The benefits (and wonders) of Rebounding (bouncing)

In my previous blog post, I wrote about rebounding (bouncing).  When you bounce on a trampoline, you bounce approximately 100 times a minute.  At the top of each bounce, your entire body, including your clothes and hair, are weightless (gravity / no gravity).  Being at the top of your bounce (in the air, so to speak), makes you weightless as there is no drag / pull from gravity.  A second later, when you hit the trampoline again, your body, clothes and even your hair, weighs double – also known as “double impact!”  Thus, the result is that, 100 times per minute, you are experiencing between 2 and 4Gs.  Every single cell in your body is being squeezed or “massaged” and this is what activates the lymphatic system.

Bouncing invigorates the body, mind and spirit.  It oxygenates, detox, nourishes and allows nutrients to be more easily absorbed by the cells.  Humans, like everything and everyone else in nature, is made up of energy.  When you bounce, you are generating bio-electricity!  This makes you feel alive and, if you think about it, children laugh when they bounce!

Another benefit of bouncing is muscle toning.  As explained in the above paragraph, the pull between gravity and no-gravity.  Being on a trampoline, it doesn’t matter that your body weight doubles, coming down, because of the springs of the trampoline.  Keeping your knees slightly bent at all times, when you bounce, is important.  Together with the give-and-take of the trampoline and springs, rebounding puts no strain or stress on your joints (unlike jogging).  Everyone can rebound, regardless of health and age.  One can even place a wheelchair-bound person’s feet on the trampoline and get someone to bounce.  People suffering from arthritis, osteoarthritis and even those who had hip replacements, can benefit from bouncing.

Rebounding can also help with: 

Minimizing occurrence of colds, allergies and digestive problems;

It boosts your energy levels, aiding in concentration as well as sleep;

Tones the glandular system;

Strengthens the muscular / skeletal system;

Increases lung capacity for better breathing and establishes an equilibrium between available and oxygen needed by tissues;

Improves quality of sleep, relaxation and concentration / focus;

Helps the body to burn more calories during the resting metabolic rate, thus aids in weight problems;

Expands fuel storage-capacity (increase of mitochondria count within the muscle cells that is essential for endurance);

Aids in maintaining a more alkaline pH in the body (the more the body can get rid of toxins, the less chance for arthritis, gout and other acid-related health issues);

It protects the joints from chronic fatigue and injuries due to exercising on a hard surface;

It lowers cholesterol-levels, triglyceride-levels, pulse rate and blood pressure;

Improves circulation and assists in rehabilitation of heart problems (boosts red cells that carrier oxygen);

Promotes tissue repair and can slow down atrophy in the ageing process;

Brings relief to headaches, back pains and/or neck pains;

Improves balance and coordination (regardless of age).

Rebounding is just fantastic.  Two minutes is the equivalent of 6 minutes of running, 10 minutes of swimming and 22 minutes of walking!  A study was done a year or 2 ago.  One person was bouncing and another was running on a treadmill.  After only 30 minutes of bouncing, the person on the trampoline’s heart rate, oxygen levels and cardio-levels, were exactly the same as the person running on the treadmill for an hour! 

It is never too late and you are never too old, to start rebounding.  There are many kinds of trampolines on the market; some with a sidebar and others not.  Most of the mini-trampolines have got legs that can be taken off for easy storage.  Just make sure you are buying from a reputable brand, that it is good quality, that the frame is sturdy, the mats of high quality and the springs are strong.  If you have never done this before, start off slowly and find your rhythm.  Start with 2 or 5 minutes a day, then do it for longer as you get more used to it.  In the beginning you might have mild dizziness and/or “wobbly” legs, when getting off, as your body adapts to the G-force. 

Always breathe deep and slowly and stand still for a few seconds, before you get off the rebounder.  Remember to stretch afterwards (especially the legs) and drink water.  The water is important as it helps the lymphatic system (that was kickstarted by the bouncing), to flush out the waste and toxins.  Whether you just walk / mark on the rebounder, or bounce, always listen to your body.  No matter how long / short the first few sessions are, it is a start.  Soon enough, you will be bouncing without noticing the time!  I, for one, am very happy to see that it is coming back, because it works!

“Unlike our heart which pumps blood throughout our body, the lymphatic system does not have a specific pump of its own.  It relies on muscular contraction from movement and exercise, as well as gravitational pressure and deep breathing to work.  When we’re active, we pump it – when we sit, it slows right down.  Considering this, it becomes clear why there is so much sickness and disease in the world today.  Cars, computers and tv’s have literally turned us into sitting ducks!”