Rebounding

Between the pure joy of hopping around on a trampoline, the upbeat music, and the sheer focus it takes to maintain your balance and poise, Rebounding proves to be a surefire way to get an intense workout without the strain. Designed as a way to get high-impact results with a low-impact feel, it boasts benefits like improved lymphatic drainage, balance improvement, and overall strengthening. With our performance-ready Quick Step Pants and a wide range of can-do attitudes (some unsure, some quite excited, some intrigued by this lesser-known concept), we took to Tuck Barre + Yoga in South Philly to try our very first Rebounding class.

As the class began, we all stood on our trampolines and got acclimated to the feeling of bouncing. Taft, a certified Barre instructor and lover of his regularly-taught Rebounding classes, got us amped with a series of moves designed to get our hearts pumping and bodies moving. We progressed from some light twists and jogging in place to high knees and squat bounces, all of which were made a little less intimidating by the bounce-back feeling of the trampolines beneath us.

“I couldn't stop smiling the whole way through!” said Kaitlyn, a graphic designer for FP, “Bouncing around made the workout so fun – it allowed us to let loose and be silly while getting a good sweat in.”

And let loose, we did! With pop remixes pumping through the speakers and adrenaline coursing through our veins, the second portion of the class allowed us to incorporate some weights to take our training to the next level. Adding a little extra resistance let us to work our arms, shoulders, and upper backs while increasing the overall calorie burn and furthering the focus on our coordination.

While the cardio portions of the workout were definitely the most upbeat, Taft incorporated a few interludes of core work and strength training, allowing us to utilize the trampolines in a new way and take small breaks while still getting some movement in.

As fun as it was, this class was no joke.

“I consider myself as someone with a pretty regular gym routine–usually between 3 or 4 times a week–but let me tell you...this class kicked my butt!” said Jules, a copywriter on the FP team, “It was a fabulous way to break a sweat, and to get my heart rate up and cardio in.”

Your lymphatic system supports your body’s natural detoxification process and immune function. Unlike some of the other self-sufficient systems of the body, your lymphatic system relies on movement to function effectively. Rebounding provides a gentle up-and-down motion that helps stimulate lymph flow. “I had a woman come just for lymphatic system relief,” Taft says. “Most people just like to be up on the trampolines, but there are true benefits to it too.”

No matter how you look at it, staying on your feet while bouncing on a mini trampoline is a balance exercise. “You have to be so focused on not falling off the trampoline and watching yourself and others,” says Taft, “I feel like it just goes by like that. It takes you out of your mind a little bit because you can’t focus on anything else.” Rebounding is known to help strengthen your stabilizer muscles, ultimately leading to better balance.

It’s no secret that the older we get, the more we seek workouts that are easier on the body. The trampolines in Rebounding absorb the shock, making it a safer, less impactful option (particularly on the knees, hips, and spine) while still getting a good sweat in. “If you hate running, this is for you!” Taft says (only partly in jest), “I actually love running, but my 35 year old body does not. It’s a great way to sweat and get out of your head for a little bit. But not a lot of people know about Bounce - it’s such a hidden gem.”

As far as Taft’s class-starting claim…we had no choice but to do a little fact-checking.

“It’s not just the Kardashians! NASA has proven it,” he adamantly stated, “You can look into it! 10 minutes of Bounce is the equivalent of 30 minutes of running on the street!”

A reason to jump for joy? He’s right. According to a study done by NASA, 10 minutes of rebounding is 68% more effective than 30 minutes of jogging, with verification of the health benefits listed above. That might be enough to get us bouncing again in the near future.

We came, we jumped, we tried it!

XO, FP Movement