By Marci Narum
Submitted photo
Bungee, anyone? We’re not talking about the leap-from-a-bridge bungee-jumping craze of the ‘90s that captivated thrill-seekers and made on-lookers cringe. No, this is a fitness class — bungee style — and Shar Dukart of Bismarck teaches it at her new fitness studio, YOUvitalize fitness and wellness spa.
“It has been popular! Lots of people are coming in to try it out and loving it,” Shar says.
Shar opened her studio in April. She says while people can be intimidated at first, once they try bungee fitness, they catch on quickly.
“When you come in, we fit you for a harness and hook you to a bungee. We start with a warm-up and we do a lot of running and jumping. The class is 45 minutes and I have 10 bungee points, so I can have nine people in each class.”
Shar was a gymnast for many years and coached the sport as well. When videos of bungee fitness began appearing on Facebook, she was determined to bring it to Bismarck. Shar became certified in bungee fitness and aerial silk fitness at The Aviary, an aerial fitness studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shar believes she is North Dakota’s first fitness instructor to be certified in bungee fitness.
“It’s an awesome cardio workout, but you don’t realize how much you’re working out because it’s fun. The bungee keeps it low impact, so it’s easy on your joints.”
YOUvitalize also has several other classes that don’t involve the bungee, including cardio kickboxing, tabata, gentle yoga, and aquafit. The wellness and fitness spa also offers a healthy smoothie bar, salon, spa room, and will offer educational programs for the public weekly.