Rebounding: Bounce Your Way through Cross-Training Day

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At the beginning of 2024, I decided to devote a little more time to cross-training—to non-walking exercises that would give my walking muscles a break while strengthening other areas of my body. (If you’d like to take a closer look, I wrote about it in this post.) Most weeks, I’d choose one day for cross-training, and I’d try a different kind of exercise on that day. One week, Kristin and I took our daughters rollerskating—and while the girls spent most of the session in the arcade, Kristin and I got in a solid skating workout. Most of the time, though, I’d do some weight training or a torturous glutes workout—or I’d hop on our rickety recumbent bike and pedal my way through the day’s workout.

But at some point during the year, I became obsessed with getting myself a rebounder. Every time I brought it up to my husband, he’d remind me that we were out of room in our over-crowded workout area, and there was no way we could fit a trampoline. And I’d point out that Jennifer Garner does rebounder workouts—or that doctors say they’re great for middle-aged women (hint: if you throw in strange and scary words like “perimenopausal,” your husband might just freak out enough to give in). But then, one day before Christmas, a box showed up at our door—a box that was not even slightly disguised—and even though my big Christmas surprise was ruined, I didn’t even care. I was just so excited to open that package up on Christmas morning and get rebounding.

What’s a Rebounder?

“Rebounder” is a fancy name for a mini trampoline. They’re small and low to the ground, usually runing around 36 to 48 inches in diameter. Mine is just a basic, low-end trampoline (like this one)—though “official” rebounders (like this one) allow for things like adjusting the tightness of the springs and other adjustments. Those can run up to $700 or more—and, admittedly, they’ll most likely give you better stability and control. But if you’re just getting started, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune—especially since you know that your kids will be claiming it while you’re not on it, and you’ll be less upset if they break a $100 trampoline.

What’s So Great about Rebounding?

Bouncing on a tiny trampoline may seem silly at first—like something you would have done on a rainy day as a kid. But there are so many great reasons to give it a try. For starters, it’s a low-impact full-body resistance workout. When you’re rebounding, you’re working your arms, your legs, your abs, and more. And if you once thought of bouncing on a trampoline as a silly fitness trend, you’ll change your mind once you give it a try and find that you’re feeling muscles that you’d forgotten you have.

Meanwhile, while you’re getting the benefits of a resistance workout (like improved bone density), your trampoline is absorbing the majority of the impact. So it’s better for things like your knee and ankle joints. At the same time, it’s a great cardio workout, which is great for your heart. And all of that bouncing around will help you improve your balance.

But there are some other benefits that you might not have considered (because I definitely didn’t). Rebounding also helps to remove toxins from your body by getting your lymphatic system pumping. This is true of any kind of movement—including walking—but bouncing on a rebounder is more effective than most forms of exercise. And, in clearing out those toxins, it’s also doing some awesome things like boosting your immune system and reducing the cellulite in your body.

And if you don’t believe that rebounding is good for you, check out the 1980 NASA study about the benefits of jumping on a trampoline from Physiology.org.

Best of all, though: it’s fun! No one wants to be miserable while they’re working out. If we don’t enjoy it, we’re less likely to keep doing it. I love walking—which is why I can keep up my walking routine, day after day. But I have to admit that there’s just something…joyful…about bouncing on a little trampoline. And even on days when I’m not planning to fit in a rebounding workout, I’ll often find myself bouncing for a while after walking—or just when I’m walking past my rebounder—because it feels good…and because bouncing is just plain fun.

How Can You Get Started?

Since rebounding is one of the hottest fitness trends right now, there’s a chance that you can find a class at your local gym. But you don’t have to sign up for a gym membership to get started. A quick Google search will give you a list of free workouts on YouTube. I love how many of these workouts show women bouncing in their kitchens—or in a corner of their living room—because that’s so much more relatable than most of those polished fitness videos (even though their kitchens and living rooms are always way neater than mine).

Here are a few that I’ve enjoyed:

“10 Min Beginner Mini Trampoline” from Pilates on Demand with Lindsay

This workout is quick and relatively easy. Lindsay talks you through five different moves and adds in some combinations to give it a little extra challenge.

If you want something even quicker for busy days, Lindsay also has the “5 Minute Beginner Rebounder Workout to Torch Calories and Boost Your Metabolism”

It’s a super-quick workout to fit in a little bit of bouncing in your day—or to help you get used to the exercises.

If you’re ready for a longer workout, try “Trampoline Basics 15 Min Rebounder Workout” from Michelle Briehler

This workout walks (okay…bounces) you through some of the basic moves, adding in some fun combinations along the way. And if you’re still not entirely comfortable with your rebounder, Michelle offers some options for boosting your workout or keeping it simple.

Or, if you’re looking for something a little more intense, try the “Cardio & Strength Rebounding Workout” with Fayth Caruso of BeFiT

This 15-minute workout combines fast-moving cardio with strength segments that will work muscles you may have forgotten about. You’ll use your rebounder for bouncing—but also for squats and planks. And I guarantee you’ll feel this one.

It didn’t take me long to become totally hooked on my bouncing workouts. Though I still walk most days, I fit in at least one rebounding workout a week—and it still completely wipes me out every time. But I love it so much that I’ll often bounce for a few minutes after walking on the treadmill—or if I just feel like bouncing out a little stress at the end of the day.

Have you tried rebounding? What do you like (or dislike) about it?