The best way to keep fit is to exercise. Whether it’s a quick morning jog or a refreshing swimming class – there are plenty of ways to keep your body moving. However, if you don’t have time for either of those, a trampoline is a quick way to check-off your daily workout.
Yes, you read that right. If you’re assuming that trampoline is only for kids, you’re wrong. A 20-minute workout on a trampoline is an ideal total-body, intense workout for beginners. It readily builds core strength, increases the lymphatic flow, and strengthens the bone mass.
The best thing about trampoline workouts is that they pack a variety of resistance and strength exercises. You may kick off with a simple warm-up, turn it up a notch with high-intensity interval training, and finish with a few solid core exercises. Most importantly, you’ll have completed a full-body workout without leaving the comfort of your house.
So, turn up your favourite jam, and get on the trampoline. Here are the best exercises for beginners to try on a 10ft round trampoline.
1. Marching in Place
Walking or marching in one place might seem like a monotonous exercise. However, once you cross the first minute, your calves and glutes might just start burning. This is a sign that the exercise is working. To get started, stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart and shoulders rolled back.
Begin marching by lifting one foot off the trampoline, place it down, and then repeat with the other foot. Keep your arms firm but swing them on the side for a total-body warm-up. As a low-impact cardio exercise, this warm-up is great for beginners.
Marching on the trampoline is completely different from doing it on the hard floor. You have to learn how to balance yourself as you move. This will improve your posture, control, and balance over time. Once you’re comfortable with marching, speed up with light jogging on the trampoline.
Once that’s in place, you can move on high-intensity interval training by slightly raising the knees as you jog. Do this exercise for 30 seconds to about a minute and then move on to the next.
2. Basic Bounce
Alternatively, you can try light bouncing on the trampoline. Plant your feet firmly on the platform and keep them shoulder-width apart. Begin by gentle bouncing without lifting your feet as this is a warm-up exercise. Do this for 30 seconds or upto a minute and then move to the next exercise.
3. Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks engage all the core muscles of the body and are great for developing bone mass. The rebounding improves oxygen circulation and blood flow. In fact, NASA uses trampoline exercises to train their astronauts for spacewalks. The feat may often lead to muscle and bone degeneration. However, with trampoline training, the chances are significantly reduced.
However, with jumping jacks, coordination is key. You need to coordinate your leg and arm movement to get the most out of the exercise. Just follow an “in and out” pattern. When your legs go out, your arms should go up. When the legs shift in, the arms should go down to the sides.
Jumping jacks don’t need any strict rules. Simply, spread your feet shoulder or hip-width apart and start jumping on the treadmill. Do what feels comfortable and good. As a beginner, you don’t have to worry much about how far you need to raise your arms.
They can go all the way to your shoulders or right above your head. The important bit is to get the iron pumping by moving your entire body. The best part about jumping jacks is that it takes the pressure off the knees and feet. If you have knocked knees or flat feet, rebounding on the trampoline will protect your lower-body from impact.
4. Twist
For beginners, the twist might just be the best exercise. It engages the core, shoulders, back, and arms without excess exertion. For this exercise, your feet will remain together. On the first jump or bounce, use your arms to rotate your upper body to one side and legs on the other, thus forming a twist.
On the second jump, change the sides. Make sure that each time you bounce, your body forms a twist. Keep the bounces small and gentle if you’re a beginner and then gradually build up the intensity. The twist exercise readily improves balance and tones your physique.
It stabilizes the abdominals, hips, glutes, and pelvis. Once you’ve built your strength around the exercise, you can add hand-held weights. Those will be great for building biceps and triceps.
5. Single-Leg Squats
Many people dread squats because they are fairly difficult to accomplish. However, these single-leg squats on the trampoline might just become your favourite exercise. Stand on one foot on the trampoline. Keeping the back flat, lower the buttocks back and down as you go. Make sure not to lose balance or collapse the knee when going into a squat position.
Engage your hips muscles and maintain a stable posture. This may seem challenging at first, which is why you can hold the squat for 10-20 seconds initially. Make sure not to transfer all the weight to the front of your foot. You can do this by keeping the back flat and tightening the abdominal muscles.
This exercise effectively engages the rectus abdominus, quadriceps, obliques, and gluteal muscles. Single-leg squats are great at boosting stability, balance, and power. You can easily develop control over your knees and prevent future injuries. Above all, single-leg squats are a beginner-level exercise that strengthens muscle mobility as you age.
Working out on the trampoline is a great way to build long-lasting muscle strength. Most importantly, it’s great for beginners who are hunting for a quick, at-home, intense workout.
In fact, once you’re in the groove, you can perform just about any exercise on the trampoline and enjoy enhanced stability. So, go ahead try these 5 exercises and experience the burn!
Author Bio:
Bec is a wife and mother of two who works part-time in the childcare industry. Bec has over 20 years in childcare and a real passion for helping children develop their motor skills. Currently, she works as a marketing consultant with OZ Trampoline – one of the prominent suppliers of Australian made trampolines. Being a busy mum, Bec is always looking for new outdoor activities to keep her and her family entertained. She is a big fan of teaching children new skills.
