Health: New Local Bounce Workout

By Stephanie Stahl

CINNAMINSON, N.J. (CBS) - It's a fun, new way to bounce into summer, and shape up. A new kind of dance class can burn over a thousand calories in an hour. The participants say it's addictive, and they've never felt better.

They are bouncing their way to fitness, wearing Kangoo jumps for a hip hop dance class.

"It's great. I love it. I'm moving constantly, moving and jumping and burning. Burning calories," said Maria Rojas.

Kangoo jumps were designed to reduce impact, with a trampoline like design on the bottom of the boot.

"It's really good on your joints, so that's why I started it, because I was having some knee problems," said Xiomara Rojas-Langston, who goes to Kangoo classes.

"There's very little shock on the knees, the hips, the back, shoulders, neck," said Kimberly Stoeckley, Co-Owner of Jump Studio in Cinnaminson.

She says studies have shown the high intensity, low impact Kangoo workout can burn 20 calories a minute. She claims students in her hip hop class burn 1200 calories an hour.

"This is what really helped me lose the weight," said Melissa Zobel, who says the Kangoo classes made her dieting more effective. She lost 41 pounds in four months and finally isn't embarrassed to wear a bikini on vacation with her kids.

"I've seen it, ya know, with the inches, my legs, my buttocks, my arms, everything," said Melissa.

And now Melissa, who used to wear a size 16, is down to a 12.

"It's nice to go shopping now. I feel better about wearing shorts and stuff like that, skinny jeans, stretchies," said Melissa.

The maker of the Kangoo jumps says they're often used to help people with rehab sports injuries because there is less stress on joints, but doctors say bouncing, even if cushioned, isn't always safe for everyone.