You might already know that jumping on a trampoline can provide you with a multitude of health benefits. They provide a complete and fun workout, can strengthen your muscles and can improve balance and coordination. Not only that, exercising on a trampoline is a low impact activity for your knees, is great for bone strength, improves posture and toning (think abdominals, legs, thighs and buttocks), and may even help you to reduce stress. So if you are ready to get jumping, or simply want to know more about how to create a trampoline workout that is great for your health, read on for more!
There’s a lot of different types of jumps that you can utilise as you build up a workout routine. Consider alternating between exercises, and raise the length and intensity of the workout over time.
Let’s not start out too crazy, shall we? Believe it or not, a basic bounce on the trampoline (where you bend your arms slightly and lightly bounce up and down while keeping a slight bend in your knees) is a great way to burn through calories and kick start your routine. This is an effective way to warm up before a workout and a great way to cool down afterwards. Aim for small bounces, and perform a set of 2 or 3 minutes.
Keep the full body workout going with a set of tuck jumps. This requires a little more height than the basic bounce, as with each jump up you will need to pull your knees towards your chest and grab around your ankles. Start the jump with your hands down by your sides and take a few jumps in order to build up some momentum. Make sure that each jump is still well within your control, and then as you take off from the matt lift up your legs to your chest. Land with your arms up high, as this will help to stabilise you in the air. This exercise will provide an extra workout for your abs. Start with a 30 second set, and then follow it up with 30 seconds of lower intensity bouncing.
Add a new dimension to squatting with a trampoline squat. It requires you to engage your core muscles and balance on an unstable surface. The aim is to start at rest, jump up and then to land in a squat position, as if you were about to sit down in a chair. Your arms should be in front of you and your thighs parallel to the trampoline matt. Repeat between 15 to 20 twenty times.
Whether you like to call them jumping jacks or star jumps, you’re sure to be familiar with this exercise. It’s a great move to incorporate into your routine and will really get your heart and cardiovascular system going. The difference between a star jump on the ground and one on the trampoline is that not only does the trampoline remove most of the stress that the move would otherwise place on your knees, it can also be performed in a way such as that you take off with your legs together, blast out to a star position in the air, and then land with your legs together again. Try a 30 second set of these, followed by another 30 seconds of light bouncing.
It’s a little like running on the spot, except that it’s drawn out by the length of each bounce. Think of it more like moon jogging, in that with each bounce into the air you will alternate from one leg to the other. The higher you bounce, the more strength will be required. Start off with smaller jumps and raise the intensity until you find a height that you can hold for a 30 second set. Follow this with another 30 seconds of lower intensity jumping, as you get ready for your next exercise.
Start with your arms by your sides. As you jump into the air raise your legs as high as you can to each side (a little like a star jump) and reach with your arms down towards your toes as you point them outwards. Land standing straight as you propel into your next jump. Perform 15-20 jumps, and then if this is the end of your workout, follow with a few minutes of the basic bounce to cool down.
Of course, you should build your workout schedule according to your needs and preferences, the timeframes and number of repetitions are provided as a guide to use as a starting point only. You might like to perform multiple sets of each exercise, or alternatively, to perform the entire routine multiple times. If you haven’t been very active lately it’s always a good idea to have a discussion with your doctor to determine an appropriate level of exercise, otherwise get jumping and get to love your new routine. Stick to it, and in no time you will be reaping the rewards! Read our guide to trampoline, exercise and fun for more ways you can use your trampoline to keep fit.
