Things I Learned by Jumping on a Trampoline

A few months ago, Living Social had a deal for this indoor trampoline park.  One of the girls I go to church with thought it would be a fun idea if we bought them for a fun date night with other couples.  There ended up being 5 adventurous couples that also though this would a fun idea, and last night we all cashed in our prize.  The deal was pay for one hour of jumping, and you get two.  (The thought, "I'm almost 30 and there's no way I can jump on a trampoline for two consecutive hours." never crossed my mind.)

So off the 10 of us go, sports bras and all, to this place:  Urban Air Trampoline Park in Grapevine.

And this is what I learned.

#1:  This "jumping" thing is far more popular than I imagined.

We had to book a "jump time" online to reserve our spots.  We booked for 5pm and arrived right on time.  As we walked in, there was a sign on the door that said, "Sold out until 9pm."  We walked into the crowded lobby to check in, signed a waiver saying that we wouldn't sue them when we wounded our sorry, old butts, and received wristbands to wear.  The placed was packed!  And that's when I learned number two...

#2:  We were BY FAR the oldest people in there. 

Like by 20 years.  Sure there were adults in there, but they were there because THEIR KIDS WERE.  We were all sans children and not there to attend a 9 year old's birthday party.  Ah well, at least we can still have fun like a 9 year old, right?!

#3.  Acting like a 9 year old makes for excellent entertainment to non-jumpers.

Once we all started jumping, a few in a group started to get brave at trying out some tricks.  You notice in the picture above how they have trampolines on the walls at angles?  Well the little kids in there would get their momentum going and then bounce off the trampoline on the wall and do flips and what-nots.  Hubs and a few others tried this out a few times, and while I missed it because I was going potty (see #4), it was caught on video by others in our group.  

(Two of the guys in the group decided not to jump because they are running a marathon next weekend.  Such overachievers.  GEEZ.)  So they took pictures and videos of the rest of us acting like 9 year olds.  Win-win.

#4.  Jumping on a trampoline at age 29 makes me need to pee every 5 minutes.

And that's all I'll say about that.

#5.  This is a good time to practice my toe-touch.

And my side hurky and all my other jumps for cheerleading practice.  

Because those should come in REAL handy next year when I turn 30.

#6.  Waiting "your turn" at age 29 sucks just as much as when you were 9.

This place also had a foam pit to jump into off a trampoline (see above pic), and there was a constant line for it.  I waited my turn just like everyone else but soon realized I don't like lines.  And also, most of the kids didn't think that all these adults were really in line so they kept cutting.  BOO.  ;)

#7. Give a girl a tumble track and she will think she is a gymnast.

I took gymnastics like way back in the day.  Like elementary/junior high age and was pretty good at it, but I quit (probably for some bogus reason).  So seeing a trampoline tumble track like this, I'm like, "I could probably still do a back handspring."  NOT.  

I did do a standing forward tuck with a sucky landing, though.  AND a roundoff.  Watch out, Nastia Liukin. Unlike some OTHER mama with us who could still rock her roundoff, back handspring, back tuck.  DARN you, you rockin-bod-fitness/yoga instructor!!

#8.  There is such a thing as trampoline dodge ball.

And this is what it looks like.  One of the guys with us really wanted to jump in there with all the 10 and unders, but I guess his wife persuaded him not to? 

#9.  They play good music at an indoor trampoline park.

Everything from Journey (Don't Stop Believing) to Brit Brit (Toxic) to Blake Shelton (Honeybee) to... 

wait for it... 

DJ Khaled / Ludacris (All I Do Is Win).  And yes, there is video of me singing this.  Allegedly.

#10.  You will be sore from jumping on a trampoline.

Although not where I thought I would be.  Surprisingly, I'm tight in my neck and shoulders.  Who knew.

#11.  Hangry is my new favorite word.

So we only lasted a little over an hour jumping and then we all went to grab a bite to eat.  Except the wait was AN HOUR long.  I'm a senior citizen when it comes to eating supper.  I eat at like 5:30pm.  So having to wait until 8pm to even SIT down is tough for me.  And I get super grumpy when I don't eat on time.  One of the overachiever-marathon-runners said to me, "Yeah, I get hangry too when I don't eat on time."  HA!  I love this word and will be stealing it from you, Overachiever Runner.  

#12.  "Old" people can still be fun people.

The 10 of us had a blast.  It was something that none of us had ever done.  We tried something new, we laughed at ourselves, and we had fun.  And we all got to spend time together and have actual conversations.

And what's better than that?

Much love,

E