GREAT FALLS — Big Sky Bungee is presenting a new option for people to get active that is already gaining popularity.
Melissa Hamm, the owner and founder, says her objective was to create a setting where exercising felt less scary and more uplifting—literally.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video:
She said, "Gyms are intimidating. I don't like walking into the gym, and most people my age say the same thing. And I'm like, 'How can we get moving?' Everybody is talking about bungee. How can I do that?"
Hamm, an orthopedic nurse, recognizes the value of low-impact workouts, particularly for those seeking "softer" ways to keep in shape. After seeing how popular bungee fitness was, she decided to bring it to Montana.
"I started doing research and talking to more people, and the deeper I got into it, I was like, I can do this. With their help, I was able to pull it off, get the supplies I needed, and find what I needed. The inspiration was just the gym being intimidating, and I want us to move our bodies.”
To make her vision a reality, Hamm and her crew drove to Utah for bungee certification (there are no formal training programs in Montana) and began planning to open schools locally.
Acacia MacCallum, a Great Falls resident, says she's eager to test it. “I saw it on Facebook, and I'm really interested in getting into different types of fitness. I used to go to the gym a lot. Had kids. Haven't been to the gym in a while, so I thought this would be something fun to get back into.”
The lessons incorporate strength training, cardio, and aerial motions to develop balance and endurance, while the bungee cords provide a sense of weightlessness, making workouts easier on the joints and more enjoyable.
“I'm really hoping that by December we can have classes going, January at the latest. We're going to be doing some control group classes from today on, and we'll be inviting people to those to try it out just to make sure the instructors are ready.”
Hamm thinks that one day, bungee training will be used as a kind of physical rehabilitation, allowing more people to rebuild strength and confidence through movement. For the time being, her primary mission is to encourage Great Falls citizens to take the plunge.
Big Sky Bungee is at 1020 Central Avenue. Click here to visit the Facebook page.
