If you are looking for how to exercise on a Rebounder you are in the right place. Rebounding is a fitness trend and because of its multiple benefits is transforming many people’s health and fitness. Anybody who is willing to spend at least 10 minutes a day can see amazing results. Personal experience!
The purpose of this guide is to give you a variety of exercises so you can start taking action right away until seeing progress. We are happy to meet you at this stage of your journey and hope our guidelines can help you achieve your goal and become the best version of yourself.
For the people that are new to rebounding let me explain the difference between a healthy bounce and an aerobic bounce
Health Bounce:
This is the Bounce you want to do to warm up and cool down and is the most effective for cleansing or detox. Multiple studies confirm there is no exercise better than this one to activate the lymphatic valves. Plus, it is very gentle with your joints, specially when using a quality rebounder.
When your body is moving up and down your feet barely leave the mat. Chiropractors also found it beneficial for people with decreased mobility or balance issues.
I personally use this exercise daily to start and finish my morning routines.
Aerobic Bounce & High-Intensity Bounce
This form of bounce is great for strength and weight loss. Here you lift your legs as high as you can and the bounce will make you sweat in a way that you mean it.
The High intensity bounce requires you develop some strength though but don’t underestimate yourself, you can easily accomplish that by taking action 10 minutes a day.
You have the ability to do it and by then, you probably have everything you need to start your transformation.
Without further ado,
How to Exercise on a Rebounder
Multiple exercises you be done on a mini-trampoline such as the health bounce (jumping up and down), walking or jogging on the spot, sprint, jumping Twisting at the Waist, jumping while doing punches with your hands. You can also train your abs while sit and bounce.
Rebounding is a low-impact exercise but not everybody has the same amount of strength in each muscle, thats why you can always alternate the following exercises between basic, intermediate, or advanced.
Never forget to breathe and do not hold your breath when you exercise. At the end of your workout, drink plenty of water for optimum lymphatic drainage.
So, let’s begin
Health Bounce (Basic – 2 minutes)
Step onto your rebounder standing with your feet held apart slightly. Hold the balance bar if you need to, then, begin flexing your ankle.
Lift heels up and down or bend the knee up and down with your toes. Do it without lifting the sole of your feet from the mat. Continue with this bounce for a minute or two so your body gets used to the movement.
Because of the acceleration-deceleration and G-Force process that happens with this movement, it activates your lymph system to detox like no other exercise.
According to Dr. Walker in his book “Jumping for health” by moving up and down with consistency, your overall health improves. It helps your balance, circulation, detoxification, lymphatic and blood circulation.
If you can only do this type of exercise do not get discouraged, all of your cells are working out while doing the healthy bounce.
2. Walking or Jogging In Place (Basic – 3 minutes)
Alternate the movement of each leg by lifting one heel while your toes remain touching the mat. As you gently thrust the heel into the mat, raise your other heel. Don’t forget to swing your arms, just like a normal walk.
This walking motion is a fine way to warm up and cool down before starting or stopping a more vigorous exercise set. Many people use the balance bar for increased support, added confidence, and faster results.
The bounce will start accelerating your heart rate, will boost your energy, reduce stress, and detox. If you want to know more about the jogging benefits, click here…
4. Twist at the Waist (Intermediate – 2 minutes)
As your fitness level and slogging movement progresses, start adding other variations such as adding two minutes of a gentle side to side twist with your feet together. Beginners should hold the bar if needed.
The idea here is to twist at the waist or twist in the hip socket area while gentle bouncing.
According to Dave Hall, -master of rebounding, this movement helps massage internal organs, like your kidneys, liver, pancreas, and colon. Also, promote good digestion and evacuation.
5. Side to Side Kick (Intermediate – 2 minutes)
Here you can start slow and progress when the coordination is set by alternating each leg out to the side.
Lift Your feet a little (3 inches) from the mat as you bounce and do vertical movement with your legs from side to side.
This exercise is focused on targeting the waist, hips, thighs, and legs. For beginners, I would recommend using the stabilizer bar, if included with your trampoline, until your balance improves.
6. Sprint (Intermediate)
As you improve in strength, you can start walking and jogging faster than described on the basic steps, now gradually start to run to increase your G force. This time do it by lifting your legs as high as you can.
Don’t forget to breathe and cool down by returning to the “health bounce” to allow your heart rate to drop slowly until it reaches its normal.
Repeat this session to develop cardiovascular efficiency, weight loss, energy, and endurance.
7. Back Kick (Intermediate – 2 minutes)
I love this exercise, and it is one of my favorites for strength and toning my buttocks. You will start feeling the work right away plus as is typical with rebounding benefits, it also tones your thighs, hips, and legs.
As you bounce, start making a back kick for two minutes and increase as you progress.
I know you will try to complete this one at first, but don’t overdo it in the beginning to avoid injury.
8. Forward Kick (intermediate – 2 minutes)
you can start slow and progress to high intensity for two minutes or until short of breath. As you bounce, lean your back a little and start swinging lifting your legs.
In the beginning you can start holding the balance bar then, as you progress just hold your arms out to the side to improve your coordination and balance.
This exercise promotes weight loss while targeting your stomach as well.
9. Sit & Bounce (Beginner)
With both feet on the floor, your back straight and hands-on the mat frame starts bouncing. Make sure your abdomen is engaged. This exercise targets your abdomen and back.
NOTE: Always finish your workout routine returning to the “health bounce” exercise until cooling down and never forget to breathe constantly.
10. Sit & Bounce (Intermadiate)
This is another fun exercise but not that easy at first. You will have to develop some strength to be able to do it but as a result you will be rewarded with an awesome abs.
To begin, sit on the bounder and with either one or two feet off the ground, lay your back down a bit then use your arms and your core to bounce.
Is important your abdomen is compressed and tight for better results.
11. Sit & Bounce (Advance)
Once you master the “sit & bounce” Intermediate, now you can really workout your tummy for the ultimate result. Instead of just leaving your feet on the grown, now you can start a crunchy movement bending your back and legs to a 45 degree angle.
Here you will create motion swinging your arms vertically. I assure you with a proper diet and using this routine will give you the lovely 6 packs you may be looking for.
Remember to compress and tight your stomach to see the desired result.
12. Upper Body with Using Weights (Advance)
To increase strength in addition to the G Force strength, add weight by holding light dumbbells while bouncing.
You can begin bouncing with your arms open vertically and elbow at 90 degrees, for about two minutes. Then you can switch your arms to a front position facing toward you.
As your body develops more strength, gradually increase the weight you hold. I personally started with three pounds and now I am holding 5!
Other Rebounding Workouts
For Beginners
At 30 minutes’ workout long, the USA’s certified trampoline fitness instructor, Chelsea Rush, takes you through some of the basic movements. You will see the healthy bounce, twist, and kicks PLUS some upper core movements.
What Rebounding can do in Your Body?
When you use a rebounder unit, you can burn around 225 calories in 30 minutes on average, and there is more, you can burn twice or more than that by lifting your legs higher, adding weights or some other variety of HIIT to your rebound routines.
Every time you land after the jump you touch the mat with twice the force of gravity and the added acceleration and deceleration makes this exercise effective and very powerful. It allows you to work your abdomen and upper core, tone your legs, as well as your arms.
Before You Begin with Your Rebounding Exercises Journey do The Following:
1. Set up Your Purpose for Success.
More than anything, the home workout journey has taught me to believe in myself. Ask yourself why you want to rebound and move forward with your objective because I know you can.
You may want to rebound because of your health or to lose weight or maybe to relieve stress. Whatever the goal is, do it with passion.
2. Make Realistic Goals
Instead of having a goal of wanting to lose 10 pounds or more say “ I am going to workout for at least 10 minutes a day” and start making progress from there.
Don’t allow negative thoughts, rebounding is a proven health and fitness workout approved by many doctors, trainers, physicians, and organizations like NASA and the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
The Jumping for health book by Dr. Walker can be an eye-opener for rebounding benefits.
3. Push yourself Until you See Progress
Part of the problem we tend to have at home is that no one is there to actually push you harder.
Like Martin Luther King Jr. said “if you can’t fly then run, if you cannot run the walk, if you cannot walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward”.
To give you a heads-up you may not be able to accomplish all the exercises you are going to see in the first week or two but with desire and passion you can get excellent results.
Prepare Yourself for Aerobic Exercise
Start Slow:
Even Though rebounding is very safe, your body is not used to this type of movement. Your skeleton particularly your spine must adapt to that stress.
Start and end with the health bounce to warm up and cool down your body. Do that if you also want to completely activate your lymph system. If you’ve never used a rebounder, build it up. With just doing the healthy bounce your whole body is being worked out.
When rebounding, the lymphatic system is activated and your mind is being taken away to relieve stress. Plus your energy and serotonin, the “Happy Hormone”, will start pumping like in your youngest days.
Starting with this routine, you may fall into the trap of overdoing the exercises. That happened to me and even my mom at first. But learn from my mistake and pay attention to what your body is saying.
Start the health bounce for one minute or two, then you can start increasing the speed and versatility as your body gets used to this form of exercise. Twisting, walking, and jogging in place is a good way to start. Do it for 10 minutes a day until your body adapts and your fitness level progresses.
Listen to your body
It is normal to feel a little stress on your legs, calves, arms as you put more effort and start progressing toward your goal but never real pain. If your feet tend to pronate you can wear shoes while bouncing. But if you start noticing ankle or back pain this could be a sign that you may be using a wrong trampoline.
Make it Fun
See if any of your family members or friends want to join you. I do it either alone, with my husband or facetime with some friends.
Once you master the exercise routine you can then add extra fun. While bouncing, you can start enticing and energetic music you like, listen to podcasts or even watch your favorite TV show.
Be Aware of Your Purpose Before You Buy
Here I want you to pay CLOSE ATTENTION, not all the rebounders are the same. My mom started working out on a cheapo rebounder and even though she realized the bounce was really stiff, she continued without knowing her back started hurting badly.
In our experience, not everyone likes the same rebounder because everybody has a different weight and height, plus NOT everyone has strong knees or back.
Do you want to rebound to activate your lymphatic system only?to achieve this the rebounder you choose cannot be too soft to effectively detox your body.
If you are looking for a fitness trampoline to get your cardio workout plus get the benefits of the lymphatic system the bounce style should be in the middle, not too hard to jar your feet, but not too soft to avoid pronation of your ankle or feet as well as develop back problems.
If you are thinking to rebound for a long time you may be better off investing in a quality rebounder. It will save you time and money down the road. Plus your workout motivation will not be ruined with a bad quality one.
See My # 1 Recommendation Here.
Final Thought
Rebounding is a great, fast and effective workout alternative for the at home workout. There are multiple exercises you can perform targeting different areas of your body. We recommend using a quality rebounder to avoid possible injuries.
Don’t forget to set your rebounder in a visible place, as the saying goes “what you don’t see is easily ignored”. Do your exercises regularly if not every day so you can start feeling more alive, less fatigued and more beautiful.
To your workout success,
Ria