Lockdown Health Hack – 13 Rebounding Health Benefits!

13 Rebounding Health Benefits

During these unprecedented times of us being confined to our homes or locked out of gyms and other activities, exercise may have become more tricky for certain people and definitely those in the high risk categories.  For those with ADHD, or children with ADHD, who need to release pent up energy a deceptively healthy, fun lockdown health hack is rebounding.   Rebounding, aka trampolining, has many health benefits – including boosting the immune system!

Rebounding is simply jumping on a mini trampoline if you have a small space and perhaps a bigger trampoline if you have kids and a garden.   You can reap some amazing health benefits whether you perform complete jumps, where your feet rise a few inches above the surface or gently bounce without your feet leaving the trampoline at all.

Rebounding is a uniquely beneficial form of exercise as it uses the forces of acceleration and deceleration and therefore works on every cell in the body to increase its energy and mitochondrial function.

It can be done by children or adults of all fitness levels and is particularly useful for those who need to detox, have gut issues or who suffer with chronic fatigue.

What are the benefits of rebounding?

1. Boosts lymphatic drainage
2. Increases endurance on a cellular level
3. Improves immune function
4. Improves digestion & constipation
5. Increases bone mass
6. Twice as effective as running with less risk of injury
7. Improves balance
8. Boosts energy and heart health
9. Improves whole body muscle tone
10. Supports the endocrine system
11. Reduces cellulite
12. Assists weight loss
13. It’s a fun activity!

Boosts Lymphatic Drainage

The lymphatic system is the metabolic waste disposal system of the body which, when working effectively, rids the body of toxins such as dead and cancerous cells, nitrogenous wastes, infectious viruses, bacteria and heavy metals. Lymph fluid flows through the network of vessels and lymph nodes, which then feed back into the circulatory system to be processed through the liver and kidneys.

A strong lymph flow ensures efficient removal of wastes whilst a sluggish lymph system means toxins collect in the lymph, creating potential for inflammation and therefore illness such as arthritis, cancer and other degenerative diseases as well as weakness to invading virus and bacteria.

Because the vessels are filled with one-way valves, and the fluid only moves in one direction, the lymphatic system relies purely on physical movement such as the muscular contractions from movement, gravitational pressure and internal massage to the valves of the lymph ducts to mobilise the lymph. This means any type of exercise, such as walking, weight lifting or swimming will result in a strong lymph flow, but rebounding is by far the most effective exercise, increasing lymph flow by 15-30 times.

The main lymph vessels run up the legs, arms and torso, which is why the vertical up-and-down movement of rebounding is more effective at forcing the lymphatic fluid to flow, thereby flushing toxins from the body, than horizontal motions such as running or jogging.

Increases endurance on a cellular level

Rebounding increases endurance on a cellular level by stimulating mitochondrial production. You resist the Earth’s gravitational pull by working against constant gravitational pressure while bouncing. This resistance is subtle, but it builds cellular strength. The alternating weightlessness and double gravity of rebounding produce a pumping action which extracts waste products from cells and forces oxygen and nutrition from the bloodstream into them.

Improves Immune Function

Many immune cells such as T-lymphocytes and macrophages become up to five times more active as a result of the increased G-force obtained from rebounding. As these immune cells kill off viruses, bacteria and even cancer cells, the more active they are the better!

Rebounding also directly strengthens the immune system by stimulating all internal organs, moving the cerebral-spinal fluid and the aqueous fluid within the eyes.

Improves Digestion & Constipation

Rebounding does wonders for the intestines, especially for those suffering from chronic constipation. Natural, regular bowel movements are re-established when the area of brain responsible for regulating the gut, receives the pulsating rhythm transmitted by the nervous system.

Increases Bone Mass

Rebounding is great for your skeletal system. By increasing the weight supported by the skeletal system with the increased g-force of jumping bone mass is effectively increased.

Twice as effective as running with less risk of injury

James White PhD says that rebounding is more effective for fitness and weight loss than cycling, running or jogging, with the added benefit of producing fewer injuries. As rebounding allows the muscles to go through the full range of motion at equal force with no solid ground to suddenly stop the bouncing on your feet, it is remarkably gentle on the joints and your movements are extremely safe, whilst utilizing the beneficial effect of gravity.

Improves balance

Rebounding improves balance by stimulating the vestibule in the middle ear. Also, by helping people learn to shift their weight properly and become aware of body positions and balance it increases agility and improves a sense of balance.

Boosts energy and heart health

The heart can be strengthened by rebounding in two ways – by improving the tone and quality of the muscle itself and by increasing the coordination of the fibers as they wring blood out of the heart during each beat. The aerobic effect of rebounding equals and often exceeds that of running.

Rebounding supports the circulation of blood and can therefore help to lower blood pressure. It also decreases blood pooling in veins to improve chronic oedema.

Improves muscle tone throughout the body

Rebounding firms your legs, thighs, abdomen, arms and hips and strengthens your muscle overall.

Supports the endocrine system

As mentioned above, rebounding is a great detoxifier and detoxing excess hormones and toxins is key to a healthy endocrine system.

Reduces cellulite

Cellulite is often the fault of a sluggish, toxic lymph system. By increasing lymphatic flow, rebounding can improve one of the root causes of non-hereditary cellulite.

Assists Weight Loss

As previously mentioned, rebounding is more effective for fitness and weight loss than cycling, running or jogging.

In addition, long bouts of cardio can actually backfire in weight loss attempts, since prolonged periods of cardio exercise can stress the body and lower metabolism. When rebounding at a moderate pace you can exercise without placing undue stress on your body. The gentle detox effect also encourages fat loss.

Apparently 20 minutes of rebounding is said to be as effective as 1 hour of running for a cardiovascular workout!

Rebounding is a fun activity!

Jumping is fun and makes you feel like a kid – you can’t help smiling while you jump! You can easily fit in a few short sessions throughout the day while watching TV, listening to a podcast or while taking a computer break!

How long should I bounce?

Due to adrenal fatigue, over the last six months I haven’t done any more exercise than the odd walk, so I started with a two minute bounce a few times per day. After a couple of weeks I have managed to increase this to a ten minute bounce 2-3 times per day. I’m hoping to increase this to a 15-20 minute bounce 2-3 times per day over the next week or two amounting to 45-60 minutes daily.

Start slowly and according to your own fitness. Start with a moderate pace so that you are breathing slightly faster but not uncomfortably. Your feet don’t even need to leave the trampoline you can just bounce up and down by bending your knees.

For detox and weight loss support, try building up to rebounding for at least 15 minutes daily. Try three five-minute sessions throughout the day and increase depending on how you feel.

Don’t rebound right after eating or drinking.

What should I wear?

Apparently the more jiggling the more effectively the lymph system is flushing out those toxins so don’t wear tight or restrictive clothing!

If you’re looking for a trampoline consider Yard Games – an affiliate partner of ADHD Support Australia who have a large range. Click the link to support us at no extra cost to you.

 

The author, Vivian Dunstan, is Founder & CEO of ADHD Support Australia, ADDCA trained ADHD Coach, facilitator of Parenting Children with ADHD – a 6-week online course, certified PEERS Social Skills for Adolescents and Young Adults program facilitator, Digital Addiction & Wellness Educator and facilitator of 6-week online Digital Detox Program, non-practising teacher, woman with ADHD and an ADHD parent.

 

References:

 

Dave Scrivens, certified lymphologist, Canada’s first full-time practicing lymphologist and is co-author with Philip Corning Ph.D of “The Importance of Mobilizing the Lymphatic System” published in Quest (Winter edition, 2006) a Canadian journal that focuses on remedies for fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome. This article is from Well Being Journal, Vol. 17, No. 3)

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/545374

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