The Greatest Workout on Earth
Reported September 30, 2008
ATLANTA (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Did you ever wish you could join the circus when you were a kid? A new exercise class might be the next best thing.
Nearly half of us say we exercise on a regular basis. But those old workout routines can get boring. Stars like Jodie Foster and Jeff Goldblum, and a lot of regular folks, have found a new kind of workout — and it’s like a trip to the circus.
The circus has been called the greatest show on earth; and now some are calling it the greatest workout around.
In a whole new kind of exercise class, students swing, stretch, kick and flip — all to build strength and fitness. It’s called a circus workout. Longtime circus performer and trainer Carrie Heller, M.S.W., says it’s a great way to get in shape.
“What’s happening is that you’re lifting your own body weight,” Heller, director of the Circus Arts Institute in Atlanta, Ga., told Ivanhoe. “You’re turning your body upside down in space, and you’re having to engage your core.”
Psychotherapist Blake Lanier wanted to give his boring strength training routine a new twist.
“It’s because of my regular life that I think the craziness of this is so appealing,” Lanier told Ivanhoe.
Caterer Wendy Haber wanted to put a little spice into her workout.
“It always piques someone’s interest when I say, ‘I study trapeze,'” Haber told Ivanhoe. “It’s kind of sexy, too.”
Strength training can burn between 200 and 400 calories per hour for most people. An exercise physiology study found this eight-week circus program improved overall strength by as much as 20 percent.
“When I started doing this, I started seeing strength gains so much faster,” Lanier said.
It may look like an exercise class you’d flip for, but orthopedic specialist Mark Flood, M.D., says exercise a little caution.
“At minimum, see your physician first,” Dr. Flood, who works at Banner Desert Hospital in Mesa, Ariz., told Ivanhoe.
It’s definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you’ve always wanted to join the circus, it could be the next best thing!
The cost of the Circus Arts Institute class is $216 for eight weekly, 90-minute sessions. If you’re thinking about joining a circus exercise class near you, be sure instructors have formal circus training and experience, and have trained spotters for safety. Classes like these are available all over the country.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Carrie Heller
Circus Arts Institute
Atlanta, GA
(404) 549-3000
carrie@circusartsinstitute.com