Pros and Cons of Trampoline Exercise

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Is it advisable to continue exercising on the trampoline? Is it safe for both adults and kids to jump on it? Read on to find out the truth.

You might be wondering, is a trampoline exercise worth it?

Or, why not just jog or do some pushups indoors instead?

Both adults and kids bounce on a trampoline for two significant reasons: fun and fitness.

Matter of fact, jumping on a trampoline is 68% more effective than running.

That’s a pretty high efficacy level, but are trampoline exercises suitable for everyone?

That’s the mystery we seek to unravel in this article.

Spoiler: You might start jumping on the nearest trampoline or tell the kids to jump after reading this article.

So, stick with us.

But first things first…

Is Exercising on a Trampoline Good for You?

Absolutely. Rebounding can burn similar amounts of calories as jogging or running.

Research has proven that trampoline exercises positively affect the trabecular bone structure, bone size, and bone strength.

Do you mind about the kids’ mental well-being?

Well, kids, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, are the unsung heroes.

They have indeed experienced immense changes at such a young age, and despite all that, they continue to exhibit an abundance of creativity and the will to learn.

Exercising your body with trampolines has been proven to improve your mental health and develop a good mood. 

Here’s how:

Trampolining releases endorphins; positive mood-enhancing hormones secreted when exercising. This feel-good hormone also helps calm the feeling of anxiety and depression.

And there’s no better way to encourage your kids to fitness than with trampolines. As they jump up and down, they free their minds and feel a sense of freedom.

But wait, there’s more.

Trampoline exercises improve balance and coordination, increase endurance, are low-impact, increase leg strength, improve cardiovascular health, and relieve stress.

Pros of Trampoline Exercise

1. Burns a Lot of Calories

Exercising on a trampoline can burn as many calories as running.

In a recent study, men were found to burn on average 12.4 calories per minute when rebounding, while women were found to burn 9.4 calories per minute. This same study also tracked the subjects’ body-fat percentages.

After training for eight weeks, the trampoline jumpers’ body-fat percentage decreased by 31.61% on average, while those who ran had a decrease of 20.3%.

This shows that if you want to begin trampoline exercises to torch those undesired calories in your body, dive into it headfirst.

2. Improves Balance and Coordination

You may lose control of your legs a bit and fall or stumble while rebounding for the first time. But, with continued practice, you should gain sharp body balance and coordination.

Trampoline exercises train you to discover your center of gravity fast.

While bouncing, you’ll land at different angles. This means you’ll have to readjust your body to land correctly, thereby improving your body balance and coordination.

3. Increases Endurance

According to studies, trampoline workouts may increase endurance more than running does.

In the study, one group of subjects exercised on a trampoline while another ran for eight weeks.

When their VO2max was compared, the subjects that exercised on the trampoline showed an increase of 7.82%, while the subjects who ran showed an increase of 3.05%.

If you are an athlete looking to condition your body and perform better and longer, trampoline exercises should help you get there.

4. Low-Impact

If you’re thinking exercising on a trampoline causes stress on your joints, you couldn’t be more wrong! 

Reason? Trampolines are low-impact.

They absorb most of the shock that your feet and legs might be exposed to during exercises, reducing its impact.

But that’s not all. Exercising on a trampoline also:

5. Increases Leg Strength

Trampoline exercises increase leg strength as much as traditional resistance training programs do.

A study conducted on one group of subjects trained at a trampoline park and another trained at the gym on resistance exercises such as lunges and leg presses proved that exercising on a trampoline is beneficial.

Here’s the exciting part:

After six weeks of training, subjects from both groups gained similar dynamic balance and leg strength.

Trampoline exercises aim at a wide range of muscles such as your back, glutes, core, hamstrings, and thighs. 

If you want to strengthen your arms, keep in mind that you have to incorporate medicine balls or wrist weights; otherwise, trampoline exercises don’t strengthen them any much.

Cons of Trampoline Exercise

1. Prices Can Be High

Trampoline prices can get expensive, depending on what you’re looking for.

You can get a solid rebounder for about 100$-200$. But, more giant trampolines may cost more than that. Springless trampolines cost thousands of dollars, but that cost is justified – they are safe to use.

Some full-size trampolines equipped with safety nets go for about 600$ or even more, which isn’t very affordable. If you desire the safer in-ground trampolines, be ready to spend a few thousand dollars.

You don’t want to miss this next part:

Owning a trampoline could lead to increasing your homeowner’s insurance.

Risk probability is one of the factors that are looked at when determining insurance covers. With this in mind, and the insurance companies believing that trampolines pose a potential risk of injury, the charges of insuring property may go up if you have one in your home.

Ensure that you consider the cost of the trampoline and how it affects your insurance cover before you make the purchase.

2. Risk of Injury

Trampolines are so much fun, but they are equally dangerous.

According to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a staggering more than 100,000 treated injuries in a year are due to trampoline accidents. 85% of them occurring in children and 15% in adults.

Most of these accidents involve wrist and ankle sprains, in which the injured gets treatment and then discharged.

But then there are more severe injuries. “The most common serious trampoline injuries are fractures of the ankle and lower leg, head injuries such as skull fractures and concussions, and severe knee injuries such as ACL ruptures,” reports Dr. Amir El Shami. 

Well, just like with any other sport, injuries are inevitable. But we can put some measures to prevent the risks or ensure they are less severe when they occur.

Here are some of the ways to mitigate trampoline injuries and falls:

  • Ensuring the safety net is always zipped up.
  • Avoiding backflips and other complicated tricks.
  • Avoiding high bouncing – one or two inches of bounces off the mat is enough to get your heart pumping and strengthen your muscles.
  • Being vigilant at all times, especially with kids (observe them whether there’s an enclosure net or not)
  • Ensuring the springs and bolts are placed correctly before use.
  • Installing trampolines away from fences, trees, or structures of any kind.
  • Checking the trampoline mat for wear and tear.
  • Avoiding exceeding the weight capacity of your trampoline.

3. It May Not Replace Strength and Resistance

Trampolines provide the same results as traditional resistance training only in the short run. But, in the long run, they may not increase your strength.

When exercising on a leg press machine at a fitness facility, you may keep adding more weight as you gain more strength, and thus, challenge the body.

But a trampoline doesn’t provide you with many options to increase resistance.

One way to increase resistance is by wearing ankle weights while bouncing, but fitness experts discourage it due to the increased risk of injuries.

And the best part is:

You might still be able to increase resistance when exercising on a trampoline – by using a mini-trampoline. It offers more resistance than larger trampoline models.

4. Balancing Act

Most exercises involving trampolines require the user to maintain their balance correctly. If not, you risk falling onto the frame or on the springs.

Although you may jump on the trampoline, you will not reap the benefits of trampoline exercises done correctly. Instead, you may even end up injuring yourself.

However, people with balance issues can do other exercises like jogging or running.

But hold on a minute, we’ve got more.

Are Trampoline Workouts Effective?

If you are looking to boost your fitness levels, burn calories, or boost your cardio, yes, they do! 

Trampoline workouts done correctly are effective and enjoyable.  

How Long Should You Jump On a Trampoline for a Workout?

How long you can jump depends on your fitness level.

But according to a new study conducted by ACE, jumping on a trampoline for 10-20 minutes yields similar results to running. The only difference is that jumping is easier and more fun.

Bottom Line

Trampoline exercises are fun and satisfying. Nothing can compare to the beautiful moments shared among people bouncing around one.

Adults like it, and kids adore trampolines. Watching your kids bouncing to the content of their hearts can be in itself therapeutic.

It also has numerous health benefits and can aid in weight loss.

On the contrary, it can be hazardous, and accidents can be fatal. A bit of responsibility, thus, goes a long way in avoiding these injuries.

Trampoline exercises are also not for everyone. People with pre-existing conditions like scoliosis are advised not to engage in the exercises before getting approval from a doctor.

We hope this article has provided insight into what to expect before you kick-start the fitness journey you desire.

Happy bouncing!

Shmulik Dorinbaum

Shmulik Dorinbaum

I like to jump, as high as I can, so what else I can do in these days? in these quarantine days? to jump on my large-sized trampoline! (an extreme jumper)