Might as well bounce

LIFE IS full of ups and downs, but at least they’re always fun at Bounce Thailand, a “trampoline arena” at the new shopping mall the Street Ratchada.

Bounce is an Australian-based franchise operation that’s quite literally bounced all over the globe. The Bangkok branch is busy, with long queues at the entrance, mostly youngsters but also lots of older folks who appreciate the trampoline’s ability to levitate the mood and also help with the health. 

This is what you can truthfully rationalise as an unconventional workout. Quite apart from the sheer fun of it, fitness and firmness are yours if you practise free-style jumps and join the kids making basketball slam-dunks and running up the walls.

Apparently 15 minutes of bouncing burns as many calories as you shed in two hours on a treadmill. The low-impact nature of the workout is good for the thighs, hips and abdomen. 

And the American space agency, Nasa – which has been bouncing astronauts around for decades – says the vertical “anti-gravity” exercise that trampolines afford is beneficial to cell development and, in children, boosts growth hormones. 

Australians Antony Morell and Simon McNamara invented the trampoline that’s found at Bounce, turning the usual small, round variation into a superior srectangle. They opened an indoor trampoline gym in 2012 in Melbourne, then expanded across the country. Now there are also Bounce franchises in South Africa, Dubai, Portugal, Hong Kong and finally Bangkok, where it’s under the auspices of BOUNCEinc Thailand.

“We think Thailand has great potential,” says its chief executive officer, Somporn Naksuetrong. “People are looking for something different and they’re more interested in extreme sports. Plus, we’re offering fun activities for the young generation. They can come here and hang out after school, and bouncing helps increase height too.”

BOUNCEinc Thailand also owns the branch in Hong Kong and will open another in Singapore in May, Somporn says.

The arena cost Bt300 million to build based on a design by Sense Sign, and, at 5,600 square metres, is touted as the largest trampoline arena in Asia. Very modern but at the same time welcoming enough for family amusements, it has the trampolines, the Clip ’n Climb simulated rock-climbing experience from New Zealand, several function rooms, a dining area and a souvenir shop. 

There are more than 100 trampolines imported from Australia and the US, all safety-guaranteed. The ticket counter sells “grip socks” to keep you from slipping on the trampoline pads. 

“We pay a lot of attention to safety,” Somporn says. “A good arena should have at least 2,500 square metres with the roof more than seven metres above the floor. We have two types of trampolines of the same kind used in the Olympics, as well as the same kind of big air bags that Hollywood stuntmen use.”

The Big Bag corner is near the entrance, just begging you to run and jump onto one of the trampolines and land on them. That’s what they call a warm-up at Bounce. The giant inflatable bags ensure a soft landing, and Daniel Lindsey and his team of “referees” are standing by to show you how to get the most out of the experience.

“Just have fun!” says Lindsey, another Melbourne man. “It’s easy doing somersaults on the trampoline when you don’t have to worry which way you go or where you’ll land.”

Further along is a trampoline equipped with nets on backboards, as seen on basketball courts. The aim is to find as many cool and/or hilarious ways to bounce and still be able to slam a ball through the net.

Then there’s the vast Free Jump playground, where even the beginners seem to be doing just fine bouncing from one trampoline to another. The show-offs are the ones doing forward and backward flips. Ignore them for now if you wish, but inevitably you will want to try.

Trepidation is all in your mind, says Puchong Dhammasrion, one of the coaches. “All you need is a little courage to try it and everything will be fine. You just have to be aware of your limitations to avoid accident or injury. Beginners have to learn how to keep their balance while jumping.”

On the Dodgeball Court, which also involves trampolines, two teams of up to eight players muster for rounds of mutual bullying, hurling a ball the size of a bowling ball (but not nearly so hard) at each other while continuously bouncing. 

Football on trampolines is an interesting concept, seemingly made for overhead kicks. And in the High Performance zone, you jump onto |

 the most bouncing trampoline and test several theories of physics on the rebound, or maybe run up walls ranging from 1.5 to three metres in height. 

Clip ’n Climb gets you scaling a 255-square-metre simulated cliff face that offers 24 different challenges, something for every level of ability. Naturally you’ll be rigged into an automatic belay system to make sure you do your bouncing off the trampolines instead of the faux rocks. 

The Vertical Drop from 8.4 metres is proving popular. Resembling a water slide, it’s a swoop accomplished in a skydiver’s jump suit and helmet while clinging to a trapeze bar. 

Not quite so high at 7.2 metres is the Leap of Faith, which involves grabbing a padded bar in mid-air. The Stairway to Heaven is another lofty platform with poles of varying heights, a real challenge to anyone’s skill.

MJ Phutawan, a 16-year-old student at Bangkok Christian College and an actor, is already a regular at Bounce. “I’ve been trying to jump higher and flip in the air,” he says, smoothly shifting altitude over and over as we speak.

“I usually swim and play basketball and volleyball, but this place is very different. You have to stay focused on what you’re doing and you use more energy. I can devise my own postures instead of sticking with the positions regulated in other sports.”

Aksuda Naburin, a Pilates teacher, is bouncing for the first time. “I was just looking for a new experience,” she says. “It’s more of a cardiovascular exercise and burns off more calories because the motion is continuous. It’s a free-style workout you can control yourself – once you get over the fear.”

Xfresh, the open-air dining area outside, has a nice range of salads, dressings and healthy drinks ranging in price from Bt75 to Bt160. For more than a snack, head to the restaurant South 38, which serves Australian-style meals. 

“We’ll start a Bounce Fit class next month,” Somporn promises. “We also have a bounce zone for little kids, age three to five. And the eight party rooms have package deals, like a bounce session with a meal, running from Bt550 to Bt740.”

 

 

WHAT GOES UP…

>>Bounce Thailand is on the fifth floor of the Street Ratchada and open daily from 10 to 10. 

>>Separate tickets for the trampolines and the Clip ’n Climb cost Bt390 per hour (Bt290 for students). 

>>Find out more at www.BounceInc.co.th.