Life & Style

'Hold on to your b**bs if you have to ladies! Bounce!'

Dominique McMullan is challenging herself to do something different every week: First up, she’s jumping for joy

A Despacito remix blares and the serious business of bouncing begins

Dominique McMullan
Sat Oct 21 2017 - 06:00

In an effort to keep life interesting I’m trying something new every seven days. I believe in the value of putting myself into uncomfortable scenarios. So once a week I’m going to get uncomfortable and tell you all about it. The more it makes me squirm, the more I get out of it. And the more fun we can all have..

This week I went to a Boogie Bounce Class. I had seen a clip on Facebook in which a group of women bounce on tiny trampolines to the beat of loud music. They hold onto handles attached to the trampolines, keeping their upper bodies quite still while their lower bodies move around. In the clip after a few seconds the trampolines get photoshopped out and replaced by galloping horses. I’m not sure why it’s so funny, but it is.

Bizarrely this video encouraged me to find a class. It wasn’t hard. Boogie Bounce has been in Ireland for 12 years. The class closest to me was in Old Weseley Rugby Club in Donnybrook. I used to attend discos there as a teen, and as I open the doors to the class I’m half expecting someone to ask me to shift their friend.

Shoes off, I jump on to my 'bouncer' (tiny trampoline). The music is LOUD. In a moment of quiet as our leader picks the first song, I can hear all the bouncers squeaking (like old beds) in tandem. A Despacito remix blares and the serious business of bouncing begins. At first the handles make what could be a bit frightening feel safer. But after only one song I go hands free, getting a little kick out of the height I'm getting. Some moves feel a bit like rubbing your head and patting your tummy at the same time, but I'm getting the hang of it.

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The 90s classic No Limit comes on and next thing we, the ladies of the bounce, do that cowboy move where you lasso an imaginary cow over your head. Everything gets knocked up a gear for the last song, "hold on to your b**bs if you have to ladies! Bounce! Bounce! 5,6,7,8!" They do say when you're enjoying yourself time flies. Turns out you can, too. Do you have suggestions for what Dominique should try next? Email your ideas to dmcmullan@irishtimes.com

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