Rebounding for All Ages: Rebounder Workouts to Suit Your Needs and Goals

Let’s talk about … jumping! On a trampoline, that is. Rebounding is essentially a form of exercise where a person jumps on a small indoor trampoline designed for fitness purposes. Usually fitness rebounders come with bungee cords instead of regular springs, making the bounce feel different from a bounce on a garden trampoline. Popular rebounders for sale can be found on various online stores; fitness rebounders from brands such as JumpSport and ACON have gained in popularity over the recent years.

But, while it’s good to invest in a great quality rebounder, that is only half of the story. What you really should be interested in are the benefits and actual exercises! In this article, you can expect to:

Learn the top 3 rebounding benefits for kids, adults and seniors
Find out the most suitable exercises for all levels
Understand about possible health conditions and limitations for rebounding

Let’s jump into it!

Rebounding Benefits for Various Age Groups

While some rebounding benefits are common to all age groups, there are definitely some differences in how exercising on a fitness rebounder can improve your health depending on your age. Below, we’ve explained what type of benefits one can expect at a certain age with rebounding.

Children and teens (4 – 19 years)

When it comes to children and teens, it really is all about introducing them to love fitness and healthy lifestyle. As it is well-known, adults who have not been active in their childhood tend to struggle more in finding joy in exercising, leading to sedentary lifestyle choices which have an impact on their health.

The most important benefits for children and teens are following:

Improvement of coordination and balance. This is a major one. Rebounders provide a bouncy yet not too unstable platform where especially small children can challenge and explore their balancing skills. The necessity of using both hands and legs at the same time will also teach children coordination skills.
Decrease in mental load. As the school environment becomes more competitive, the mental load and stress increases even in small children. What is more, many hobbies are nowadays very competitive, leading to even more doubt and uncertainty in yourself. With rebounding, kids can feel confident in themselves and release their energy in a sensible way.
Helps with learning. Exercise and any kind of physical activity is known to support children’s learning abilities and skills. Yet, in the age of the digitized world, it’s more and more challenging for parents to get their children to engage in physical activities. But not when it comes to jumping on a trampoline. The bouncy, light feeling attracts kids to explore their physical abilities in a fun, easily accessible way.

These are only some of the many rebounding benefits for kids. For instance, in case your child or teen struggles with weight-related concerns, trampoline jumping is great for fitness. It supports cardiovascular health and allows them to shed a few pounds without the risk of you putting too much mental load and stress on the kid in terms of weight loss.

Adults (20 – 60 years)

As we become adults, staying fit becomes more goal-oriented for many. We get (sometimes too) serious about fitness and set various numerical and other targets that we want to achieve. Yet, this leads sometimes to an unhealthy relationship with exercising. Rebounding is different in that yes, it definitely brings out results, but it also releases happy hormones and reminds us of the joy we felt when we were just kids.

Here are three rebounding benefits for adults:

Improve cardiovascular health. As expected, rebounding is first and foremost about cardio. As you jump, your heart rate goes up, stimulating blood flow and strengthening the heart muscle. By training on a regular basis, you can expect to lengthen your endurance and stay longer periods without getting out of breath.
Gain muscle mass. Many of us think that trampoline fitness is only great for cardio. But that’s not exactly true. Rebounding requires you to keep a stable core throughout the workout, whereas constant squatting works on quads and glutes. Moreover, intermediate and advanced workout programs tend to incorporate moves such as planks and v-sit ups to the program, making it more challenging to the core.
Stimulate lymphatic system. Rebounding is known for its lymphatic drainage benefits. Even a short 10-15 minute rebounding session can help you get those body fluids moving!

Other common benefits for adults are greatly linked to weight management. While cardio is often considered as the less fun part of the exercise routine (30 minutes on a treadmill just isn’t that great, admit it), jumping on a trampoline is definitely sure to boost your mood.

Middle-age Adults and Seniors (60+ years)

As we get to those middle-age years and after, exercising in a safe way is necessary in order to keep ourselves as fit as possible for as long as possible. This is where a rebounder trampoline can help. Rebounding is known to be one of the best low-impact exercises, making it a great alternative to, for example, swimming or other low-impact sports.

Here are some benefits listed:

Improve blood circulation. Rebounding on a trampoline stimulates increased blood flow throughout your body. This helps to eliminate toxins and waste, while providing your muscles with the energy they need. The improved circulation leads to reduced pain and soreness.
Maintain good balance and coordination. Rebounder workouts are especially beneficial for this reason. They improve and maintain our balance and stability, therefore minimizing the risk of falling and thus, injuries. At older age, a broken bone heals much slower, thus minimizing the risks of falling by having excellent balance is key.
Stay mobile. The less we move, the less mobile we become. This is especially true as we get older. Being able to move without major pain is key in staying confident and independent, especially for the elderly.

Other benefits include gaining muscle mass, weight management, lymphatic drainage and, of course, the mental aspect of enjoying rebounding.

Suitable Trampoline Exercises for Each Skill Level

While age has an impact on what kind of moves and exercises you should be doing on a rebounder, what matters more is the skill level. You can be a pro-level rebounding enthusiast at 65 or a very beginner taking first baby steps to rebounding at just 20. Therefore, we’ve listed popular exercises based on skill level rather than grouping them to various age categories.

Beginner-friendly exercises include moves that either do not jump off the mat at all or moves where the jump is not very high. These moves are also often the base for more complex exercises, so it’s worth taking time to learn the basic moves.

Intermediate-level moves include moves such as twists, squats and X-jumps. They are popular moves for getting your heart rate up and for burning calories. In many rebounding exercise videos, these moves are often combined with beginner level moves for cool down periods.

Beginner-friendly exercises

High knee walk. This is exactly what it sounds like. Get on the rebounder and put your hands on the handlebar for extra support. Take a few steps to position yourself nicely and then begin walking by raising your knees as high as you comfortably can. This is a great move to get used to the bounce; also great for a warm-up or cooldown!
Small squats. Squats are at the core of any trampoline jumping – that’s what rebounding really is in the end! Therefore, it’s a must to get used to the movement. Again, use your handlebar for extra support, if possible. Place your legs closer to the edges of the mat and start lowering yourself. See where it’s comfortable and push only if you feel sure about it.
Basic jumps. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s a crucial move to get it right! All intermediate and advanced jumps are based on performing the basic jump well, so take your time and do your best in nailing that basic jump right. If you feel confident, you can challenge yourself by jumping a bit higher while still keeping the jumps balanced and controlled.

Intermediate-level exercises

Sprint. Stand on your fitness rebounder with your feet shoulder width apart. Take a few lighter steps; try jogging first. Then, start lifting your knees higher up in a fast tempo. Make sure you are using your hands, too, to get the momentum. Sprint for 30-60 seconds, take a short breather and repeat.
Twists. This is a fun one! Basically, the idea is to move your legs and arms in the opposite direction when jumping. Twist your lower body to the right while simultaneously moving your hands to the left. Then, repeat to the opposite direction on the next jump. If this seems to be too much, you can start by twisting only your lower body while keeping your hands on the handlebar.
Squat jumps. Go into the squat position and place your hands onto the handlebar. Start making small bounces first to gain momentum and then jump up explosively. When coming back down, go all the way to the squat position to continue to the next jump.

Exercises for advanced rebounders

Ski jumps. This requires a bit more coordination to execute, so start slowly. When doing this exercise, imagine that you are an alpine skier coming down the hill. First, go to the right (or left) side of the trampoline mat. Then, jump to the other side with feet tightly pressed together. Do not lock your knees while doing ski jumps! Then, use your hands to emphasize the movement. Do fast ski jumps from side to side to get your heart rate up.
Knees to chest. Simple, yet effective. Now, it’s time to see how high you can jump on your rebounder trampoline! Place your feet shoulder width apart and start jumping as high as you can. While jumping, bring your knees to chest or as close as possible. Use the handlebar to jump even higher safely.
Floor to rebounder jumps. For true advanced rebounders only. In this jump, you’ll start the jump from the floor. Then, squat slightly and use your arms to jump onto the rebounder. Then, step slowly back down to the floor and repeat. This is a killer move!

Addressing health conditions and limitations

Overall, rebounding is a form of fitness that suits most people. Yet, you should always check with your health care provider if you have any doubt. Here are some conditions and other limitations that you may want to consider:

Joint issues. While rebounding, like any low-impact exercise form, is known to be generally good for those who are not able to do high-impact exercises, you might want to consult your doctor if your joint pain or condition is severe. Always start with small bounces and never overdo the rebounding exercises if you feel pain or otherwise uncomfortable.
Vertigo or motion sickness. While you can certainly develop and improve your balance with a rebounder, it’s no good if you tend to feel dizzy or get lightheaded often. Again, check with your doctor, if necessary.
Pregnancy. In general, pregnancy shouldn’t be an issue for rebounding; in fact, many pregnant women enjoy the bounce and find relief in it. However, make sure to not overdo the exercises and listen to your body carefully.

And that’s it! If this inspired you to start rebounding, then good for you. Remember to find workouts with exercises that are suitable for fitness and skill level or do your own fitness routine by combining moves that you prefer. What is better than making an exercise routine tailored just for you!