I'm not in a position to walk a lot but have been having great luck with rebounding. I go to the YMCA and weight train and then swim 3 days a week. Then, the other 3 workout days, I put my pedometer on and jump on my mini-tramp. My pedometer is extremely accurate and I figure jumping or walking, it's all relevant. I can get in close to 10,000 jumps (steps) during my mini-tramp session. And it's loads of fun. I didn't know if there was another thread on this form of xrcise or not, but it's a great workout. If you want to up your heatbeat a little, just use your arms to do jumping jacks while you're jumping or direct an imaginary orchestra.

I have heard this is a great workout and it's great to hear you love it too. AntiM has been rebounding and she loves it too (she posted about it in the TDC Fitness Challenge thread on the challenge board). I would love to try it someday and have looked into purchasing one. The one I have looked at has a bar over it to hang onto since I have no balance.

Have fun bouncing!

Mary

i think im too uncoordinated for that. haha. i can just see myself falling off that little tramp and busting my leg or something LoL

Don't know if anyone has an answer for this...but...I have a bone spur in my heel and walking almost any distance just aggrivates (sp?) it. Does the mini trampoline put pressure on heels?

I bought a rebounder a couple of months ago. I haven't been as diligent in doing it as I should but it is great exercise. I don't jump up and down really, more like a little hoppy jog, it really doesn't take much balance.

Elisa, don't know how it would affect your heels. I had the same thing years ago, but don't know, so I'm not sure if it would hurt or not. It's a lower impact exercise, but I think it still puts a fair amount of pressure on the foot.

The added benefit of rebounding is that it is supposed to be fantastic for helping to move things in your lymphatic system. The author of the Fat Flush diet plan (a detoxing kind of low-carb diet) highly advocates rebounding to help flush things through your system and get it going. Theoretically helps speed up the weight loss.

Hmmm, I just went to look at my weight/exercise Excel spreadsheet, I've been losing slowly for months now, but there was two weeks that I was doing a lot of rebounding, and I lost 7.6 lbs in those two weeks. Then I stopped exercising and I'm back to turtle weight loss. Maybe I need to get my butt in gear and get back to that rebounding for a couple of weeks to see if it makes a difference.

Valerie

Interesting about the rebounding helping someone flush things out of their system. I use a mini-tramp about twice a week because I have trouble walking on pavement.

I will have to go read the fat flush diet plan, I can see. Another great reason to hang out at the book store.

Marty

I had a mini trampoline in Calif and was not able to take it when we moved two years ago. I am going to go tomorrow and buy one. I loved it so much, the only problem was storing it as taking off all the legs to store it is a pain and the more work to get it out, the less likely one is to use it. I will just store it in our spare room as we finally have one of those for the first time !
I felt it was a great workout and you can make it as aroebic as you want. I have even put on music and kind of dance walked on it and got a wonderful workout.
I feel it is much easier on knees and heels than the treadmill as you are suspended by the soft material of the rebounder.
I have also read many places about how it flushes out the lympth system, and that it moves all your cells as they vibrate so even the parts that are not excercising get the benefits. One of the books I read even swore that putting an invalids or older person who can't excercise legs on the rebounder and gently bouncing will give them big benefits. Fit for Life has a lot about it , we were vegetarian many years ago, far cry from today, lol, but that book had a lot about it if I remember correctly, either that one or fit for life two.
I am excited about getting back on a rebounder, I am so glad I read this tonight !!! Stephie

Here are some excerpts from the Fitness Challenge about my experiences with the mini-trampoline:


It's great for improving balance and it's extremely low impact. I can even {gasp!} jog up there. There are a lot of health benefits to this way of exercising, one of which is reportedly moving lymph around in your body. I wasn't sure if this was just hype, but sure enough the morning after my first bouncing session, my lymph nodes were noticeably swollen and sore all over my body! I drank lots of water and bounced a little less vigorously the next few days and everything is back to normal, but I know the gravitational changes are having an effect.

Another lovely benefit it's reported to have - more toned skin! And who, after losing a bunch of weight, doesn't need a little help in that area!

(Here is a link to a CBS news story if anyone is interested in more information.)


{from another post, same thread}


The bar is a good idea, because balancing is fairly difficult. It's good to do it barefoot because you can really feel how hard the little muscles in your feet respond to the challenge. I'm really enjoying it - it hardly feels like a workout since it's truly so much fun.

I have a cheap-y brand from Wal-Mart that cost around $50 - it's fine, but definitely has a 'stiffer' bounce and I know will wear out faster since the springs are made of some sort of fabric. I've used the expensive ones - they are much, much better - the bounce is softer, springier. It's hard to describe, but it's like the difference between an Escort and Cadillac - both will get you where you want to go, but the Cadillac makes the ride more pleasurable, you know?

I think the ReboundAir is a very good brand, but I'd choose a Needak, primarily because it's made in the US. They're both great, high quality trampolines and cost about the same. The barrel shaped or tapered springs are best, and Permatron mats seem to be the 'gold standard' - also, make sure the brand you get allows you to buy replacement springs, because if anything wears out on the fancy models over the years, that will be it.


Obviously, I'm a fan! Anyone who learns more about trampolines, please share.

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Edited to add:

I hang my trampoline on the wall. I looped a cord around the top of one leg, and put in one of those bike hooks (coated, ~8" long) to hang it from. Very easy, although not exactly what I'd call attractive! At least it's out of the way.

I started using one a few weeks ago and love it. Low impact jogging - how great is that!

What a fabulous idea for hanging it up Monika!

You know, I have one but haven't used it that much... after kids, I am scared I will pee on myself! lol. Now that someone has actully shown me that it is more than soemthing for the kids to play on, maybe I will start!

WOW! My DD has one and she jumps rope on it - the funny thing is she's a million times better on the mini-trampoline jumping rope than on the ground. I've never tried it - I was always afraid I weighed too much and I'd break it (it was a gift for DD from Gram!) Maybe I'll try it out!