How to create the ultimate fitness Boomerang

You’ve probably noticed that your Instagram feed has filled up with strangely mesmerizing, forwards-backwards videos that go on forever, in a loop. Yes, Boomerangs are hitting peak popularity—since the app (which launched nine months ago) is amazing at capturing movement.

So, we—and our friends at GapFit, who are all about celebrating movements that make you feel good—have a social challenge for you that could seriously improve your workout life, specifically your wardrobe:

1. Get moving—boxing jabs, barre plies, burpees, you name it.

2. Boomerang it!

3. Post it to Instagram, tagging @gapfit and adding the hashtag #DoYouMove, starting today.

One winner a week (selected by Well+Good editors) will get a selection of seriously cool workout wear from GapFit, a one-month fitness membership, six months of dance cardio streaming from DanceBody, and will be featured on Well+Good.

And to help you create a masterpiece that you can’t. stop. watching (been there!), we’ve rounded up some good advice to get you going in this new social-powered (and super sporty) art form.

Ready to get out there and Boomerang your (healthy) hearts out? Here are some tips for creating the coolest clips on Instagram.

1. Take some time with the app

Here’s Boomerang 101 if you haven’t used it yet: The app takes bursts of photos and then stitches them together into a HD video. The end result is kind of like a GIF, but it plays forwards, then backwards in a loop. Play with it for a while—having fun is the key! And use your Instagram feed as inspiration. If a Boomerang elicits major feels: analyze what they did, use it as a starting point, and add your own personal spin on the idea.

2. Plan your moves

Whether it’s star jumps, backbends, or that new move you learned in hip-hop dance cardio—follow your bliss. It’s all about celebrating the movements that make you feel good.

3. Plan the shot

The old adage, “Brevity is the soul of wit” (good one, Oscar Wilde), remains true no matter what technology it is applied to—and with one-second videos, Boomerang is no exception. So, you don’t have a lot of time! Good planning is going to get you a more mesmerizing shot. Pro tip: Make sure there’s enough room for your whole body in the shot. It seems obvious, but even veteran sports photographers admit it’s easy to cut off hands and feet—or even your head—when you’re capturing movement.

Start posting your #DoYouMove Boomerangs (and tag @gapfit), and take a peek at the latest GapFit styles at gap.com

Start posting your #DoYouMove Boomerangs (and tag @gapfit), and take a peek at the latest GapFit styles at gap.com