The Health Benefits of Trampoline Excercise

Jumping on the trampoline is perhaps the best exercise ever devised by man. The simple rhythmic up and down motion due to gravity, engages every muscle and stimulates every cell producing amazing healing and rejuvenating effects. And it is fun! Children are more attuned to their body and they jump and skip instinctively. Have we adults, become too down-to-earth for our good?

How does jumping work?

Jumping on the trampoline or rebounding has unique benefits compared to other forms of exercise. It involves increasing our G-force which is the force created on the body as a result of gravity. When you jump on the trampoline, there is an acceleration and deceleration that happens on each jump. All 638 muscles alternately flex and relax, toning the whole muscular system.

Many types of exercise are done to target specific muscles, but this is the only activity that exercises every part of the body. Your feet don’t have to leave the trampoline. Simple bounces yield tremendous benefits. The higher the jump, the greater the G-force is exerted to bring the jumper back to the mat, so that each muscle and cell are impacted in a stronger way.

Is it a big deal to exercise every part of the body?

Imagine a fractured arm in a cast. After a prolonged period of inactivity, the mended arm is weak and emaciated and considerably smaller and less functional than the other arm. A lack of exercise for any part of the body compromises its function and ultimately undermines the health of the whole body. When you jump on the trampoline, every cell and every muscle is subjected to very beneficial mechanical stresses due to the forces of acceleration, deceleration and gravity, resulting in strength and vitality.

Ten Health Benefits Of Jumping On the Trampoline

1. Jumping helps to increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis

Regular rebounding helps to increase bone density and maintain bone mass for older adults.  It is effective in preventing osteoporosis. Bones have the ability of becoming stronger under stress and weaker when there is no stress. The best way to do this is to work against gravity. Astronauts can lose up to 15% of their bone and muscle mass just 14 days in space at zero gravity. Rebounding is NASA’s main strategy to help rebuild bones and reverse osteoporosis in astronauts.

When you jump on a trampoline, the entire body shares the G-force impact. Unlike most exercises, rebounding strengthens the bones and muscles without the risks of injuries to weight bearing joints such as the knees, ankles, hips and back.

2. Jumping strengthens every cell in the body

Rebounding effectively causes all 37 trillion cells in the body to move up and down. The stress of gravity and G-force on each individual cell causes it to adjust to the increased load by becoming stronger, thereby increasing cell energy and mitochondrial function. Cellular health is so fundamental to our total health. When cells malfunction, they become susceptible to DNA damages. Mutated cells are precursors to chronic and degenerative diseases. When each cell is functioning optimally and harmoniously, constitutional strength and robust health is the inevitable result.

3. Jumping helps the body to detoxify by enhancing lymphatic circulation

Jumping on the trampoline cleanses your lymphatic system which helps remove toxins from the body. We are living in an unprecedented time when we are constantly exposed to large amounts of environmental pollutants and toxins in our food, air and water. Good health hinges on our body’s ability to eliminate these toxins effectively. A highly toxic body can lead to frequent infections and serious metabolic conditions such as cancers. Our lymphatic system plays an important role in detoxification.

Unlike the circulatory system which has a heart to pump blood throughout the body, the lymphatic system does not have a pump and depends on body movements to circulate. Because the lymphatic fluid flows in an upward direction, the vertical movements of jumping on the trampoline are more effective in pumping lymph fluid, than horizontal motion exercises such as walking and running. Thus, regular rebounding facilitates body detoxification to maintain a highly functioning and youthful body.

4. Jumping enhances immunity to ward off infections and prevent diseases

It has been shown that increased G-force helped increase human lymphocyte activity. Lymphocytes are specialized white blood cells that defend the body against illnesses and diseases by destroying invading viruses and bacteria as well as cancerous cells. 10 minutes of rebounding triples the number of white blood cells which remain elevated for up to an hour after that. The lymphatic system transports these immune cells throughout the body to enhance immune function, which is our body’s first line of defense. A strong immune system helps to ward off infections and prevent diseases. In her book, A Simple Approach to Cancer, author Linda Brooks wrote that rebounding aids in reducing cancerous tumors due to its detoxifying and immune boosting effects.

5. Jumping improves digestion and gut health

Jumping on a trampoline helps with digestion because the rhythmic up-down motion stimulates the contraction and relaxation of muscles that make up the digestive tract. Improved digestive peristalsis means the body is able to process and absorb nutrients more efficiently. This will help address nutritional deficiencies which are so prevalent among people with compromised digestive systems. When the body receives the nutrients it needs, it would have the necessary materials for self healing and rejuvenation. Moreover, activated peristaltic waves in the intestines allow food to pass through more quickly and wastes to be released, eliminating constipation.

6. Jumping improves posture, balance and coordination

Jumping on the trampoline helps improve balance, coordination and posture by stimulating your ocular nerves and inner ear canal. Regular rebounding conditions the body to react quickly, which is a valuable skill. A 14-week Brazilian study concluded that trampoline exercises increased the ability of elderly subjects to recover their balance during a fall. This is a big help, because a fall for an elderly may result in a life changing bone fracture or head injury. Another interesting study in Australia found that rebounding was significant in helping athletes with ankle sprains to improve balance. Over time, rebounding also improve spinal alignment which helps to relieve joint, back and neck pain.

7. Jumping strengthens eye muscles for better eyesight

Jumping on the trampoline also helps strengthen your ocular nerves and eye muscles due to the effects of increased G-force on every part of the body. Singapore is world’s number one in myopic rate among our young. In fact myopia, or nearsightedness has reached alarming proportions in many parts of East Asia. Many factors may have contributed to the trend, but we can combat weak eyesight by regular rebounding. Eyes are semi-muscular organs that must be exercised like any other muscle in the body. Without exercise, the eye lenses can get out of shape just like the other parts of our body. Rebounding helps to stimulate the cells of the eye lenses to restore their original shape and function.

8. Jumping increases lung capacity and oxygen intake

One of NASA’s landmark research studies shows that jumping on the trampoline increases cellular oxygenation. Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for the human body. Jumping helps circulate oxygen throughout the body to increase energy. A highly oxygenated body is inhospitable to disease germs and rogue cells, which are anaerobic, meaning they cannot survive in a highly oxygenated environment. Regular jumping on the trampoline energies your body and increases its resistance against colds, flus and other diseases.

9. Jumping aids in weight loss

Jumping on the trampoline has been proven to increase your metabolic rate, and help to keep your weight down. Your metabolic rate remains elevated for up to 24 hours after you get off your trampoline. Rebounding is an extremely efficient calorie burner. Because of its many health benefits, it is a good exercise to incorporate into your weight loss plan. Improved lymphatic circulation which aids elimination of waste and toxins, also helps you to attain your weight loss goals quickly.

10. Jumping improves mental capacity and promotes mental health

Frequent rebounding improves blood circulation. This allows an abundance of fresh oxygen to the brain, promoting mental sharpness and focus. Cross patterning activities on the trampoline, where movement performed on one side of the body is repeated on the other side, enhances communications between to the 2 hemispheres of the brain. This improves mental capacity and is known to help children with reading and writing.

Jumping on the trampoline also imparts a sense of well being. It triggers the release of endorphin, the “feel good” hormones to lift your moods, and to promote optimism and self confidence.

Jumping is for everyone!

Jumping on the trampoline is so simple, anyone can do it. Gentle bouncing without leaving the trampoline mat provides all the health benefits of rebounding and is suitable for the young and the convalescing.

Jump4Fitness is an aerobics rebounding program designed to improve the health of your heart and to strengthen every part of your body. It is created to bring your health and fitness to the next level! Join our Jump4Fitness class today!

Reference:

1.     Cogoli A, Valluchi M, Reck J, Müller M, Briegleb W, Cordt I, Michel C.: Human lymphocyte activation is depressed at low-g and enhanced at high-g.  1979 Dec;22(6):S29-30  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/545374

2.     Aragão FA1, Karamanidis K, Vaz MA, Arampatzis A.: Mini-trampoline exercise related to mechanisms of dynamic stability improves the ability to regain balance in elderly. 2011 Jun;21(3):512-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2011.01.003. Epub 2011 Feb 8.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21306917

3.     Bhattacharya A, McCutcheon EP, Shvartz E, Greenleaf JE.: Body acceleration distribution and O2 uptake in humans during running and jumping. 1980 Nov;49(5):881-7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7429911

4.     Kidgell DJ1, Horvath DM, Jackson BM, Seymour PJ.: Effect of six weeks of dura disc and mini-trampoline balance training on postural sway in athletes with functional ankle instability. 2007 May;21(2):466-9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17530947