Putting Yourself No 1!

One of the most important changes I made last August, was to look for a group or something to join to get me out of the house to something that was just for me. My days revolve around my children and for a long time I had become so used to my days being filled with everyone else’s wants and needs that I completely forgot my own. I didn’t even notice until my husband pointed It out.

I started to look on Facebook for any local groups or activities and came across ‘Boogie Bounce’. For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, you basically work out on a trampoline to music. Before I could talk myself out of it, I clicked ‘book a place’ and went that week. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! The best decision I have made!

The other people at the session were so lovely and welcoming and with no judgement of each other whatsoever. You have your own little sports trampoline so you have your own space and can just focus on following the instructor and copying the exercises. The music really got your pace up and for the first time I stopped thinking and switched off completely from everything other than what I was doing in that moment.

There was a mix of ages, shapes, sizes and reasons people were there, so it didn’t take me long to feel comfortable. I remember seeing Boogie Bounce videos on Facebook a couple of years ago but didn’t even think about going as I thought it looked really challenging and I wouldn’t keep up! I think the past two – four years have been particularly challenging with my eldest and youngest ending up being home educated by me as well as dealing with autism diagnosis and mental health challenges that I finally had the courage to put myself out there for something for myself last year.

It has improved my mental health as well as physically as my coordination, strength and flexibility has also improved. I loved it so much that I bought myself a small fitness trampoline from Argos so now, five months later I go to Boogie Bounce once a week and use my own trampoline at home twice a week. There are great work out videos on YouTube so you can do as little or as much as you want to/ have time for.

My friend now joins me every week as like me, she has tried exercising at home, running etc and never really enjoyed it and it becomes a chore. I think the best thing about a trampolining work out is that its like being a kid again, jumping about with not a care in the world for 50 minutes a week.

Whether boogie bouncing sounds like something for you or not, it really is worth looking for something that is just for yourself that gets you out of the house and lets you switch off, even for an hour.