How a Trampoline Makes my Quarantine And Butt
Lockdown is slowly eating away at me, but I have one friend who saves me every day: my trampoline. I bought my Jumpy in March, and I thought: well, maybe this is another compensatory purchase – my life is out of control. It turned out, this was the best idea I had this year –if not ever. When everyone’s complaining about the rain or the gyms being closed, I’m in my little lockdown cell, rebounding the hell out of my burning legs, getting those liquids flowing.
When in Sloth State
It happens unprecisely every 1.75 hours: I arrive at Sloth State. I don’t have to explain how to get there: it’s a secret ritual comprising zoom calls, screen time, and a constant in-flow of direct messages, emails and mentions. To my surprise, it only takes about 2 minutes of trampolinement to cheer me up again. I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t experience it myself. It remediates the “gravity” – the feeling that the day consists of demands through your computer and nothing to make up for it. The trampy gets you out of all this — and out of the window if you aim.
I’ve placed the trampoline on a carpet to not get on my neighbor’s nerves too much, but it’s quiet anyway.
Breaking the Sloth State gives you the energy to carry on with your tasks, with a refreshed mind and increased joy. I’ve noticed that my work results are much better on days when I regularly take a short break for rebounding.
Instead of Running
I used to run as a workout, alternating with weight lifting sessions. I thought cardio and resistance training are the perfect couple, but then I discovered an even better one. Actually, now, the interjectional rebounding keeps my metabolism at a steady level throughout the whole day. I don’t have restless legs anymore when lying in bed and the best thing is that I don’t need additional motivation and “activation energy” to get me out for a workout.
The hurdle is somehow lower when you’re constantly active. After every running session, I felt destroyed. Like Britney-Spears-2007 destroyed. Sometimes I wouldn’t be able to do any other activity for the next two days. I’m happy I’ve discovered a way to stay active without side effects. Now, I use rebounding as a warm-up and cool-down with an extended weight lifting and stretching session in between. And the surprise is that I love it. Being active has never felt this good.
Bounce for Body
Rebounding with bent knees, pulling up the knees, backflips, it all gets you toned. Especially the thighs and glutes. Although those muscles are trained, it doesn’t feel the same as performing a deadlift. The trampoline absorbs the force that would have been impacting your cartilage and joints, making it an almost effortless endeavor. The jumping will also improve your posture over time because it strengthens your whole core —that is abs and lower back. This way, you can easily bounce your back pain away without being in danger of hurting your vertebrae. Unless you do the crazy stuff and fall off gloriously.
The Health Benefits are Dope
It’s not like I’m saying “throw away your pills, long live the trampoline”, but it’s almost like this. Every cell in your body is squeezed when jumping. Jumping is a complex motion, so a lot of muscles are involved in performing the bounces. In contrast to other exercises, the forces applying to your joints and tendons are meager. These facts make the trampoline quite unique in terms of at-home fitness.
Sitting is a significant health risk for the modern human. Rebounding in fact is good for your blood vessels and can help you fight the diseases of the civilized world — cardio-vascular ones.
NASA scientists concluded that rebounding on a trampoline is 68 percent more effective than jogging and yet requires less effort — Source: nasa.gov
And there’s a lot more to it:
Metabolic activation
Jumping raises your heart rate. Your body will be burning roughly 7.2 calories per minute, which adds up to a whole chocolate bar per hour. One hour is very ambitious. I recommend 15 minutes maximum to start with.
Immune system boost through lymphatic flow
Your lymphatic system works alongside your cardiovascular system to keep your blood and lymphatic fluid levels balanced and to flush out toxins from your body. Your lymphatic system also moves your immune cells throughout your body to create a defense against infections.
Reduced Cellulite
This cellular vibration increases blood flow and circulation, which may help release the toxins responsible for cellulite formation.
Stronger bones
Researches found that stomping leads to higher bone density. That makes sense if you think about it: The body adapts to its tasks. Jumping is like stomping, but in a way that less hurtful for the joints. Be cautious, however, if you have a history of compression fractures or spinal dysfunctionalities.
Before Waking Up
I’m not awake in the morning if I haven’t completed a couple of bounces. It’s become a routine, and I don’t want to miss it. The body needs some activation after spending the whole night in embryo position. Afterward you are going to be sitting all day anyway. Think of your hamstrings, hip-flexors, and intercostal muscles: they need a good morning kiss as well.
Another big advantage is that I don’t have to change clothes, I don’t have to leave the house, and it’s not even required to do it 20 minutes. That’s what stopped me from running in the morning, although I tend to have the strongest intentions. Now I don’t need to summon motivation, because the trampoline is in the middle of my living room and I just cannot go around it. I also cannot resist.
