The Top 5 Benefits of Rebounding

If you’re familiar with the “biohacking” movement, you’ve probably heard of “rebounding” (a.k.a. jumping on a trampoline). This may sound like a ridiculous remarketing gimmick of a classic fitness VHS series from the 1980s, but it’s much more than that! Find out the top 5 benefits of rebounding and why people are doing it (again).

1. Low Impact on the Joints

Because of the nature of a trampoline, it is able to absorb most of the impact of your bounces. What exactly does this mean? To put it into perspective, an activity like running can cause an inexperienced athlete to cause trauma to the joints, especially the knees (maybe you’ve heard of runner’s knee). It’s cause by the impact from pounding on the pavement.

With the trampoline, there’s a lower amount of stress placed on your joints. This makes it an optimal choice for those that are overweight, have knee pain, or suffer from osteoporosis. It even places less pressure on the bones. NASA even used rebounding to help astronauts after returning from space.

NASA determined that there is more balance of pressure or force when jumping on a trampoline than with exercises like running. You’ll experience a more even distribution of pressure on the ankle, back, and forehead. With running, most of that pressure is on your ankles.

2. Improves Balance

Rebounding helps build up all of your core muscles which helps improve your balance. It also promotes a full-body connection through use of your ocular nerves and inner ear canal.

Through rebounding, your body is moving in directions it is not used to, this puts your body in a kinesthetic state of learning and reacting. One study found that an exercise like rebounding was effective in improving the balance of elderly women, thus reducing their risk of falls.

3. Builds Cardiovascular Endurance

It’s no secret that by building up your cardiovascular endurance you can prevent a multitude of health problems. Through cardiovascular training, your heart becomes more efficient at working while at rest. While rebounding, your body will increase oxygen uptake, and when oxygen reaches our cells, we are able to endure exercise more effectively.

Jumping on the trampoline has the same cardiovascular effects as running (except it’s way more fun). One study found that rebounding has the same effects as running six miles per hour, biking, or playing football, basketball or ultimate Frisbee.

When the people involved in the study were asked to rate how exerted they felt, many rated the exercise as light-to-moderate intensity. This means that the exercise felt easier than it actually was.

4. It Works as a Detox

Rebounding works as a body detox by increasing lymph fluid circulation. The lymphatic system is responsible for flushing toxins from your body, and it works according to our movement. The increased circulation is thought to happen when there is a change in gravitational pull.

A change in your gravitational pull can happen when you land on the trampoline and rebound upwards. The force that occurs when you land helps improve that circulation, which causes a quick detox.

5. It’s Fun

As mentioned earlier, not only does it have the same physical effect as some activities like running, it doesn’t feel like you’re working as hard! The quick bursts of movement help give you energy for the day, and it will only be a few workouts before you notice a difference in your core and leg muscles.

It only takes up to 20 minutes a day to start reaping the benefits, and it’s super fun!