Rebound your way to better health

Living life to the full as a working woman, full time Mum and social butterfly can eventually start to take its toll. Too little sleep, and not nearly enough time for your body to recover, can leave you feeling low and lethargic. So what can be done to combat this feeling, without losing out on life? The answer is simple: exercising on a mini trampoline, or Rebounding.

In the 1970s Albert E. Carter, who was an Olympic wrestler, trampolinist and medical journalist, noticed that the people who did trampolining with him were physically fitter, more energised and generally healthier than the other athletes he was in contact with. This inspired him to find out more about how the exercise worked. He quickly discovered that little research had been done on the subject and so set about researching it himself. What he discovered made him realise that a new piece of equipment was needed and he went to Hong Kong to have it made.

Justine McFarlane, who is a lymphologist and co-founder of ReboundSA, explains that “The reason a mini trampoline is used rather than a normal outdoor one is because the faster bounce increases lymph drainage, a better aerobic workout can be achieved, and it is safer.” Rebounding will keep you feeling and looking young and vital and here’s how:

The Lymphatic system

Rebounding is a full body detox in that, with every jump, you stimulate your lymphatic system which carries all the toxins out of your body. The lymphatic system plays a large part in our immune system collecting and removing waste, toxins and infections from all the tissues in the body. When this system is not working effectively these toxins pool around the tissues and become a breeding ground for infection. When working effectively, one way valves open and close flushing the body of toxins and so, the more effectively it works, the healthier you feel. Each bounce also ‘massages’ every single cell helping to flush out those toxins and let valuable nutrients in.

The G-Force Effect

In a study done by NASA it was noticed that one of the negative effects of zero gravity on Astronauts was a loss of bone density and muscle mass. Subjecting the weakened blood cells to increased gravity showed a marked increase in the strength of the cells. Rebounding increases the gravitational force on the body thus causing the cells to strengthen. Justine emphasises that the effect is on every organ, muscle, tissue and bone cell in the body, meaning that rebounding is a whole body work out that will improve everything from skin elasticity to bone density.

Stress Busting

Remember, as a child, jumping on the bed, squealing with laughter. Jumping is fun! Rebounding increases the production of red blood cells which carry oxygen round the body. The more oxygenated our cells the more revitalised we feel and thereby the less stressed we are. It also increases the release of endorphins into the body which enhances the body’s relaxation response.

Ageless

Rebounding knows no social, physical or age boundaries. Getting children involved in rebounding can help lead to a prolonged positive attitude to exercise and healthy living. Rebounding has also proved to be indispensable in the rehabilitation of people with all sorts of health problems and, since many rebounders come with a stability bar, even those who are unsteady on their feet or who suffer from arthritis and other debilitating conditions, can benefit from rebounding. Companies around South Africa are starting to see the benefits as they encourage their workers to jump for just 2 minutes every couple of hours, on company rebounders, to increase their energy levels and keep them healthy.

Time efficient and portable

Rebounding is something that can easily be done from the comfort of your own home. The trampoline takes up less than a meter of space and can be folded and packed neatly into a carry case. So, even with very little time to spare, it is easy to set up your trampoline and start rebounding. And time spent is not a defining factor. Whether you bounce for 4 minutes a few times a day, forty minutes five times a week or anything in between, valuable cell strengthening and lymph drainage will occur.

Getting started

According to Justine, it is important to have the right equipment. “There are different types of mini trampolines to choose from,” says Justine, “many of the commercial ones have springs which are too short, creating a jarring effect on the body at the bottom of the bounce, so it is important to ensure you get the right one.” Justine says that once you experience rebounding on a quality piece of equipment you will never look back. So in order to get started all you have to do is get hold of a quality rebounder and get bouncing.

An all over workout

Rebounding is an extremely effective form of exercise. Justine explains that the reason rebounding is so phenomenal is because it is the only exercise that works organs, such as the kidney or pancreas, and bones as well as everything else: “you won’t find a machine for that at the gym!”

Jumping on a trampoline improves all over muscle tone and, because it requires balance, as soon as you start on your rebounder, you will engage your core muscles, which will help tighten your tummy. Another great exercise to tighten up those abs is the belly bounce: sit on the rebounder, raise your feet off the floor, arms above your head and bounce.

There are different levels of exercise that can be done on a rebounder and the greatest benefits come from a low vertical bounce. Justine says “You will benefit tremendously from the health bounce, which involves gently bouncing while your feet remain on the mat, but can extend your workout to include all types of aerobics, jogging or dancing for great toning and weight loss. With your highest bounce of no more than about 15cm, you can raise arms above your head to increase the aerobic effect.” Using your arms will ensure that they are not forgotten when it comes to toning and, since bouncing on your legs is the name of the game, they also will tone and strengthen easily.

Justine also emphasises its benefits for people who are physically unable to do normal exercise: “Buddy bouncing is a great way of helping people who are too weak or ill to stand on the rebounder: the person sits on the mat and their Buddy gently bounces behind them giving their lymphatic system all the benefits of bouncing themselves.”

Rebounding also has far reaching benefits when it comes to the cardiovascular system. Strong legs take a lot of pressure off the heart which reduces the chance of cardiovascular disease. By increasing the heart rate it makes the heart beat stronger, thus pumping more blood with every beat, so reducing blood pressure and lowering the resting pulse rate, which once again takes pressure off the heart. Rebounding also increases the capacity of the lungs helping to draw in more oxygen and expel more carbon dioxide. And, if that is not enough to make you want to get your hands on one, rebounding is a highly effective weight loss work out too. This is a workout for your whole body!

Safety

As with any exercise it is wise to consult your doctor if you have had any back or neck surgery for example, or have any other health issues that preclude normal exercise. Though Justine has had many pregnant women bouncing throughout pregnancy it is important to know what type of bounce to do, and if there are any complications to consult your doctor first.

So if you are looking for something quick and easy with visible and tangible results, rebounding is definitely for you. You will look, feel and actually be younger with an overall health and well being, body detoxing, strength and toning, weight loss inducing, enjoyable exercise routine that’s fit for everyone.

For more information and to get yourself a rebounder, information book and exercise DVD, contact Justine at ReboundSA on 0116823584 or email [email protected]

Rebounders can also be purchased from many of the major sports retailers such as Total Sports, as well as Makro and Game.