Burn calories while jumping and bouncing
Looking for a new workout that’s fun and different? Try bouncing on a trampoline. Either in your backyard with your family or on the mini-size trampoline in your family room while watching television, you can get an intense cardio workout that’s low-impact and fun. Easier on the joints than running, the jumping and twisting movements done on the trampoline build core strength, tone your lower body, improve balance, and burn calories.
Think of all the fun kids have on a trampoline. You, too, can have fun while getting your recommended amount exercise.
Before performing specific exercises, prepare your muscles with a two- or three-minute warm up of gentle bouncing and twisting.
The Basic Bounce
Tone your glutes, quads, and calves with a basic bounce. Stand on the trampoline and place your feet six inches apart. Bend your arms and keep your elbows by your sides. Slightly bend your knees and bounce up and down. You only need to jump six inches in the air for positive results. Jump about 30 times. Rest and repeat two more times.
Single Knee Lifts
A little more intense, knee lifts will look like you’re prancing on the trampoline. Stand with your feet six inches apart and place your hands on your hips. Slightly bend your knees and start bouncing. Raise your right knee up to hip level as you bounce. The next bounce, raise your left knee, alternating back and forth. Do at least 30 raises per leg.
Squats
Engage your core with squats on the trampoline. An unstable, moving surface is more challenging for your muscles than regular squats on the floor. Stand with your feet together and let your arms hang by your sides. Jump straight up and while you’re in the air spread your feet out a little wider than shoulder width. Land with your knees bent in a squat position so your thighs are parallel to the floor and your arms are raised straight out in front of your body. Bounce back to starting position and repeat about 20 times.
Seat Drop
This exercise is done on a full-size trampoline and should not be tried on a mini-size. Start jumping, and when you’re jumping fairly high in the air, move your legs forward and land on your bottom with your legs straight in front of you. Bounce back up and land in standing position. Do as many as you can in 30 seconds, then rest.
Knee Grabs
Another exercise done on a full-size trampoline is the knee grab. Stand tall with your arms at your sides and start jumping. As you jump in the air, lift your knees up to your chest and wrap your arms around your ankles or knees. Let go and land on your feet with your arms in the air above your head. Do as many as you can in 30 seconds, and then rest.
Jumping Jacks
This simple exercise is more fun on a full-size trampoline. Stand up straight with your arms by your sides and start jumping. When you’re bouncing high enough, point your legs straight out reach your arms straight out to either side while you’re in the air. As you land, place your feet back together and put your arms back to your sides in the starting position. Do as many as you can in 30 seconds, then rest.
The Pike Jump
Also done on a full-size trampoline, the pike jump is a more advanced exercise. Stand straight with arms by your sides and start jumping. When you jump, lift and point your legs straight out in front of you until they’re parallel to the ground. Reach your hands toward your toes. Land in the starting position. Repeat for 30 seconds, then rest.
Cool Down
After bouncing and jumping for 30 minutes, end your workout with a two- or three-minute cool down by bouncing lightly and letting your heart rate and breathing slowly come down.
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