Rebounding the Good Way

It’s that time of year when we find ourselves going through withdrawals and seeking comfort foods. We eat more, we move less and it isn’t due to a broken relationship – but because winter is at the door. The lack of sunlight, the colder temperatures, and the holiday seasons can all be reasons why we find ourselves putting on extra weight, staying indoors and fighting depression. Let me introduce you to an efficient way to combat weight gain, release stress, strengthen every muscle in your body and even fight depression.

It’s been said that rebound exercise is the most efficient and most effective, form of exercise ever devised by man. Rebound exercise, or rebounding, consists of jumping on a cushioned surface; typically on a mini trampoline. Rebound exercise provides all the benefits of ordinary exercise plus many other advantages which are unique to rebounding. The reason rebound exercise is so good is because it works the entire body, not just one or two muscle groups.

The secret behind the efficiency of rebound exercise is gravity. All exercise has one common component – opposition to gravity. When you do push-ups, you are working against gravity. When you lift weights, you are working against gravity. With rebounding, you also work against gravity, but the gravitational force is not limited to just one part of the body as with other exercises. As the body bounces, the gravitational force changes. This force varies from zero Gs at the top of the bounce, where the body is momentarily weightless, to as much as three Gs at the bottom of the bounce. With the force of three Gs at the bottom of the bounce, you literally weigh three times more than normal. A 150-pound person would weigh 450 pounds at each bounce! With each bounce, your entire body responds and that makes for an amazing form of exercise.

The body adapts to the increase in weight and builds stronger tissue. As gravity on the body increases, each cell in the body senses the increased pressure. In essence, the cells work to compensate for the weight by becoming stronger. In theory, rebounding at a force of 2Gs (an easy bounce) will double the strength of all body tissues. This includes all the muscles, both skeletal and non-skeletal.

If your heart (which is a muscle) were twice as strong as it is now, wouldn’t your chances of suffering a heart attack decrease? If the muscles around your blood vessels were twice as strong, wouldn’t your chances of having an aneurysm, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids be lessened? If the muscles surrounding your intestines were twice as strong, wouldn’t your chances of constipation and colitis be lessened? Yes, they would!

Rebound exercise does not just strengthen the muscles, but also every cell of the body. It strengthens bones, cartilage, joints, and every organ of the body. The liver, pancreas, kidneys, brain, etc. all are subjected to the increased gravitational force of rebounding and will respond by growing stronger. In doing so, they build up increased resistance to disease. As a result, all of the systems and organs of the body function more efficiently.

The intensity of rebound exercise can vary to fit your level of fitness. It can be gentle enough for those who are physically handicapped or have severe degenerative conditions, or it can be as intense as running a record-breaking mile. Either way brings physical benefits.

One of the beautiful aspects of rebounding is that effects are cumulative. You don’t have to do your full workout all at one time. You can break it up into increments spread throughout the day. In fact, it is actually more beneficial to do it this way. If your total workout time is ten minutes, you can split it up into three sessions: two 3-minute sessions and one 4-minute session. Add a minute or so to each session each week until you are doing three 10-minute sessions a day.

A problem with rebounding is that it looks too easy. People think that exercise has to be hard or hurt to be effective. Or that you need expensive hi-tech equipment. Walking as well as rebounding are both excellent forms of exercise and both are inexpensive and simple.

Thousands of people have discovered the healing benefits of rebounding by merely doing it. This is the testimony from Dorothy. She had arthritis in her right knee and both ankles; bursitis in her right shoulder and both hips; suffered constant backaches; and was chronically fatigued. Headaches, high blood pressure, ringing in her ears, and poor balance plagued her as well.

“All this had been going on for years on end. I was constantly under a doctor’s care. He told me I was just getting old and had to expect this sort of thing.”

Her husband Walt had severe problems too. He suffered a heart attack, was diabetic and had four cancer surgeries.

This all changed. Dorothy explains that one day, “Walt brought home a rebounder. He was excited, but I was skeptical. For three days I watched him bounce for 30 seconds at a time. Each day he seemed brighter and had more energy. His disposition turned happy and sunny and literally began to whistle while he worked; something I hadn’t heard in a long time.”

“Following his example, I tried to use the rebounder but couldn’t keep my balance. Walt held my hands to steady me morning and evening for three days. Sure enough, I began to feel better too I had more stamina, and I lost 8 pounds. I began to sing while I worked – literally sing! Life took on a whole new outlook. I had hurt and been tired for so long, I had actually forgotten how it felt to feel really good – no, really great!”

“After just two and a half months, my back aches and headaches were gone. No more arthritis or bursitis pain. The leg and foot cramps that woke me up every night disappeared. I went from a size 24 to a size 18!”

“And listen to what rebounding has done for Walt! His stamina and recuperative powers have reached phenomenal dimensions. He lost 18 pounds. His cholesterol level is 10 points below normal. His eyesight has cleared. He watches television and drives without glasses. The doctor says that he is now in better physical condition than at any time since he has known him!” (The New Miracles of Rebound Exercise by Albert E. Carter)

In addition to all the fantastic benefits, studies have shown that regular exercise may be the most potent natural antidepressant available. It increases energy, improves digestion and absorption of nutrients and releases tension. So make this winter season the healthiest season of your life – get yourself bouncing!!

Rebounders are cheap. You can get an inexpensive model for about $50. Heavy-duty models cost as much as $300 but are worth the price. The better models are built to absorb the shock of impact and have more spring. They also last many times longer than ordinary rebounders. I started out with a cheaper rebounder but found it to be stiff, and my knees began getting sore. So we spent the extra money and purchased a “Leaps & ReBounds” mini trampoline, and it was much better. I suggest looking for ones that use bungee cords and not metal springs or tight elastic bands (which is what I originally bought). It’s one of the best investments we’ve ever made and one I highly recommend for everyone!