Getting in shape, whether you are losing weight, keeping it off or simply trying to improve your general health is a long-haul process. Almost any exercise routine can become dull and boring over time and when you’re not engaged, you won’t push yourself as far. One of the best things you can do to keep a workout lively and interesting is to make it fun. You remember bouncing on the bed as a child, so you know how much fun it is. What you may not know is that bouncing on a trampoline offers a fun workout with serious health benefits.
Balance
Bouncing on a trampoline requires balance. In order to remain upright and not bounce off the edge, you need to keep your core muscles tight and be aware of how the position of your body affects your trajectory. Tightening your core as you bounce up and down or run in place results in a taut and sculpted midsection and a smaller waistline. In addition, your improved sense of balance and the coordination and overall body awareness needed for successful trampolining will train you to move more gracefully and confidently through your day. Even the simplest of life tasks will become a little easier and more comfortable to accomplish.
Bilateral Motor Skills
Exercises that force you to use both sides of your brain not only help increase your physical fitness, but also help enhance memory, keep brain function at its optimal levels and even help regulate mood. One way to use both sides of your brain is by doing cross-body exercises, which are simply those that require you to use your opposing arms and legs in concert. Bouncing on a trampoline while keeping upright and raising your left arm and right knee at the same time, for example, works your entire body and both sides of your brain. Many trampoline moves require this type of cross-body motion, which gives you a truly efficient physical and mental workout.
Bone Density
Exercise helps support bone density by encouraging the small stresses that cause bones to reknit and become stronger. Building bone density is one of the best ways to lessen the risk of osteoporosis, which causes your bones to become brittle and easily broken. Osteoporosis is the leading reason for bone fractures in the elderly. Unlike running or playing sports such as tennis, bouncing on a trampoline does not put so much stress on your bones that you are in danger of a fracture. As noted previously, trampolining also increases your sense of balance, which will help you avoid falls.
Cardiovascular Fitness
Heart health is the single most important gift you can give yourself and your loved ones. Aerobic exercise such as trampolining strengthens your heart, allowing it to pump blood more efficiently and with less strain. This, in turn, allows more oxygen to flow through your bloodstream, which supports the health of your organs. Increased blood flow helps your body detoxify itself more efficiently. The icing on this particular cake is that the more oxygen you have in your blood, the healthier and shinier your hair will be, the stronger your nails will be and the clearer and more youthful your skin will look.
Mood
Exercise is known to have a profound effect on reducing stress and regulating your moods. Exercise releases neurotransmitters called endorphins, which help transmit messages throughout the cells of your body. Endorphins can be produced by your brain, spinal cord or pituitary gland, among other parts of your nervous system and they are usually released in response to stress of some sort. The endorphin most closely associated with exercise is beta endorphin, which is a more powerful opiate than morphine. This accounts for the “runner’s high” that athletes talk about, but trampolining will also increase your endorphin output, helping to elevate your mood naturally.
Toning
Anytime you use your muscles, they become leaner, tighter and more defined. Most women don’t have to worry about bulk, but some do put on muscle more quickly than they might like. Trampolining is an excellent way for women to get a tight midsection and sleek, well-shaped arms and legs without the fear of adding bulk.
Versatility
Given the business of most modern lives, it is not always possible to schedule a workout for the same time every day, especially if you have to go to a location other than your home or workplace. Trampolining can be done in any weather and at any time of day or night if you have a home trampoline. You can also vary the intensity to do a gentle workout on a day when you’re tired or don’t feel completely well, or increase the intensity with more complicated moves or the addition of hand or ankle weights.
Just remember: It is always best to consult with a professional before starting any new workout routine.