Urban Rebounding Exercises

The Urban Rebounder is a piece of exercise equipment designed and sold by JB Berns, a martial arts, yoga and fitness expert. It is a modified trampoline with a removable stability bar, and it is designed to make intense cardio and strength workouts possible without leaving small living quarters, hence the "urban" qualifier. Berns also sells a variety of videos that demonstrate numerous Urban Rebounding exercises.

Jogging and Knee Kicks

Because the Urban Rebounder forces you to push off the trampoline surface with extra force in order to put just a few inches of space between the surface and your foot, it makes an exercise as simple as jogging in place into an efficient cardio workout. Also, because the equipment serves as a shock absorber, it can make jogging more possible and comfortable for people with joint problems that require low-impact workouts. To perform this exercise, simply stand in the center of the Rebounder and slowly begin marching in place, taking care to maintain your balance. If it is difficult to balance at first, attach the stability bar and use it to remain upright. As you become comfortable with your march, slowly pick up speed until you reach a full jog. Once you're comfortable with this, you can increase the intensity of the workout further by gradually raising your knees higher, until your thighs are parallel with the floor at the height of each step. When you have complete confidence in your ability to do this exercise, jog normally in three minute intervals, followed by intense knee kicks for 30 seconds. Add additional cycles of this sequence as your endurance builds.

Modified Jumping Jacks

When it comes to proper form, performing jumping jacks on the Urban Rebounder is similar to doing them on the floor, but there are a few key differences you must keep in mind. First, the trampoline surface of the Rebounder is only so wide, so you must be mindful to not extend too far when spreading your feet apart. This is especially important for users with longer legs. To get a good feel for how far apart your feet should be spread on extensions, stand with your feet at the edges of the trampoline surface before beginning. Another notable difference is that the Urban Rebounder will keep you in the air longer than if you were doing jumping jacks on the floor, especially if you push off with significant force. On higher jumps, use the extra time to extend your arm movements over a wider range, and try to vary the height of your jumps in cycles. Higher jumps will force your legs and thighs to work harder, building muscle, and shorter jumps will force you to move faster, raising your heart rate.

Hip Twists

By twisting your hips from side to side as you jump in place on the Urban Rebounder, you can tone your abdominal oblique muscles while keeping your heart rate high. To begin this exercise, stand in the center of the trampoline surface with your feet spread about shoulder width apart and with your arms raised parallel to the floor, bent at the elbows, with your fists in front of your chest. Jump in place at a comfortable pace and concentrate on a focal point that is directly in front of you. When you are ready, twist the lower half of your body in mid-air so that your feet and hips point to your left, but keep your torso and neck facing forward. On the next jump, twist your feet and hips so that they point to your right, again keeping your torso facing forward. Repeat this process continuously in two-minute cycles. As you build endurance, try to reach farther to your left and right with each twist, and gradually extend the length of your cycles.