Which Body Muscles Does Trampolining Strengthen?

Trampolining, or “rebounding,” is one of the most exciting and fun sports available. It’s also considered one of the best low-impact exercise options, beaten only by swimming.

There’s a strange perception that “low impact,” means “less effective.” The fact is, that’s not only mistaken, it’s actually backward in the case of rebounding. This low impact exercise can be incredibly effective at working a wide range of muscle groups and keeping your body in its best possible condition.

Abdominals and Core

One of the least considered muscle groups when it comes to trampolining, your core muscles actually end up getting an incredible workout while you’re bouncing. Some studies have suggested that rebounding might actually be a more effective core workout than situps or crunches for a number of reasons.

The first is that it works out your whole core. Many “core” exercises only focus on the abdominal muscles because those are the ones which show the most obvious change. They’re easy to see in a mirror and develop clear definition that can be noticed even without flexing.

That being said, your back is also a key part of your core that is ignored by many core exercises. Your back muscles not only help you lift and carry heavy things, but they are also instrumental in protecting your spine from the daily shocks that it experiences when you run, walk, or jump. By tightening around the spine, it keeps the vertebrae from shaking and helps them maintain their position.

Every time that you land while trampolining, you are tightening all of your core muscles instinctually, then releasing them when you jump. This repeated activity has been shown to be highly efficient and will get you a great core exercise.

Legs, Thighs, and Glutes

The kind of full body workout that you get from trampolining can be good for your lower body, particularly your legs, thighs, and especially your butt. While the mat does a lot of the work for you, you’re still jumping every time that you launch upward. That means that your whole lower body is engaged before releasing, just like other strength training exercises.

Trampolining can not only build strength in those areas, but tone them as well. If you’re trying to look good in that new pair of jeans or while wearing yoga pants, this is one of the best exercises to give you the look and feel that you want.

On top of that, you can also get your arms in on the action by swinging them around while you’re in the air. To get an even better workout, consider either carrying weights while moving your arms around, or adding ankle weights to increase resistance while jumping.

Heart

Most people forget that the heart is a muscle, but it acts just like all of the others. You can strengthen it with good aerobic cardiovascular exercise, and rebounding is among the best there is for that. Jumping for only a short amount of time can get your heart pumping, which forces it to get stronger just like the rest of your muscles.

In fact, a number of studies have shown that as far as cardiovascular workouts go, trampolining for 20 minutes can be as effective as running for an hour. The whole body workout and the concentration of effort throughout the body goes a long way toward getting you in the best possible health.

How Long You Should Work Out?

Rebounding, like any workout, should be done carefully with a focus on how to get the most out of the activity that you’re doing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the American College of Sports Medicine define trampolining as “moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.” According to the American College of Sports Medicine, doing 30 to 60 minutes of that type of exercise five times a week is instrumental to a healthy lifestyle. Trying to aim for that interval would go a long way toward helping you build the muscles that you’re looking for.

Other Benefits

Of course, rebounding isn’t just about building muscles. There are a number of benefits that come with working out on a trampoline including improved immune system function, better organ function, and even enhanced lymphatic effort along with general weight loss and increased health.

While trampolining might not be for everybody, it’s more than just kids’ stuff. It is a great way to get a full body workout that helps build up a number of muscle groups all over the body.