Bob Green's Best Life Blog Interview

     Last Thursday, at Crunch gym in Union Square, I had the kind of workout my inner eight-year-old would find "radical!" (That's how hip third graders talked when I was a kid.) It's called Boing with Kangoo, and it's like doing old-school aerobics wearing 21st-century boots with springs. The trick isn't balancing; balancing is the easy part, at least while you're in motion (it's harder to balance standing still). The work—and the fun!—is in the bounce and in getting height while you do the moves. Because each boot weighs a couple pounds, you're essentially strength training as you're doing cardio, so it's really a two-for-one workout, and the kind my body sorely (emphasis on sorely) needed. I can't remember the last time I sweat so much, and I swear my heart rate shot up to Mach 10. I consider myself to be in decent shape, but I had no idea how much more potential there was for me to push myself to the limit, especially when the charmingly persuasive instructor (I'm talking to you, Mario!) won't let you sit it out during the sped-up Lady GaGa portion of the routine. I also had no idea how tall and svelte a pair of Kangoo Jump boots can make you feel and look. (Warning: Taking them off will make you feel short and dumpy for a little while.)

     Want to see how it's done? Mario Greene, the aforementioned, totally cut Kangoo superstar and teacher of Crunch's NYC Boing with Kangoo classes did a demo just for the Best Life blog. Check out the video below to watch him bounce and hear about the fitness benefits: Core strength, posture, aerobic capacity, muscle tone, and more. Boing Kangoo is a growing trend: Crunch fitness gyms in New York and Miami offer the classes, and free-form groups are popping up (no pun intended) across the country. Aficionados actually jog outdoors in them! You can log on to Kangoo Jumps to check out their events page and see if there's a meet-up in your area, or to order the boots and bounce on your own. Regardless of whether you can find Kangoo classes in your area, I would encourage anyone to sign up for a different-from-the-norm fitness class at least once a month or so, even if you're not a class person. Here's why: Our muscles become used to our routine workouts, and once they adapt, they're not working as hard. Trying a new sport or class will keep things interesting, work different muscles (or work the same muscles in different ways) and take you to the next level. Exercise should never feel too easy—if it does, it's not really exercise anymore, and it's time to switch things up. Thanks to Crunch fitness and Mario Greene for injecting some fun and fitness into my week and reminding me what it feels like to really work it!