Benefits Of A Mini Trampoline

Walk into a preschool's playground and there's a chance a kid will be bouncing on a mini trampoline, a low-to-the-ground 40-inch-diameter version of the ones you see in big backyards with a protective net around it. But it turns out that those mini-jumpers are for adults, too. In the grown-up world, they're called rebounders and rebounding is what you do when you jump on them -- to several health benefits.

Physical Strength

In 2002, the American Council on Exercise predicted that rebounding would grow in popularity in urban areas. The organization's educated guess was based on the fact that rebounding is a low-impact aerobics exercise. When the body isn't concerned with protecting itself from the shock of high-impact workouts, it devotes its energy to building strength.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

A study conducted by University of New Mexico and South Dakota State University faculty compared rebounding to exercising on a treadmill. It concluded that the two workout routines increase cardiorespiratory fitness in similar ways. Participants in rebounding reached a heart rate intensity between 55 percent and 90 percent of their maximum heart rate. According to the researchers, this is the range you need to achieve to increase your cardiorespiratory fitness.

Cell Therapy

The authors of "Never Be Fat Again: The 6-Week Cellular Solution to Permanently Break the Fat Cycle" list numerous benefits of jumping on a mini trampoline. Among them, they explain that as you bounce, your cells move around. This cell workout program results in greater absorption of nutrients through more efficient blood circulation. It also improves waste elimination by stimulating the lymphatic system.

Osteoporosis Prevention

"CBS News HealthWatch" reported in 2000 that as you jump down on a mini trampoline, your skeleton develops new strength in the form of increased bone density. For this reason, the report also suggested that is a good workout to prevent osteoporosis, a health condition characterized by fragile and brittle bones.

Better Sleep

Although MayoClinic.com doesn't specifically cite rebounding as a possible treatment for insomnia, it recommends 30 minutes of daily exercise to combat the condition. Even though it's low impact, jumping on a mini trampoline is the type of vigorous physical activity that could make a difference at bedtime.