Trampolining, or rebounding as its commonly known, is the exercise trend that quietly bobs along in the background and every once in a while gets plunged into the Insta-famous limelight thanks to the likes of Eva Longoria, Goldie Hawn, and Gisele Bundchen.

Rebounding is no new phenomenon, back in 1979 Albert E. Carter espoused its benefits in his book, The Miracles of Rebound Exercis,e and NASA put it in the spotlight in the 80s when their researchers, looking at ways to prevent bone density loss in their astronauts, found it to be the ideal exercise.

Unlike running and jogging which involves high-impact on the joints, rebounding thanks to its bouncy landing is a low-impact exercise. Meaning less chance of stress injuries and may also help strengthen muscles around joints, giving you increased support and stability in daily movement.

Building up the confidence to bounce on a trampoline the size of a postage stamp is a coordination challenge in itself. However, once you get into the swing of it rebounding can help with proprioception and core strength; both useful for preventing falls in daily life. You can always start slow by stepping up and down on the trampoline as opposed to going full bounce from the off.

The beauty of rebounding is that it exercises multiple muscle groups at the same time, with the potential to improve strength and conditioning particularly in the lower body. The trampoline provides resistance when jumping, allowing for muscle contraction, and toning.

Up your rebounding game by adding handheld weights to your workout. A study in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation found that exercise intensity was significantly increased by pumping hand weights while rebounding, making it even more of a cardiovascular workout. If you’re worried about accidentally flinging them into the tv mid bounce, then try some wraparound wrist weights instead.

More about rebounding and local classes, in our February issue.

Words: Sally Dixon