LOADING

Type to search

Rebounding Can Help You Bounce Your Way to Lower Stress

RKMD Blog 6 years ago

Many fitness centers have one or two pieces of equipment, that look like miniature trampolines, but you do not often see people using them.  The ambiguous piece of equipment looks like it is there for fun, rather than for fitness benefit, unless you have heard about rebounding. Can you really bounce your way to better fitness, lower stress, improved bone density and other wellness benefits? We will explain more about this type of exercise, how it helps to strengthen muscles and burn fat, and reveal some great reasons to consider buying one for your home, and how to incorporate rebounding into your weekly wellness activities.

The Horizontal Plane and Your Health

We spend more than 90% of our day, moving within what health experts call “the horizontal plan”.  Sedentary activities like sitting at a desk, or reclining while you watch television, driving a car, or even flat surface walking, engage very few muscles.  Your body was engineered to move, almost constantly, and contemporary lifestyle habits predispose us to increased chronic health risks, when we choose to be sedentary.  Our bodies are moving daily, limited to a predictable transverse plane.  Unless employed in a physically demanding job, the average American stands, or sits straight up, without much bending, moving of the torso, or squatting, utilizing the full range of leg, arm, shoulder and back muscles.  Walking on a treadmill for instance, offers excellent cardiovascular benefit, but from a circulatory, bone and muscle use requirement, only provides a fraction of the movement our bodies require to achieve and sustain good health.

How to Safely Use a Mini Trampoline for Rebounding

Before you grab your phone, turn on your favorite playlist and start jumping, there are a few ways to safely prepare for this new and fun way of exercising. A fitness trainer will tell you, that conditioning requires a rotation of exercises, that fully activate all the muscle groups in the body.  It is not just about burning calories, and strengthening the heart, but you must make sure you are moving every day, in a way that benefits your whole body.

There are two ways to use a mini trampoline for rebounding.  For a low impact method (good for individuals with joint, weight or muscular considerations), your feet do not need to leave the ground at all.  Simply stand on the trampoline with feet evenly spaced, and use thigh and knee muscles to bend, and raise the body.  Moving the arms (with or without free weight resistance) is a great way to get a workout.  For low impact, limit your rebounding to 15 minutes or less.

The second way involves putting some air between your running shoes and the trampoline, but avoid large bounces that feel ‘out of control’, to avoid injury.  The key with a high-impact rebounding session, is to keep jumping at a sustainable pace, elevating no more than 7 inches from the trampoline surface.  Count your paces, and aim for at least 45 minutes of jumping to enjoy muscle building and circulatory health benefits.

Reduces Hypertension and Post-Exertion Blood Pressure Levels

If you have hypertension, speak with your physician first about rebounding as a therapeutic exercise, and follow your primary care providers advice.  If you can safely participate in the activity, scientific studies have reported many important benefits, for individuals with hypertension.  Rebounding is also an effective and healthy cool down exercise, after your workout, to help your body restore healthy blood pressure levels.   Don’t forget to hydrate, as water helps to quickly return blood pressure rates to normal levels.

Provides Pain Relief from Joint Inflammation

For individuals with joint inflammation like arthritis, finding an exercise that is comfortable, can be difficult.  Low impact activities on a hard surface, can still be painful.  Rebounding is an excellent alternative because the soft surface of the trampoline helps to absorb impact shock, while allowing the individual to enjoy the health benefits of a full body workout (if gentle arm exercises are incorporated).

Supports Healthy Thyroid Functioning

Did you know that bouncing on a trampoline, can help improve thyroid functioning?  One of the most exciting benefits (which also helps improve sleep, alertness and even weight loss) is the positive impact that rebounding has for individuals who have hypo or hyperthyroid issues.  According to the American Thyroid Association (ATA), more than 20 million Americans are currently diagnosed with a thyroid issue, and women are five to eight times more likely to develop a thyroid dysfunction, compared to men.   About 1 in every 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder in their lifetime.

The motion during rebounding, stimulates all the internal organs, including the intestines, and helps to move spinal and aqueous eye fluids (offering some benefit to eyesight).   The G-force that is experienced during rebounding helps to propel T-lymphocytes and macrophages (immune cells), offering a direct benefit to strengthen the overall immune system.  It improves messaging within the circulatory system, and helps stabilize and regulate thyroid functioning.

Promotes Better Quality Sleep

Inconsistent or poor quality of sleep, presents a larger health risk than many people realize.  Ask anyone who engages in daily aerobic exercise, and they will tell you that if they stop, or take a break, restless sleep can start to occur.  Is it a reminder from the complex biology of the human body, that we need to move every day for good health?  Rebounding boosts red blood cell production, improving the oxygenation of the body.   It provides pain and inflammatory relieve, and increases respiratory functioning.  Add those three important facets together, and you may start to enjoy longer, deeper and more relaxing restorative sleep every night. Discover the link between your sleep habits and your immune system.

Remember to consult your primary care provider and physician, before making any radical changes to your exercise routine.  Your doctor can advise you if rebounding is a safe way to augment your current fitness activities.    If working out at the gym is not your favorite thing, and you are looking for a new way to add an easy exercise activity to your day, consider rebounding at home.  A small portable trampoline can be placed in a common area like a living room, and you can even do it while watching tv, or listening to a podcast or e-book.  It’s easy and fun (and your body will thank you).Hydrate wisely, and avoid sugary carbonated beverages or high-sodium energy drinks.

Since all aerobic activities increase free radicals (due to muscle use and other metabolic reactions to exertion), consider Glutathione Rapid Boost™.  Dr. Keller’s nutritional energy drink provides vitamin and mineral support, to help your body increase glutathione (antioxidants) to combat and reduce free radicals, for improved wellness.

 

 

Tags:

You Might also Like

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *