Fun Fitness

Exercise doesn’t have to feel like work.

By now, we all know the benefits of regular exercise: It gives us more energy, better sleep, fewer aches and pains, and helps keep obesity and many diseases at bay. But come Sunday morning, finding the motivation to choose jogging on the treadmill over brunch (or sleeping in) can still be an uphill battle. That’s why most health care professionals suggest varying your workout routines to keep things interesting and choosing activities that are enjoyable and will motivate you to get moving. Here are a few ideas for bringing more fun and fitness into your life.

Jump like you mean it

Rebounderz Indoor Trampoline Arena and Family Fun Center just opened in May, but already it has big plans for drawing in fitness enthusiasts from across the North Bay. Housed in the former University of Sports location in Rohnert Park, it has more than 48,000 square feet of space designed to appeal to both kids and adults, with possibly the nation’s largest enclosed trampoline. (As of opening day, this was still being verified by the Guinness Book of World Records.)

Rebounderz is the first California location for this indoor trampoline franchise, founded by Mark Gurley and Al Palladino in Florida in 2008. Jason and Maggie Alexandridis of Novato, owners of Rebounderz Rohnert Park, are contracted to add two more franchises in the San Francisco, Sacramento or San Diego County areas in the coming years.

While Rebounderz definitely has activities for the whole family to enjoy, like the 74 individual but interconnected trampoline beds, arcade and climbing structure for toddlers and kids, there will also be many opportunities for adults to get a high-flying workout.

Rebounderz is currently developing adult basketball and dodge ball leagues, as well as trampoline aerobics classes that would be offered during the weekdays. There are four lanes of trampoline basketball jumpers for slam-dunking, with nets that can be set as high as 12 feet. There’s also a standard, full-size basketball court onsite that can be rented for leagues or pick-up games.

The Alexandridises are currently working on adding two Ninja Warrior obstacle courses to their offerings, one for adults and one for children. The challenging Ninja Warrior courses are especially popular with CrossFit enthusiasts and fans of the “American Ninja Warrior” television show. Plans are also in the works to add a parkour course to the facility.

Rebounderz plans to hold themed nights during the week that will appeal to different age groups, such as family night and college night. During Friday Night Frenzy, geared to those in high school and above, the lights will be lowered and the music cranked up.

If you’d like to get your office or organization in on the action, there’s also a corporate meeting room, with a conference table seating 35, where you can hold teambuilding conferences incorporating the trampolines or Ninja Warrior course.

Jason Alexandridis is hoping that, with its full-service café with free Wi-Fi and the variety of activities happening every day, people will find plenty of reasons to come try something new.

“We want to be the premier entertainment destination for the entire North Bay,” he says.

Give it a spin

For women looking to shake up the same-old workout routine, the answer may be something a little out of the ordinary. At iCandy Pole Dancing Studio in Rohnert Park, owners Christie Henderson and Heather Lustig have created a feminine spot where muscles and self-confidence are strengthened daily.

The studio, with its cranberry walls, black ceiling, shiny mirrors and metal fixtures, has the sleek look of an upscale restaurant, but the rows of balance balls and weighted hula hoops quickly give it away. Between classes, women chat over pop music and stretch amid the dozen or so floor-to-ceiling poles that dot the room. It’s a diverse group: college students, grandmothers, even mothers and daughters who come to classes together.

“It’s an encouraging environment,” says Henderson. “No one is looking at you wondering what you’re doing. It’s always just about how we can build each other up.”

The pole dancing classes, offered at various skill levels and with changing routines, are just a part of what the fitness studio offers. Since Henderson and Lustig took the helm in 2011, they’ve grown the business by keeping up with industry trends and becoming certified in popular cardio training methods like Insanity and PiYo (which combines Pilates and yoga). Additional instructors help round out the calendar of strength training and conditioning classes, some of which still have an unconventional side. Venture into classes like Chair Tease, where you’ll learn a sultry chair dance routine; Aerial Silks, an introduction to aerial acrobatics; or Lyra, an acrobatics class using an aerial hoop suspended from the ceiling. They’re currently adding on to the studio to provide an additional space for classes.

Helping clients get over their initial ideas about “pole dancing” is often all about getting them in the door, according to Henderson. Once inside, the people and the environment do their part to set you at ease.

“People definitely have a thought in their minds when they hear ‘pole dancing,’ but then they walk in here and it’s pink and totally different than what they were thinking,” she says. “You just have to set those preconceptions aside.”

For Henderson and Lustig, helping women to become physically fit is about more than just numbers on a scale. “This isn’t just a ‘lose weight’ kind of place,” says Henderson. “It’s about being strong and lean. We think that having muscles is a good thing.”

Hopefully, by the time you leave, you’ve also had some fun, made some new friends and feel stronger on the inside, too.

“It’s mostly a confidence thing,” adds Lustig. “A lot of people come in here and aren’t sure what to expect, maybe aren’t the most confident in themselves. They may not feel at their best in the beginning, but they become their best once they start.”

Let’s dance

Nearly every type of social dance brings its own physical benefits, but many of us get stymied by partners who are less than eager to join in. Luckily, there are plenty of ways for you to explore the dancer within and get moving, no partner required.

Zumba is a wildly popular dance fitness program that’s taken off worldwide in the last few years, including here in the North Bay. It combines Latin and World rhythms and dance moves with stretching and conditioning for a high-intensity but easily adapted workout. In Napa, instructor DJ Lipton and her colleagues with Joyful Body Fitness hold classes in several locations.

Both men and women are welcome at the Bollywood dance classes taught by Payal Marvaniya through Napa Valley Adult Education, starting up again this fall. Bollywood dancing fuses traditional Indian folk dances with thoroughly modern dance moves to bring out the movie star in you.

The Sebastopol Community Cultural Center has one of the more unusual lineups of dance classes for adults in the area, from the more traditional tap and modern dance to belly dance and West African dance. Held twice a month, Ecstatic Dance welcomes creative movement to the sound of electronic world beats. Enthusiasts also gather weekly to dance the Apple Tree Morris, a high-energy social dance originating in England.

Offshore adventure

Think about the conditions that people in other parts of the country face when exercising outdoors: humidity, snow, desert heat, bugs the size of their fists. Here in Northern California, though, we have beautiful landscapes and mild temperatures calling us outdoors year round. Maybe you’re already exploring our abundant trails by foot or bicycle, but don’t forget the water when looking for a fun fitness spot.

Located at the Bay Model in Sausalito, Sea Trek Kayaks & Stand Up Paddling Center offers all the gear and expertise you’ll need to venture offshore. Founded by Bob Licht in 1982, Sea Trek was the first commercial sea kayaking business in California and offers kayak and stand-up paddle rentals, classes, guided trips and camps for kids ages 9 to 15.

Kayaking and stand-up paddling have exploded in popularity in the last decade, in part because they’re accessible to people of a wide variety of fitness levels. Each offers the perfect combination of physical activity, relaxation and a unique experience exploring the natural world. “Both [kayaking and SUP] will give you a good workout, especially if you pick up the pace and have good technique,” says Mitch Powers, one of Sea Trek’s managers and a long-time instructor and guide. “You’re working your core muscles and upper torso.”

The strenuousness of the workout is also a function of the weather. Both activities are best for beginners to try out in the morning, on a day when there’s little or no wind, so that the waters of Richardson’s Bay are relatively flat. This is particularly true for first-time stand-up paddlers.

“If someone comes in wanting to try out stand-up paddling, but it’s really windy, we may suggest kayaking instead,” says Powers. “Or if it’s too windy, we may not rent kayaks at all. We’ll try to help you make the right decision.”

At the water’s edge, staff will teach you all you need to know to get out on a stand-up board, or a single or double sit-on-top kayak. For those wanting to rent a traditional, closed-deck kayak for the first time, an introductory class is required. You can even arrange to take yoga classes on a stand-up board through OnBoard SUP Yoga & Fitness, owned by Leigh Claxton (in conjunction with Sea Trek).

“Richardson’s Bay is one of the best spots for paddle sports in the Bay Area because of its relatively protected waters and easy access,” adds Powers. “You have awesome views of Mt. Tamalpais, the local surrounding hills and the San Francisco skyline as well as great wildlife sightings, including the local harbor seal community.”

With Sausalito’s community of floating homes and a healthy harbor seal population also in the area, you’re sure to never have the same workout twice. (For more information, check out “On the Water,” June 2015.)

Bird’s eye view

Rock climbing was thrust into the spotlight back in January, when all eyes were glued to Yosemite’s El Capitan as Tommy Caldwell and local-born Kevin Jorgeson were the first to free-climb the peak’s Dawn Wall. Fortunately, you don’t have to go to those extremes to find out why so many people love the physical and mental challenges of climbing.

At Vertex Climbing Center in Santa Rosa, beginners interested in learning the fundamentals can start with a one-hour Beginning Rock course. Additional classes are available to progressively teach proper safety, gear use and climbing techniques, with gear available to rent onsite. The center also offers classes in yoga and breathing techniques to prepare climbers to stay calm and focused during climbs.

Just do it

However you choose to get your heart pumping, the important thing is to start slowly, listen to your body and check with your health care provider to address any limitations or questions you might have. And don’t forget that everyone was a beginner once, so there’s no reason to be afraid to show up and give something new a try. If you’re still nervous, bring a friend along. Not only can an exercise buddy keep you motivated and on track, but you’re bound to find something to laugh about even during the toughest workout.

Play Like a Kid Again

If all else fails, think back to what you loved to do as a child. Odds are, you probably still do.

Ice Skating

Wherever you grew up skating as a kid, it might be time to pull out your mittens and lace up your skates for a trip to Snoopy’s Home Ice (Redwood Empire Ice Arena) in Santa Rosa, where not much has changed in the last 46 years. Held twice per week, Coffee Club is an adults-only skating session that includes a 30 minute group lesson, 90 minute open skate time and a coffee and donut from the Warm Puppy Café. Private individual or group lessons are also available. If ice hockey was your thrill—and you can still skate forward, backward and stop—Snoopy’s Adult Hockey League has four levels of competition to ease you back into the sport.

Hula Hooping

Performance artist Lilea Duran is taking a perennial childhood favorite, hula hooping, to a whole new level in Napa. She teaches beginning hoop dancing every Wednesday night as part of Wine Country Circus Arts, held at Wine Country CrossFit in Napa, with one night a month held as a free introductory class. 

She also coordinates the Napa Hoopers, who describe themselves as “a play group for hoop dance, circus art and healthy movement enthusiasts.” The Napa Hoopers hold a free “hoop jam” on the third Wednesday of every month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Veterans’ Park in downtown Napa as part of the county’s obesity prevention program. Duran also offers private lessons, hula hoop birthday parties and event entertainment.

Gymnastics

You may have thought your cart wheeling days were behind you, but at The Cave in Corte Madera, you can rediscover the joys of front rolls and flips. As one of the few gymnastics studios in the area to offer adult gymnastics, The Cave’s trainers work with everyone from adult beginners to ex-competitive gymnasts to ensure progress in a safe, supportive environment. Both its gymnastics and tumbling classes are offered at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The Cave also offers CrossFit, parkour, yoga and gymnastics classes for children and young adults.

Horse Play

Every year, almost 2 million Americans experience sports-related injuries that require a trip to the emergency room. It’s a reminder that, as important as it is to remain physically active, we also need to be smart about how we exercise if we want to enjoy our favorite activities for all our years. At All Core Pilates, which opened in Windsor in October 2014, owner Jan Scancarello is using the Pilates method to help people work through physical weaknesses and pain issues to get back in the saddle—both figuratively and literally.

Scancarello has been involved in the world of horses, in both the hunter/jumper and dressage areas of English riding, for more than 40 years. But after 10 years of practicing Pilates and seeing the benefits of its focus on proper alignment, spinal health and flexibility, she decided to become a certified instructor. She now works one-on-one with private clients to help them gain flexibility and core strength, with an emphasis on equestrian fitness.

Pilates, named for its creator Joseph Pilates, is an exercise system that promotes flexibility, strength, good posture and ease of motion through a series of carefully controlled movements. Workouts can be completed on a floor mat or on a “reformer” (a specially designed Pilates apparatus with a pulley and spring system that creates the necessary resistance).

All Core Pilates uses the reformer method, but with a twist for its equestrian-focused fitness clients. Scancarello’s proprietary innovation is a saddle that sits on the reformer itself, letting people work on their riding issues—particularly spine, core or leg issues—and strengthen any areas of concern. For example, equestrians particularly need to maintain strength in their core muscles, gluteals and adductors (inner thigh muscles.)