Exercise may feel like a chore but the innovative JUKARI Fit to Fly workout is anything but a bore.
Several years in the making, JUKARI Fit to Fly, the brainchild of a Reebok and Cirque du Soleil partnership made its grand entrance into the Toronto scene last week.
JUKARI Fit to Fly Instructor at King West Fitness, Racel Sopoco keeps her class engaged by bringing her high-energy and bubbly personality to the floor.
While at the official launch in Liberty Village’s King West Fitness, The Scene learned that the iconic fitness brand and entertainment giant joined forces in early 2008 and challenged themselves with the mission of making fitness fun again for women.
Reebok has been credited for propelling the aerobic exercise movement with Step Reebok in 1989 (and consequently the influx of women into sports and exercise) while Cirque du Soleil brought the dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment to the masses along with recruiting and employing some of the world’s most athletic and agile performers. We were excited to see first-hand, this joint fitness alternative for the modern-day woman.
Unveiled was an hour-long, full-body fitness experience that strengthens and lengthens the body through cardio, strength, balance and core training. King West Fitness is the first and only gym (outside of Quebec) to bring this innovative workout to Canadian consumers.
Considering Cirque’s acrobatic origins it was no surprise the direction in which the program was taken. Centered around specially created pieces of equipment called the FlySet, a trapeze-like contraption allowing for 360 degree movability and the FlyBar, a 4.5-pound attachable bar, the unit is not only able to accommodate women of all sizes and fitness levels, it is also an effective exercise tool that mimics the sensation of flying.
Lyn Heward, Creative Director of the Reebok-Cirque du Soleil program confirms that JUKARI Fit to Fly “gives women the feeling that they are performing while they’re working out. The moves and series in the class are inspired by positions and routines performed by Cirque du Soleil artists in their shows – but the workout itself is adaptable for all fitness levels.”
The design and development of the fitness program was driven by direct feedback from real women. A survey of 15,000 women across 25 countries found that while nearly half of all women are aware that exercise and keeping fit is essential to overall health, less than 25 percent participate in fitness regularly. The Reebok commissioned research suggested that women perceived exercise as a chore and were unmotivated and uninspired to exercise. However, nearly two thirds of all women would work out more if it was more fun.
The success of the Reebok-Cirque partnership comes from their ability to design a routine suitable for all women. According to Daniel Gervais, VP and GM, Reebok Canada states that “The combination of Reebok’s heritage in women’s fitness combined with the excitement and innovation that Cirque du Soleil brings to its craft means we are in a unique position to make working out more enjoyable.”
THE CLASS…
As a known dodger (that’s right, dodger not dodge-baller) of the gym, I challenged myself and friend/co-guinea pig, Becca Schwartz-Tramiel to a Fit to Fly class led by instructor, Racel Sopoco. What a discovery – hitting the gym can be fun after all!
Becca Schwartz-Tramiel at her debut JUKARI Fit to Fly class at King West Fitness located in Liberty Village
Set to music from Cirque shows, the class began with a brief tutorial followed by a warm-up of stretches, spins and light jogging. At the fifteen-minute mark Racel picked up the pace. To follow was an interval training format that mixed a cardio workout with strength moves for the upper and lower body.
JUKARI felt to us like a combination of anti-gravity yoga positions fused with a few pole dancing moves which were accompanied by a chorus of resounding “woos” from the class as we leapt and spun in the air completing moves such as the ‘cat jump’ and ‘hanging carousel’. Nearing the end of the hour we removed the FlyBar and replaced it with loopholes for the feet – a series of floor exercise began.
King West Fitness offers a wonderful space to get your sweat on. With natural light streaming in from a wall of windows to the east, it allows you to soak up plenty of Vitamin D while a wall of mirrors opposite allows you to eye and correct your positioning.
Our instructor Racel was engaging and demonstrative and made is all look so damn easy. She worked the floor providing ample encouragement, adjustments to the less coordinated newbies and gave personal coaching tips on how to amp up the difficulty or scale it back a bit.
Becca who works out 3-4 times a week and whose activities vary between yoga, pilates, and cardio found her debut JUKARI class easy to follow (Dear Racel: You were a fantastic instructor!) and found the class invigorating. While slightly sore the next day the feeling of “flying when we lifted off the floor” and the awakening of newly discovered muscles made it all worth it.
OUR CONCLUSION…
So while JUKARI does release your inner dancer, will it help you get you into tip-top Zumanity-shape? It is too soon to say, but we do plan on working to find out. We can say resolutely that Reebok and Cirque du Soleil have delivered a fun, versatile fitness program. Kid’s say Let’s Play; We say Let’s JUKARI!
Classes are now available to members for $10; $20 for non-members of King West Fitness located at 171 East Liberty Street, Unit 275; Tel: 416-533-5464.
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this shit jukari looks fucking hard! what a sexy way to work out though.. i must try it out and it was recently on sale through one of those groupon team buy type things.i got one, now I just have to use it.