt of Ariton mentioned after the category ended. “It’s decrease impression than doing common leaping jacks or lunges. The bungee takes a number of the stress off the place I can do these actions with out hurting in a while.”

Schmidt has been coming to So Fly because it opened final yr and mentioned she feels stronger now than she did earlier than.

“I undoubtedly have much more power than I used to,” Schmidt mentioned.

Paula Teeter opened So Fly Bungee Health in Could 2021. She stumbled throughout bungee health on TikTok and browse the story of Candace Williams, the creator of Sling Health in Edmond, Oklahoma. An athlete affected by an autoimmune dysfunction, Williams turned to bungee health when different forms of exercises grew to become not possible for her because of ache.

Teeter might relate.

A Pilates and aerobics teacher when she was youthful, Teeter’s life-style modified as she aged. Then, when she was 43, she was identified with breast most cancers and underwent a double mastectomy. The remedy she took for 10 years after that brought about Teeter horrible joint ache.

So, at 54, Teeter made the journey to Oklahoma to turn into licensed by Sling Health. On her second day there, she referred to as her husband, Terry, and informed him to begin in search of studio area.

“I might really train with out my hips and knees hurting,” Teeter mentioned.

Teeter acquired the OK from her physician earlier than she went all in on the bungee health studio. Not even a yr in enterprise, So Fly acquired the launch award for a brand new enterprise from the Ozark Space Chamber of Commerce, and Teeter has misplaced 50 kilos since she opened her studio.

“I’m in the very best well being of my life and it’s due to plyometrics,” Teeter mentioned. “That’s what bungee health is; it’s plyometrics.”

She has seen shoppers who’ve had knee and hip replacements return to train.

In a category she just lately instructed, Teeter had individuals that ranged from 16 years previous to 80 years previous. The studio even has a youngsters’ bungee class on Saturdays. Every bungee class can maintain 11 individuals plus the teacher. Followers situated across the studio assist preserve issues cool throughout lessons.

There are plenty of girls who take So Fly lessons, however there are a couple of males who frequently attend, Teeter mentioned. There are additionally plenty of completely different physique shapes — brief, tall, spherical, skinny.

“The vast majority of the individuals we see listed here are over 150 kilos as a result of we do have an overweight nation,” Teeter mentioned. “I additionally weigh over 150, however once I began this I weighed 230 and now I weigh 180.”

The bungee cords are made to carry sure weight ranges and might help somebody properly over 200 kilos. Prior to every class, individuals step on a scale and are assigned a bungee wire primarily based on that quantity. At So Fly, the bungee cords are hooked to cables which can be connected to ceiling beams. The cables swivel to permit for full motion. Customers put on a harness that matches cosy across the physique however unfastened across the legs. The harnesses are connected to the bungee by a hook on the again, though there may be the choice to be hooked on the edges.

Getting the suitable wire and harness match is necessary in order that customers can droop above the ground with out really touching it. Additionally, a harness that’s too tight throughout the legs will pinch and never permit for full motion.

Teeter begins everybody on a newbie stage class, however there are superior lessons with extra aerial actions and jumps.

Whereas one class could do Peter Pan leaps, one other could go full Superman.

Aerial health isn’t new — Pilates and yoga studios launched silks and yoga hammocks years in the past.

However the bungee health idea, in line with earlier media experiences, acquired its begin in Thailand in 2016 and arrived within the U.S. a few yr later. Immediately, there are corporations that present coaching certification, bungee tools, and franchise alternatives.

Just a few months after Teeter opened So Fly in Ozark, a second bungee health studio — Fly By Bungee — opened in downtown Dothan however closed after the constructing was offered (the proprietor hopes to open in a brand new area quickly).

So Fly has extra than simply bungee health with a Bounce and Barre trampoline class, one other class that focuses on abs and arms, and a boot camp class. Then, there’s the Kangoo boot leap class the place individuals train in spring bounce boots (though you must purchase your personal boots). Teeter even has plans to herald a Pound class that makes use of drumsticks to brighten up a complete physique exercise.

You will discover So Fly’s schedule of lessons on the MindBody app or by visiting the studio’s web site, soflybungeefitness.com.

Teeter mentioned she’s glad she introduced bungee health to Ozark. She’s even serving to practice future studio homeowners out of North Alabama and Louisiana.

“You bought to have the drive to only consider in it,” Teeter mentioned. “And I do, and I like it. Does it make you scorching and sweaty? Yeah. Is it arduous? Yeah. However I’ve girls which can be near 80 that come right here three days every week. I’ve them as younger as 4… We provide one thing for everyone, and that was actually what I wished to do.”