How Long Should I Jump on a Trampoline to Lose Weight?

Discover what, when, and how jumping on a trampoline can help you burn more calories, melt excess body fat, and shed your body weight over time.  

You’ve heard about it. 

And you’ve wondered if it is true.  

You’ve heard that trampolining is a good workout. 

But, with all the fad advertising out there, you are right to want to find proof that jumping on a trampoline helps lose weight, as claimed. 

Or, perhaps you saw some trampoline weight loss before and after photos and decided to give it a try. But you’ve tried burning fat on a trampoline unsuccessfully. 

You wondered if that is all there is to it: a big joke. Or if you just need to know a little more about using a trampoline to tone your body. You got the feeling your trampoline weight loss routine could be the reason you are not losing as much weight as you’d anticipated. 

In this guide, we’ll provide you with evidence-based tips, tricks, and good ol’ truths so you can tell what works, what doesn’t, and choose what to do next hassle-free.

Throughout this guide, keep this in mind:

You need to keep your calorie intake deficit at over 500 per day and 3,500 calories per week to lose a pound of fat weekly. Then do your thing on your favorite fitness trampoline to start seeing results. 

Let’s dive in. 

Can you lose weight by jumping on a trampoline?

Here’s a quick question to answer before verifying if you can do that. 

Is jumping a good exercise, to begin with?

Jumping is a good workout for several reasons. One is the springing action it causes in multiple parts of your muscles, joints, and core. That means jumping can help strengthen your body overall as it adapts to provide you with lift, brain-body coordination, and safe landings.

Jumping jacks and jumping rope, for example, are also high-intensity exercises that burn many calories for every minute you do them. They’ll again rev up your heartbeat a lot sooner than many workout routines do. That’s great for burning calories.  

You’ll start sweating just a few minutes after getting onboard, a great sign you could be razing down excess body fat. 

Does jumping on a trampoline count as cardio?

Here’s the thing.

Bouncing on a trampoline is a lot like doing high-knee running in place. It is also a high-intensity workout that will get your heart rate up and running almost instantly. 

Trampolining combines the high-intensity benefits of conventional jumps and high-knee running in place with the cardio goodness of a raised heart rate and sweaty pants.  

But sweaty pants are no good if you are not burning the tummy fat, huh?

And that leads us to the connecting answer to how long you should jump on a trampoline to lose weight. 

Does jumping on a trampoline help burn fat?

Trampolining helps burn calories, and ultimately, body fat. High-intensity bouncing is an excellent way to get your aerobic and anaerobic workouts at home. And what’s proven to torch those extra pounds better than that combination? 

The aerobic bit also pops up because you have to pump your hands up and down consistently to maintain balance and keep up with the bouncing action for a good while. 

Yeah.  

But we’ll also drop some NASA science on this.

In its Journal of Applied Physiology, NASA reported that rebound exercise is the most effective and efficient exercise ever. 

According to the people responsible for maintaining astronauts’ health in out-of-this-world standards, bouncing on a trampoline is 68% more efficient at crucial parameters workout aspects such as oxygen intake, energy expenditure, coordination, and heart rate. 

But that was a 1970s report. Find out more modern findings in the next answer.    

Can trampolining help lose belly fat?

Bouncing works your abdominal muscles, which may help burn belly fat over time. To burn more belly fat, include more vigorous trampoline exercises per 30-minute session that target your abdominal section, such as ski, shuffle, and twists.

Besides, jumping on a trampoline works your leg, thigh, foot, and upper body muscles as well. And that can help burn more overall weight, which is always a plus for losing tummy fat. 

Some science, you ask?

Here comes:

• A 2016 American Council on Exercise report compared trampolining to biking at 14 miles per hour, running at 6 miles per hour on flat ground, or playing basketball, football, and ultimate Frisbee. 
• The study also showed rebound exercising for 20 minutes burns as many calories as running 6 miles per hour for 20 minutes. 
• In terms of increasing heart rate, oxygen use, and energy output, trampoline exercises can be more effective than jogging and running. 

Can you lose weight on a mini trampoline?

Mini trampoline rebound exercises are some of the best ways to workout for weight loss. It is a high-intensity trampoline workout for burning more calories and reducing body fat and overall weight. It is more effective than jogging, according to one study.

There’s more.

Bouncing on one also helps the body to improve coordination and balance. And, because the trampoline mat holds up your weight when you land, rebounding as a fitness program can help protect your joints from ground impact injuries. 

Still with us?

Like child-play, rebounding releases endorphins, the happy hormones that can help you beat nasty little habits for your weight loss plan, such as overindulgence in junk food.  

Something else. Mini trampolines are also great at-home workout equipment. 

You don’t have to run outdoors or to the gym to get started. Workout from home. It’s certainly a good habit for weight loss.

Oh, another thing.

A good mini trampoline will also keep stomping to a minimum, so your neighbors won’t even know what you are up to in there. That’s great when you want to tone that body in peace from the safety of your home.

How many calories do you burn jumping on a trampoline?

The precise number of calories you’ll lose from trampolining will depend on the intensity, duration, types of workouts, weight, and overall health. But as a pointer, expect to burn up between 372 calories (men) and 282 calories (women) per half hour of moderate-to-vigorous rebounding if you weigh between 150 and 200 pounds.

With that background at your fingertips, how long should you trampoline to burn body fat? 

How Long Should You Jump on a Trampoline to Lose Weight?

So, how often should you rebound?

If you’ve seen several trampoline weight loss before and after results, you may have noticed something consistent.

Different people could put in similar work but get different results.

No surprise there, huh?

That’s because a lot of factors can affect how you lose weight trampolining versus how somebody else would when using a similar trampoline weight loss routine. These include the type of fat you need to burn, current weight, diet, genetics, and consistency. 

But, not to worry, we have pointers for you. 

And, yes, we will not just pluck them from the top of our brains. 

Instead, we’ll use available science to help you figure out how long it takes to start losing weight by jumping on a trampoline–and more.

How long should you jump on a trampoline for a workout?

Start with 10 minutes per day, three times a week if you are new to trampoline exercises and overweight. Increase that to 15 minutes daily, three times a week the following week. Keep at that trampoline weight loss routine the next week if you feel out of breath or too sole. 

Aim to reach 30 to 40 minutes of exercising on a trampoline three times a week in the next 90 to 120 days. Alternatively, bounce 10-minute sessions up to three times a day for up to three days a week.  

You can advance to as active as 35-minute sessions daily for up to five days a week with time, consistency, and, of course, truckloads of fun at it.

Let’s see some science. Shall we?

A 2016 study wanted to test if working out on a mini-trampoline was more effective than running. It was an eight-week study. The participants weighed a mean 71.73 kilograms (158 pounds) and exercised in 30-minute sessions for six weeks and 35-minute sessions for the remaining two weeks. 

What were the results for the trampoline exercise group?

Pretty impressive, actually:

• Body fat decreased by 31.61%
• Bodyweight reduced by 0.56% (0.40 kilograms or almost 1 pound), which may indicate you could lose more body fat and weight if you weigh more than the participants but maintain a similar or more vigorous workout routine.

Sidenote: The trampoline workout group showed a significant reduction in body weight and fat than the running group (0.3 pounds and 20.3%, respectively). The more muscle you gain, the higher your likelihood of staying within a healthy weight, remember?

To do that, you can extend your trampoline exercise routine to at least 12 weeks. 

Why 12 weeks?

Well, it has to do with the findings of a 2018 study on the effects of mini-trampoline rebounding exercises on overweight Italian women.

The ladies were between the ages of 28 and 48 and their BMI between 25.7 and 29.7 kg/m2.

After 12 weeks, they showed improvements in their bodies’ glucose and lipids profiles. Those two are the hallmark indicators of burning calories and body fat, respectively.

But what if 12 weeks seem like a light year, and you just need to get started?

Start rebounding for 10 minutes daily.

How many calories do you burn jumping on a trampoline for 10 minutes?

The American Council on Exercise showed that, on average, men burn approximately 12.4 calories per minute of trampoline workout. The ACE also shared that women burn an average of about 9.4 calories per minute. That translates to about 124 and 94 calories for 10-minute rebounding sessions, respectively. 

But there’s more.

Trampoline games and exercises can help you burn more calories in 10 minutes than jogging at around 4 miles per hour for a mile. 

Rebounding can be a ridiculously good exercise for weight loss. 

Still, 10 minutes of rebounding on a fitness trampoline can help you build momentum. And that’s a great way to make a healthy weight management routine if you are just starting, haven’t been active in a while, or weigh over 180 pounds.   

Is jumping on a trampoline better than running on a treadmill for weight loss?

Trampolining for 20 minutes in moderate-intensity offers similar benefits to running for 20 minutes at 6 miles per hour. But vigorous rebounding can help you beat the weight loss benefits of running on a treadmill for a similar duration. That’s because bouncing uses more oxygen, triggers a higher heart rate, both of which lead to burning calories at a higher rate than treadmilling at the same intensity.  

So, yeah, trampolining beats running on a treadmill for weight loss. 

Can rebounding help tone your butt?

Yes, jumping on a trampoline activates your leg, thigh, and pelvic floor muscles, which will help tone your butt over time. Just be sure to dig into your heels while at it. That will spring your glutes into action as well. Try 30-minute routines such as alternating from jumping jacks to surf twists to knee pulls to regular bounce downs every two minutes, with minimal breaks in-between for good results.

Is it better to jump or run on a trampoline?

Jumping is better, safer, and more effective. The springing nature of a trampoline mat can make you lose balance if you try to run on even full-size trampolines. Small, rounded trampolines could bounce you out, primarily if they use springs. For the best results, add high-knee running routines into your trampoline workout routines.  

If you wonder how long you have to jump on a trampoline to equal a mile, try 35-minute sessions at moderate to high intensity.

Is it healthy to rebound daily?

Trampolining is a high-intensity workout routine so: 

• Prepare well for it if you are to avoid injuries and see weight loss benefits over time.
• Take breaks between sessions–minimal to keep your heart rate up. 
• Avoid jumping all together for at least a full day every week. That way, your body can have time to rest, recover, and grow lean muscle. 

That’s an essential process because the resulting muscle growth can help you burn more fat, shed more weight, and achieve both faster in the future. 

Another way to burn the most calories every time you jump on a trampoline is to take up the best trampoline exercises and games for weight loss. 

What are those, you ask?

What are the Best Trampoline Exercises for Losing Weight?

Jumping jacks aren’t the only exercise routine that’ll make losing weight jumping on a trampoline seem like child-play.

Feel free to start with 10-minute rebounding exercise sessions. 

Or, put in up to 35 minutes of moderate to high-intensity reps if you have more experience trampolining for weight loss. 

Oh, feel free to use 130 beats per minute playlists for these workouts. 

1. Vertical bounces

This one will be straightforward.

• Stand straight on the trampoline surface. 
• When jumping up, pump your hands overhead while keeping your legs together. 
• Land back to the same position.
• Repeat the reps for 2 to 3 minutes. If you want, hold a dumbbell to intensify the workout. Ensure your trampoline weight limit can hold the extra weight as well. 
• Proceed to the next trampoline workout after a short break, not allowing your heart rate to calm down to its regular pace.

2. Twists

Here’s one way to work your core, back, and upper body to manage your weight.

• Stand with your arms alongside your body and feet under your hips.
• As you jump up, turn both legs to the right as you twist your upper body to the opposite side (right).
• Then as you land back on the trampoline mat, return to the original posture.
• Repeat the jump, this time twisting your upper body to the left while turning your legs to the left.
• Repeat these steps for 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Jump to the next exercise with a minimal break to keep your heart rate up. 

3. Ski

This one should be fun.

• Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders. 
• Face your upper body forward as you jump up with your feet together while swiveling the feet, knees, and hips towards the opposite front-corner of the trampoline mat.
• Land on the left side of the trampoline.
• Now reverse the movement to land on the right side with hips, knees, and feet facing the front-corner of the side you just came from.
• Careful not to injure your lower body joints. 
• Quickly repeat those movements, alternating from side to side as in skiing. 
• Repeat the reps for 2 to 3 minutes. Take a short break and return for this next workout.   

4. Scissors

Here’s how to do this high-intensity option.

• Stand with your feet directly under your hips.
• With hips square, and a slight bend in both knees, start by hopping one foot forward and the other behind you. 
• At the same time, swing your arms back and forth as if running. The faster, the better. 
• Now reverse your legs’ positions as you jump up with arms swinging on the sides. 
• Repeat the exercise for 2 to 3 minutes.
• At this point, take some time out if you need it.

FAQs

How much trampolining is too much?

If jumping on a trampoline makes you so sore that you can’t reliably keep your balance, stop and take a break. If it makes you run out of breath, see a licensed physician. He or she will help you find out if jumping on a fitness trampoline is your healthiest option for burning excess body fat.  

Is jumping on a trampoline a good workout for the pelvic floor?

The top trampoline workouts we listed earlier have been shown to improve pelvic floor health over time. Safe rebounding can help firm up the muscles that support the pelvic region, running down to the thighs and legs.   

Is jumping on a trampoline terrible for your knees?

To protect your knees from trampoline-related injuries, observe the trampoline safety tips we’ve covered here. Avoid any exercise that you are not familiar with yet, such as backflips and somersaults. 

What is the best trampoline size for weight loss?

Many fitness trampolines come in a mini rebounder package. That’s not to mean your 12-foot backyard trampoline can’t do weight loss workouts. Small trampolines are top-rated in-home fitness equipment for people who want to exercise indoors, probably at odd hours.

Conclusion

It is not a myth. 

Rebounding helps burn enough calories to lose weight over time. 

Research shows jumping on a trampoline for 35 minutes, three times a week, and for up to 12 weeks can help you slim, tone your body, and strengthen it. 

And, if you want to see more results in a shorter duration, include several high-intensity trampoline exercises in your sessions. 

High-intensity workouts can help you burn more calories than you are taking in. So, together with maintaining a 500-calorie deficit daily, jumping on a trampoline is one way to burn excess body fat, tone your waist, butt, legs, and shed overall body weight.   

Happy trampolining!