Do you Jukari?

I love working out. I love Cirque de Soleil. So, when the two combine for a workout created by the Cirque team - I'm so there!

One of my old dance instructors kept talking about Jukari on her Facebook updates. I eventually googled it and immediately signed up to take her class. So, what is Jukari exactly? It's a new workout created by Reebok and Cirque de Soleil for women to make working out fun. Using a trapeze-type bar, it's a one hour workout that combines cardio, strength-training, balance exercises and flexibility. It's being slowly tested in major markets around the US and of course, LA was one of the test cities. The Jukari studio has been here since early spring, but was reserved for celebrities only during the first few months. It's now open to the public and the first class is complimentary. (Click here for the schedule)

I grabbed a friend and off we went to give it a whirl. First off, Ilyse is a great instructor - fun, motivating and just a great presence in the workout room. The class itself only accomodates 6 students plus the instructor, as the equipment takes up a bit of room and you're flying all over the place during the routine.

I work out on a regular basis and I've never sweated during a class as much as I did during this hour. OMG, both my friend and I were dripping. But, it was so much fun! I will never again take for granted all the crazy stunts those Cirque performers do. We didn't even scratch the surface on the tricks they do and it was hard! The amount of upper body strength, stamina and control needed are insane. Gave me a whole new respect for those crazy Cirque kids.

Overall, I'd say this is an intermediate to advanced class. If you're brand new to fitness, you may be easily overwhelmed at everything. While the tasks themselves aren't terribly complicated, it was helpful to already have a foundation in body mechanics so that I knew what my body should be doing and when. That said, I'd highly recommend you all to try this out. It's really fun and so different from standard gym routines.

I'm guessing that eventually Reebok wants this to be in gyms across the country. While I'm not sure we're in the economic climate for that right now, I'd love to have this as something I could add to my gym routine now and again. So much fun!