Trampolines

The use of a mini trampoline is becoming more and more popular as a form of modern day exercise.  It is probably a throw back to those days when you bounced on your bed at home with your brothers and sisters.  It was great fun unless it got out of hand and Mother stepped in but all in all you probably remember it as a fun time.  The word ‘exercise’ was not apart of the everyday vocabulary then but even though you never realised it you were in fact getting good exercise all the same.  The rebounding was a brilliant exercise for the whole body and much easier on the joints as is mini trampolining today.

                        It does not really matter whether you bounce slowly or a bit faster, it will still get your heart pumping and improve your metabolic (another word new to the modern era) rate.  With the correct food you can help yourself lose weight.  If you ae serious about the exercise then take it a step further and increase your output by bouncing more or trying running on the spot.  Increases however small will all aid your health.  

                        Don’t expect to become an Olympic mini champion overnight.  Balance will be needed first and getting used to the trampoline. When you first get your mini trampoline just stand still in the middle of it and make slow movements to start with.  Wear sturdy shoes or have bare feet when using the apparatus.  Do not just wear socks as these will slip and cause you possible injury. 

                        If you lack confidence to start with place the trampoline against a wall or something you can support yourself with or against.  Just stand and there is no need to lift your feet in the air to start with.  Just get the feel of the equipment below you and do small bounces keeping your feet on the trampoline.  When you feel you can cope with a bit more increase your movements so that your feet do leave the canvas but just briefly. 

                        Don’t forget that everyone is different so whereas you may not be so confident or able to balance well for several days some of your friends or family may be able to just get on and start jumping up and down immediately.  Don’t be rushed just do things in your own time.  The same situation may occur when trying bigger moves.  Bear in mind that whilst moving on the trampoline you are simultaneously working out your muscles so depending on your physical condition you are doing nothing but good to help yourself health wise. The larger the bounce then the more it helps you.

                        Confidence to step up your routine will not take long coming and you might want to consider a slow jogging on the trampoline.  Do not rush into this if you don’t want to but in the words of a famous supermarket ‘every little helps’.   If you can master a small jog then after a few days try what is commonly known as a jumping jack routine.  This is simply jumping the way you do but jumping continuously and increasing the bounce as you become more confident.

                        The latter will seem just like jumping on a bed when you were young – which is where we came in.