Wollongong's alternative fitness trends like doggy yoga, fly, acro and circus

Wollongong's Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails doggy daycare is now also a "dog-friendly" yoga and Pilates studio offering a mix of classes with and without the assistance of your pooch.

Owner Gemma Moriarty runs classes for pet owners who want some "me time" while their beloved friend gets to run around, though older or more timid friends are welcome to hang in the class also.

The centre also provides "doga" on occasion where dogs are encouraged to be part of the practice and assist their owners during the workout - perhaps the participant doing a squat whilst holding their pooch.

"Our whole thing is we want the dogs to be happy, we want them to want to be there," Moriarty said of her dream business.

"I've worked in daycares ... [where] the dogs don't have a voice and the people don't advocate for them."

Aside from fitness classes, the centre also provides half-day blocks for "daycare" where the furry friends get to play in a nurturing, caring environment.

www.facebook.com/BEBTau

Try your hand at "PoleFit" (think pole dancing but for fitness), Fly Yoga (performing yoga sequences in an "aerial hammock"), dance hammock (like aerial acrobatics where you feet get off the ground), HoopFit (like the dance component but suspended with a hoola hoop) and pilates.

The studio is found at 88 Kenny Street in Wollongong.

www.facebook.com/iflystudios

Learn to be a trapeze artist with silks and/or aerials with classes for beginners through to advanced - they also have the "Acquired Taste Choir" now for those wanting to find their voice.

The only catch is the "WOW" stands for Women of Wollongong, so the classes are for women and by women, in an organisation which began more than 20 years ago.

Their catch phrase is "ordinary women doing the extraordinary".

They are found at 12/30 Swan Street in Wollongong.

www.circuswow.org.au/

If you're not ready to leave the confines of a gym just yet for some alternative exercise, The Burgh health club in Helensburgh is running term-blocks of "Fly Fit".

The classes are run for adults by the Tree Top Arts school and include skills in hand-stands, climbing a silk rope, plus learning tricks on the rope and how to "drop".

https://treetoparts.com/

Climbing up a man-made cliff face is actually really good for fitness and also a lot less scary than climbing on a real cliff like along the escarpment.

If you don't feel ready to climb just yet, you could always try some of the classes the Wollongong gym runs like ClimbaYoga, HangFit and ClimbaMobility - which all get you prepped to be a better climber but also fitter overall.

https://hangdog.com.au/

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