Trampolines provide a challenging, yet relatively low impact, cardiovascular workout. Aerobic exercise, along with diet, can help you to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. If you're looking for a playful alternative to traditional cardio exercise, a full-size trampoline or mini-trampoline, called a rebounder, can keep you motivated to exercise.
Types
Full-size trampolines and rebounders can provide you with a cardio workout. Mini-trampolines provide extra bounce during standard aerobic moves, such as jogging, stepping and boxing. Larger trampolines offer opportunities for tumbling and aerials stunts, including tucks, handsprings and somersaults. Mini-trampolines are designed for aerobic fitness, while larger ones are intended for gymnastics.
Calories
Jogging on a mini-trampoline or rebounding burns more calories than jogging on a treadmill or track, making it a more efficient choice for weight loss. As reported by JumpSport, Victor L. Katch at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, found that a 150-pound individual will burn 82 calories in 12 minutes rebounding and only 71 calories jogging at 5 miles per hour. That same individual will burn 120 calories in 20 minutes on the rebounder.
Benefits
While trampoline workouts offer all the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, including an improved metabolic rate, lower cholesterol levels and improved lung capacity, rebounding also provides some less common improvements to your health and well being. The increased gravitational pressure on the rebounder strengthens muscles and the skeletal system, while improving your balance and coordination. Since you bounce on the mini-trampoline, rather than jumping, it's less strenuous on the joints.
Safety
Full-size trampolines should be used with professional supervision and guidance, in a class setting like gymnastics or diving, reports MayoClinic.com. Tumbling, jumps and aerial stunts on a full-size trampoline pose a number of risks, including sprains, fractures, and head and neck injuries. Mini-trampolines are a lower risk choice, and are safe for use in the home or gym.
References
- The Freedom Spring; A Low-Impact Exercise Alternative; Colleen McGlone, B.S., Len Kravitz, Ph.D., and Jeffrey M. Janot, Ph.D.
- MayoClinic.com : Trampoline Jumping: Safe for Kids?; Jay L. Hoecker
- Reuters; Mini-trampolines: Catching Cardio on the Rebound; Dorene Internicola; May 2010
- Jump Sport: What Is Rebounding?
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