What is rebounding?
‘Rebounding is a low-impact aerobic exercise that involves bouncing on a mini- trampoline known as a rebounder, designed to improve cardiovascular health, muscle tone and coordination.’ You can rebound on your feet, your back, or your bottom for various workouts.
Rebounding Miracle Exercise That Transforms Your Health >
Important note: If you are considering rebounding exercises, please consult your healthcare provider first to ensure that the chosen activity is safe for your specific physical condition.
What are the benefits of rebounding?
Rebounding is ‘…perfect for all fitness levels—especially beginners—rebounding combines:
- Gentle strength training
- Joint-friendly cardio
- Flexibility and mobility work
- Physical therapy and injury recovery
- Full-body detox + lymphatic drainage
- At-home convenience
- Weight loss and improved muscle tone
- Improved sleep and mental clarity’
On top of all the health benefits, rebounding is fun! As babies and small children, we bounced, bobbed, hopped, and jumped all the time, and some of us pursued sports that involved jumping such as basketball, volleyball and rope skipping. As you work around and rehabilitate any areas of weakness, you will experience feelings of joy, lightness, and youthfulness! Be careful and consistent with your rebounding practice, a few minutes at a time and day by day. You may never stop! I intend to continue the rest of my life. 201 Reasons to Cellercise® This is an excellent list of reasons and benefits of rebounding.
Health Benefits of a Home Gym Rebounder >
What does the research show?
NASA explored rebounding to recondition astronauts after their time in space. This article explains why rebounding is such an efficient form of exercise, even compared to running.
How can I choose a rebounder?
A rebounder is a piece of exercise equipment that you may enjoy using very much, potentially for the rest of your life. Therefore, you should carefully consider the claims, benefits, reviews, and durability of various models. Rebounders are simple devices, yet they can provide the equivalent of a home gym in a small space. With the availability and variety of free workout and rehab videos online (especially on the I Jump Instead YouTube channel) you may not need to purchase the services of a gym or a personal trainer.
Below is a link to a good video to help you evaluate rebounders. Be sure to read the comments if you are trying to decide between a bungee rebounder and spring rebounder. Best Rebounder 2025 | Q&A: Which is Best for Fitness, Results, and Low-Impact Workouts.
Watch the Video – Best Rebounder 2025 >
I have a Cellerciser, which I purchased after having an Urban Rebounder (lower quality) model for several years that I never used consistently. ‘The Cellerciser is considered best in class for its quality workmanship and parts, inc., and its patented, ultra strong tapered springs that enable the
rebounder to adapt to jumpers of all weights and provide resistance training at a deeper level than the bungee rebounders.’ A Cellerciser also has a flexible, sturdy resistance mat. Other spring rebounders are likely to give a harder bounce.
I highly recommend that you purchase a handlebar, to aid with balance and stability while you exercise. Minute mark 13:30 in the link above outlines reasons why it is good to have a handlebar. If you have purchased a rebounder without one, you may be able to find one on the manufacturer’s website or on Amazon.com.
How do I start out?
‘A gentle approach is the best way to start. Light up-and-down bouncing will engage your cells, and your body will respond in its own time. Alternatively, standing or sitting on your unit and shifting your weight from side to side without bouncing can also be beneficial. It is important to find what feels right for you! Start slowly. Hydrate well. Let your body adapt. As toxins release and your joints decompress, you will feel lighter,
looser, and more energized. Your pace is perfect. If you feel overwhelmed, simply reduce the intensity or take a break. To help you safely and effectively build strength and flexibility, check out our perfect Beginner’s Guide here. Take your time, there is no rush. Aim to bounce daily and do your best.’
Important note: Even the Beginner’s Guide linked above may be too fast of a progression for some. Listen to your body! Slower and lower bouncing is better than lifting off, jumping high, and straining your muscles and tendons! Bounce with your whole foot on the mat, then you are more confident that your ankles, feet, knees, and calves have strengthened, you can start lifting only your heels off the mat when bouncing. Eventually when you are even stronger, you can lift one foot off at a time when jumping. Finally at your strongest, you may be able to jump with both feet entirely lifting off.
Here’s a beginner’s workout playlist with over 170 videos >
What if I have an injury?
Gentle rebounding can be an important part of your rehabilitation and recovery from an injury. Stephanie and Sally Smith (I Jump Instead) offer free rebounding rehab workouts for your consideration here:
You may wonder if you can use bungee rebounders for therapy and rehabilitation. I was only able to find videos on YouTube for this application with the Cellerciser, which has springs that apply resistance at the bottom of the bounce and help stimulate muscles while they stretch and contract. Gentle/ baby/ health bouncing is relaxing regardless of which rebounder you choose, but please do your own research if you would like to use a rebounder to rehabilitate one or more areas of your body.
How can I optimize my results from rebounding?
Be consistent. Try to build up to 10 minutes or more of bouncing or gentle jumping, if possible. Take days off when needed, but you may find (like me) that you look forward to jumping every day of the week.
Be accountable. It will help if you write down the amount of time and the exercises or videos you plan to do each day. You will get a sense of achievement and be more likely to continue the next day. I have been “liking” all the YouTube videos I do and usually leaving a comment. This helps the YouTuber benefit from the content they are offering me for free as I benefit from their coaching and inspiration.
Listen to your body. It will be tempting to jump too high, especially as you enjoy the invigorating experience of bouncing and/or if you participate in other sports or fitness activities. However, your joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons need time to gradually adapt to increased forces of gravity, acceleration and deceleration that are unique to
rebounding.
Be patient. Flexibility and strength will develop at their own pace. If you have tight muscles and connective tissue, and arthritic joints, your progress will take place over weeks and months. Be gentle and it will come. One day you will notice that your back is able to bend more in this direction or that, without pain. The same is true for knees and shoulders.
Consider your weaknesses. If you have a bone spur impinging shoulder movement, arthritis, or other conditions, you need to go slow and may have to modify movements permanently. If you feel twinges in any parts, back off, take a rest, focus on working on another part. If you have a minor muscle or joint injury that does not require medical attention, consider trying one of the rehab workouts to see if increasing movement and blood and lymphatic flow will improve your condition. A slight sprain or strain should gradually heal.
Consider the differences. If you are following a video and the instructor is using a bungee rebounder when you are using a spring rebounder, for certain exercises and tempos you will notice the spring back is different. You may have trouble trying to synchronize. Honor your body and the dynamics of your rebounder and do not try to keep up with the instructor.
Nose breathe. Nose breathing involves inhaling and exhaling through your nose only (rather than exhaling through your mouth.) Listen to your breath as you nose breathe. Keep it slow, calm, and relaxed, even when your exercise intensity goes up. If you feel like you are gasping for air, take the intensity down until you are comfortable. I find if I am doing a challenging movement, and I focus on slowing and calming my breathing, I can manage the movement with ease.
Here is a summary of why we should exclusively be nose breathing from The Oxygen Advantage:
- Improved Oxygenation: Breathing through the nose allows for better filtration, humidification, and warming of the air before it reaches the lungs. This optimized air intake enhances oxygenation, crucial for sustaining aerobic activities during workouts.
- Nasal Nitric Oxide Production: The nasal passages release nitric oxide, which plays a role in increasing oxygen uptake in the lungs, improving blood flow, and enhancing overall exercise performance.
- Activation of Diaphragm: Nasal breathing engages the diaphragm more effectively than mouth breathing. This helps in strengthening the diaphragm, promoting better lung capacity, and enhancing respiratory efficiency.
- Optimal Breathing Rate: Breathing through the nose naturally regulates the breathing rate, ensuring a balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. This can contribute to better endurance and stamina during workouts.
- Reduced Mouth Dryness: Nose breathing helps maintain moisture in the mouth, preventing excessive dryness often associated with mouth breathing during exercise.
- Enhanced Lung Function: Nasal breathing promotes a deeper breath, allowing the lower parts of the lungs to be more actively involved. This can contribute to better ventilation and oxygen exchange.
- Improved Posture and Core Activation: Focusing on nose breathing encourages a more upright posture and engages the core muscles. This can enhance overall stability and promote better form during rebounder exercises.
- Stress Reduction: Nasal breathing is linked to activating the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a relaxation response. This can contribute to reduced stress levels during and after workouts. Choosing to exclusively nose breath while training ensures that you stay within an intensity range where your respiratory system can efficiently support the exercise without the need for excessive mouth breathing. When you can maintain nose breathing during exercise, it indicates that your body is effectively managing oxygen intake and carbon dioxide elimination. This is often associated with a more sustainable and controlled workout intensity. If you find it challenging to breathe through your nose during a particular activity, it may be a sign that you are pushing yourself too hard, potentially leading to fatigue or overexertion. However, it is essential to note that there are certain high-intensity or anaerobic exercises where mouth breathing may naturally become more predominant. In such cases, it is acceptable to adapt your breathing pattern to the demands of the exercise.
What are some good YouTube channels for rebounding workouts?
At I Jump Instead you will find many excellent exercise videos here:
Sally and Stephanie Smith are identical twin sisters who each lost 50 lbs. and achieved extremely fit and healthy bodies by rebounding and through a starch-based diet. They share their knowledge through their YouTube channel and on their website.
Sydney has produced and shared many fun, high energy exercise videos. Please be cautious and use only her beginner workouts until you are sure your muscles and tendons are strong enough to adapt to her challenging high-bounce workouts.
Dave Hall is the originator of the Cellerciser rebounder that I own and expect to use the rest of my life.
As a woman, I am much more motivated by female fitness role models, so I gravitate more toward the I Jump Instead and Jump and Jacked YT channels.
A summary of my jumping journey
I purchased an Urban Rebounder® about 2006, and used it randomly for a few years, then set it aside. About 2017, a friend bought a Bellicon bungee rebounder and my interest in rebounding was renewed. I did research and decided to upgrade to the Cellerciser. Initially I used Dave Hall’s videos, but I was inconsistent. About 2019 I jumped too vigorously and gradually produced a partial tear of my left Achilles tendon. I wish I had known at the time that I could rehabilitate the tendon on my own, using the rebounder itself! I paid for seven or eight weeks of physical therapy. Naturally, this experience was not a great encouragement to continue rebounding. In January 2025. I began exploring the I Jump Instead YouTube channel and became fascinated with the engaging workout routines of identical twins Stephanie and Sally Smith. I made a commitment to rebounding every day because they teach sustainable fitness techniques.
I became happier and am building on the posture improvements from chiropractic care about a year and a half ago. I am also building on the improvements I made using a vibration plate, which loosened all my leg joints a bit, and enabled my right leg to become straighter and more flexible. My leg is even straighter now, with less (intermittent) knee pain, and I am standing more upright with a more normal curve in my spine, thanks to rebounding. I now fit in 1 to 1 ½ hours of rebounding every day, in segments ranging from 10 minutes to an hour, ending by 6PM. I usually do one or more beginner-friendly workouts and one intermediate/advanced workout, ensuring a balance of relaxation, enjoyment, and challenge. Most often these routines are from the I Jump Instead YT channel, but I sometimes do Jump and Jacked workouts for fun and a higher
bounce.
God bless you as you bob, bounce and jump toward better health on your rebounder!
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Disclaimer: This document is for informational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice.
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