What if I told you the best exercise for weight loss over 50 there was consistently fun, effective, easy on the joints and low impact?!
Rebounding as form of exercise has been around for over 50 years and its many benefits were first championed, surprisingly, by NASA. Setting out to combat the deconditioning astronauts faced while in orbit, NASA conducted a study comparing traditional treadmill running with jumping on a trampoline (or rebounding!) and the results were astounding! Not only was rebounding found to increase the balance between oxygen intake and usage (meaning the oxygen we intake is equal to the oxygen needed for our muscles to function while exercising) rebounding has also proven to be gentler on the joints than traditional exercise.
These findings, along with other studies since, pose rebounding as an interesting and worthwhile exercise alternative for mature women. If you haven’t tried rebounding before or are just keen to find out a little more about this fabulous exercise, keep reading!
Even if you have never stepped on a rebounder before, you are probably familiar with the kind of exercise required. Most of us have had a bounce on a trampoline, and in practice this is essentially all rebounding is: jumping up and down on a tensile canvas, to put it in its most literal form. When I think about trampolines, the first thought I have is how much fun it is, and rebounding is no different. Believe me, a rebounder workout is some of the most fun you can have while exercising!
A rebounder workout targets the whole body, with particular focus on the lower body; that’s abs, butt, legs and lower back. Jumping up and down is almost an instinctual movement, we are hardwired to perform the action without much instruction. With that being the case, you may not be aware of all the minute goings on in the body.
Every time we jump, we tense and release our core to propel our bodies upwards. This small contraction repeated over and over during a workout can provide the same effects as a regular sit up, without the negative impact of strain sits ups can put on the body.
Our lower body similarly receives an activation, with our legs providing the necessary spring needed to jump. Our thighs, quads and glutes all receive some love during a rebounder workout, without the same impact as a workout on a harder surface.
Rebounding is also beneficial for our heart health. Any cardio workout will help pump oxygen rich blood to the heart, and rebounding is no different. Cardio training increases our cardiovascular health by strengthening the efficiency of our heart, allowing it to pump more blood around the body. This helps to carry vital nutrients throughout the bloodstream and provide oxygen rich blood to our muscles and organs to keep them in tip top shape.
As a rebounder workout targets the entire body, the number of calories burned has the potential to be much higher than a regular workout. A rebounder workout is also a combination of strength training and cardio, making it the perfect exercise for boosting metabolism.
One of the most important benefits of rebounding, however, is in lymphatic system drainage. Our lymphatic system is responsible for clearing the body of toxins and waste which when built up can lead to all sorts of negative effects for our overall health. By jumping up and down and activating our entire body, we are essentially acting as a pump for our lymphatic system to open and dispel of any waste.
This also has greater impactions for displacement of cellulite. If our lymph system is functioning poorly, fat cells can swell, bunch up and form rough dimples in the skin, which we know as cellulite. With regular rebounding exercise to promote healthy lymphatic system drainage, we can actively combat cellulite production and even diminish the cellulite we already have. Rebounding may not be enough to get rid of cellulite entirely, however.
Rebounding is a fun, safe and effective form of exercise which has the potential to increase fat loss and promote strength and total body toning, particularly for mature women due to its low impact nature. If you have never tried rebounding before and are keen to get jumping, I think you’ll really enjoy this rebounding workout to get you started.
And if you are looking to pick up your very own rebounder, these are my top picks!
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