Jumping fitness, or body jumping, is a discipline that was born in 2001 in the Czech Republic. Instructors Jana Svobodová and Tomáš Buriánek combined the principles of aerobic exercise with a trampoline to minimize the impact on joints and make classes more dynamic.
Sessions last from 45 to 60 minutes, with background music to guide each exercise and with variations in the intensity of the movements. Therefore, it’s related to other practices, such as body pumps, body balance, fitboxing, pilates, and spinning. It differs from all of them in that the exercises take place on a trampoline.
During the last few years, there’s been an increase in interest from gyms and sports enthusiasts. Today, you can find classes in more than 30 countries and they’re emerging as an alternative to conventional aerobic exercises.
This is why we’ll show you how to do jumping fitness and some of its benefits.
What are the benefits of jumping fitness?
The main reason to do jumping fitness is to relieve the joints. Some aerobic disciplines have an impact on the knees, ankles, and hips, which eventually leads to wear and tear, pain, inflammation, and injury.
Thankfully, the trampoline on which you perform the exercises helps considerably relieve the stress on these areas, as it provides a cushion for each movement.
On the trampoline, you perform a multitude of aerobic practices, which provide benefits such as the following:
- Decreases episodes of depression: All physical activity is positive for psychological well-being. The evidence indicates, however, that aerobic disciplines are extra useful for this.
- It helps to control weight: Together with a balanced diet, jumping fitness can help you to either maintain your weight or to lose it. Body jumping combines different intensities of aerobic movements, which, according to studies, is beneficial for weight loss.
- Control’s cholesterol and triglyceride levels: Studies have confirmed that performing medium- and high-intensity physical activity helps control cholesterol and triglycerides.
- Lowers blood pressure: 45 to 60 minutes of activity on the trampoline helps lower blood pressure levels. It’s ideal for people suffering from hypertension or as a preventive method. Several studies have shown this to be the case. In any case, a prior evaluation by a cardiologist is advisable to determine the feasibility of jumping with the blood pressure figures that each patient presents.
- It contributes to executive functioning: This is the improvement of cognitive capacity, attention, memory, and concentration. This is what the evidence suggests, so it’s one of the reasons why aerobic activities recommended for older adults.
- It’s a cardioprotective activity: Especially if you do it at high intensity, although aerobic disciplines at medium intensity have also been shown to have positive repercussions for the heart.
How is jumping fitness practiced?
As we’ve already mentioned, jumping fitness involves classes ranging from 45 to 60 minutes. Sometimes you can find 30-minute sessions for those who are new to jumping fitness.
A trainer who’s also responsible for selecting the musical tracks that serve as accompaniment will lead the class. In theory, this music helps to guide the movements and sets the pace to move from medium to high intensity.
The trainer will select the movements according to the level of the participants, the objective of the class, and the experience of the trainer. All of these take place on a trampoline that may or may not have a support handlebar.
Among the most common exercises in a jumping fitness session are the following:
1. Warm-up
As with any other discipline, body jumping begins with stretching and warming up the corresponding muscles. Although it’s possible to do both away from the trampoline, the purpose of the first 5 minutes of a typical class is to prepare your muscles once you’re on the trampoline.
So, the trainer, with the help of background music, will use the following as a warm-up routine:
- Soft bounces with the legs fully stretched.
- Soft bounces with clapping and knee lifts.
- Jumps with 90 degrees turn to return to starting position.
- Scissors or T jumps.
- Jumps from side to side.
- Squats with jump.
- Skipping style jumps.
These are some of the movements for warming up, which are essential to avoiding injuries and achieving maximum muscular performance. No jumping fitness session should begin without a proper warm-up.
2. Jogging
It’s possible to adapt jogging to a trampoline, so everybody jumping session includes it for a few minutes. It’s more friendly to the joints and safer to practice for certain groups of people.
In general, intensity is medium, although there may be times when it rises to a high peak. It demands greater stability in the core, calves, and quadriceps, as the small changes that result from the rebounding effect of the trampoline tend to place the center of gravity out of balance with each step.
3. Aerobic dance
Aerobic dance is one of the most underrated exercise variations. One session at high intensity can burn up to 500 calories, so all jumping fitness classes include some form of dance. These are chosen according to the participants. Therefore, they can range from Zumba to belly dancing.
For greater comfort, large trampolines can be used, enlarging the base surface for greater freedom of movement. When trying to seek a greater caloric expenditure, it’s very common for the trainer to make modifications to the steps are and give rise to greater improvisation.
4. Exercises with weights
Although not all sessions use weights, it’s possible to use weights during a body jump session. In this case, aerobic and anaerobic activities are combined in a single routine and muscle strengthening is achieved in the process.
Naturally, the weight’s regulated to just a few pounds to maintain the essence of the discipline and to avoid accidents with the trampoline.
Most of the movements can be reinterpreted to include weight, although classic anaerobic routines can also be done with the addition of jumping. It all depends on your level of fitness and your goals.
What to consider when practicing it at home
These were a few examples of what a jumping fitness class looks like. Nothing prevents you from doing it at home, although you should consider a couple of details beforehand:
- Choose a trampoline that can support your weight.
- Clear the area to avoid bumps when extending your arms and feet.
- Ensure the friction of the contact points with the ground. If the trampoline doesn’t have them, consider adding anti-slip rubber bands.
- Wear athletic clothing that allows you to move freely.
- Wear sneakers for stability. After you become more experienced, you can try barefoot classes.
- And finally, don’t continue A session if you feel pressure in your chest, excessive discomfort in the pelvic area, or muscle pain.
In addition to all of this, you should also know that there are some contexts in which jumping fitness is contraindicated. These include urinary incontinence, vertigo, ankle sprains, or recent joint injuries. It’s also not recommended after 5 months of pregnancy, although you can consult with a medical specialist as you see fit.
Finally, remember that it’ll take you an average of 5 or 6 classes to become familiar with the movements and balance on the trampoline. Therefore, it’s best to avoid exceeding your capabilities to prevent injury or interruptions.
