A study performed by NASA concluded that jumping on a mini trampoline -- also called rebounding or urban rebounding -- is an extremely potent weight-loss exercise. What makes rebounding so effective at burning calories and strengthening the entire body is the effect of Earth's gravitational force. At the bottom of the bounce, the g-force presses down on the body with three times the resistance, forcing all of your cells to strengthen against the pressure. Instead of negatively affecting your joints though, rebounding is considered a low-impact exercise.
For a sample beginner's fat-burning workout, walk in place on the trampoline for 1 minute, lightly bounce for 4 minutes, jog in place for 3 minutes, lightly bounce for 1 minute and walk in place for 1 minute, which adds up to a 10-minute session. Repeat this cycle two more times during the day.
Choose a rebounder that has a safety rail if you feel off balance or are new to fitness. You can still get an effective workout while holding on to the rail.
Speak to your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you are obese or suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure or arthritis.
To lose weight safely, aim to lose no more than 2 pounds per week.
Exercise on the mini trampoline for at least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week for a total of 150 minutes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends exercising for at least 150 minutes per week for healthy adults. If you want to lose weight, you might consider exercising for 60 minutes, five times per week. You can split your exercise up into several smaller chunks. For example, perform three 10-minute bouncing sessions for 30 minutes of exercise.
Learn the basic exercises performed on a mini trampoline and combine your favorite trampoline exercises based on your fitness level. For a well-rounded, fat-burning routine, always start by warming up the body for 5 minutes walking in place on the trampoline. Stand on the mini trampoline and start to bounce up and down slowly. Perform a small bounce, where your feet stay on the trampoline the entire time. If this feels easy for you, increase the intensity of the bounce and lift your feet off the trampoline about 6 inches.
Add plyometric jumps and twists when you can jump 6 inches off the mini trampoline with ease. With a plyometric jump, jump as high as you can and tuck your knees into your chest. You can also jump in the air as high as you can and twist your torso to the right as you jump. Once you land, repeat the jump and twist your torso to the left.
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Writer Bio
Nicole Carlin is a registered yoga teacher. Her writing has been published in yoga and dance teacher training manuals for POP Fizz Academy. Carlin received a Masters of Arts in gender studies from Birkbeck University in London and a Bachelors of Arts in psychology from Temple University, Philadelphia.