Jump Your Way to Fitness

My grandfather's favorite way of keeping fit was by jumping up and down a mini-trampoline or a “rebounder” as it was called back then in the Seventies.   But even though he swore by this fitness regimen and was still bouncing his way to fitness in the Nineties, rebounding was one of those fitness trends that quickly disappeared from mainstream consciousness.   It continued, however, to be used in schools and rehabilitation clinics.

Mini-trampolines are personal-sized versions of trampolines, which were invented in 1936 by George Nissan.   He got his inspiration from the way trapeze artists would bounce back up from the nets underneath at the end of their act.  

Aside from size, mini-trampolines differ from trampolines in two other ways. “The net surface is tighter, the springs are shorter and tighter, so the emphasis is on downward movement as opposed to upward movement”,   fitness expert Minna Lessig told CBS Early Show.    This explains why you cannot jump as high on a mini-trampoline as you would on the bigger version.   And for good reason because high jumps require a bigger surface to land safely.  

The unique feature of mini-trampolines and trampolines is the way the body reacts to the changes in G force, a term commonly used by car racers and jet pilots.   1 G is equal to the force of gravity.    It is the force exerted on the body as it accelerates (speeds up) and decelerates (slows down).   A person jumping on a rebounder can generate a 3.5 G force while a person jumping on a trampoline can experience G forces as high as 8.  

The changes in G force are supposed to stimulate the flow of the lymphatic system, which in turn enhances the function of the immune system.

NASA uses trampolines to keep their astronauts fit because a 1980 NASA-sponsored found that jumping on a trampoline was better than running on a treadmill “to avert deconditioning in persons exposed to weightlessness”.

Rebounding is an efficient cardiovascular workout that is low impact so less stress is placed on the spine and joints of the lower body.   So with all these benefits, why did the mini-trampoline fade away?

According to J.B. Berns, martial artist and creator of Urban Rebounding, the leading mini-trampoline program, poorly manufactured rebounders and lack of instructor knowledge led to the workout's untimely demise.

In the mid-Nineties, Berns experienced the benefits of rebounding when he was recovering from a knee injury and decided to put a new spin on the workout to bring it up to date.

He resurrected the blast from the past exercise with new choreography and music and incorporated other workout formats like strength training and interval training for a contemporary look and feel.   Berns successfully launched his program at the IDEA World Fitness Convention a few years ago.  

Today, there are many mini-trampoline videos and products available so anyone can try out this simple and fun workout.  

More Tips:

Empty your bladder before using a rebounder.

Women with big breasts should use a good support bra.

Jogging or doing aerobic moves on a rebounder can leave a beginner exerciser breathless.   Slowly build stamina and endurance.

Although rebounding improves balance and coordination, some users can experience dizziness.