How to Use a Rebounder for Weight Loss
Written by: Joel Gottehrer

How to Use a Rebounder for Weight Loss: Tips & Techniques

Exercise is a critical component of any weight loss plan, but to be effective, it needs to be sustainable.1 This means your workouts shouldn't be so hard that you dread doing them, nor should they cause so much stress on your body that it's hard to recover. And your physical activity of choice should have a low risk of injury. Rebounding checks all these boxes.

A rebounder is a type of mini-trampoline that can be used indoors for a low–impact workout. It's a stellar form of exercise for adults of all ages, offering an easy, fun, low-risk way to move your body and burn calories.2 For a closer look, explore the differences of rebounders vs. trampolines in our guide.

Keep reading to find out exactly why rebounding is good for fitness, explore the many benefits of having a rebounder, and learn how to use a rebounder for weight loss safely and effectively.

How Rebounding Helps with Weight Loss

Research shows that bouncing on a rebounder can be very effective for those looking to reach and stay at a healthy body weight.3

Why does it work so well? Rebounding can help with weight loss by:

  • Increasing calorie burn
  • Engaging multiple muscle groups
  • Boosting metabolism

Get details ahead.

Increasing Calorie Burn

Like other forms of exercise, rebounding burns calories. And when you use up more calories than you take in each day, you can generally expect to lose weight.4

Bouncing on a rebounder burns roughly seven calories a minute—though it depends on the intensity, your fitness level, and what type of workout you're doing.5

With constant movement and an elevated heart rate, the calorie burn you get from rebounding can be similar to other forms of exercise, like jogging and swimming—more on this ahead.6

Engaging Multiple Muscle Groups

Exercises that build lean muscle mass are often recommended as part of a weight loss or weight management plan.6 One reason rebounder workouts are so good for weight loss is that they offer not only aerobic activity (movement that gets your heart pumping) but also muscle-strengthening benefits.

Bouncing on a mini-trampoline works all the major muscle groups, including throughout the core (abs, obliques, and lower back) and lower body (glutes, hips, hamstrings, quads, and calves). Rebounding can even strengthen your shoulders and arms, depending on the workout and how you position your upper body.7

This type of workout can also activate supporting muscles, like those in the knees, while improving balance, coordination, and posture.8

Boosting Metabolism

Even though it's low-impact, the bouncing motion of rebounding elevates your heart rate. In the moment, this boosts blood circulation throughout your body, and over time, it can result in a lower resting heart rate (how quickly your heart beats when you're not moving your body).2 This circulation boost also aligns with the benefits of rebounding for lymphatic drainage.

These effects elevate your cardiovascular endurance. And thanks to the muscle-building perks, rebounding can increase your metabolism, meaning you burn more calories at rest. Bouncing regularly can boost your daily energy expenditure (the total number of calories you burn each day), helping you burn fat and lose weight.4


Best Rebounder Exercises for Weight Loss  

Rebounding for weight loss? Here are some of the best rebounder exercises for getting your heart rate up, engaging your muscles, and burning calories:

  • High bounce – The high bounce is the classic up-and-down jump you can do on a mini-trampoline. It basically means bouncing so your feet lift up off the mat at least a few inches. This simple move helps with blood circulation, calorie burn, and core activation. It's also good for beginners and works well as part of a warm-up or cool-down.
  • Bounce down – With this move, your feet won't lift off the mat, but you'll still do a repeated bouncing motion. Push your heels into the rebounder mat, then move up and down, in and out of a squat-like stance. You'll feel your core, glutes, and hamstrings engage while your body preps for more dynamic moves.
  • Scissors – Start with your feet hip-width apart, with one slightly in front of your body and the other a few inches behind. Repeatedly alternate foot positions, moving one forward and the other back. Scissor jumps are an excellent workout for the legs, engaging your inner thighs, quads, and calves, not to mention the core and glutes. They're also good for coordination and balance.2
  • Surf twist – With your arms extended out at your sides and elbows slightly bent, bounce with your legs hip-width apart (or a little wider) while rotating your core and lower body from side to side—like a surfer. Surf twists engage the obliques, strengthen the legs, and improve spinal mobility.9
  • Knee drive – Drive one knee up toward your chest while balancing on the other leg, then switch legs and continue repeating the move. Though this one calls for a bit more balance and coordination, it's amazing for ab strength and stability. It might not be the first move you try, but think about working it into your routine once you've got the hang of rebounding.
  • Kicks – Start with your feet hip-width apart, then extend one leg out into a kick, switch legs, and repeat. This move is just like standing front kicks you might do as part of a kickboxing workout. But the jumping mat adds a layer of instability, helping improve your balance while working muscles throughout your core and lower body.

Incorporate short bursts of high-intensity movements (like surf twists and knee drives), followed by simpler moves and brief rest periods, to boost cardiovascular fitness and burn fat.1

How Often Should You Rebound for Weight Loss?  

It depends on your current weight and fitness level, but many people will see noticeable results with consistent rebounder workouts three to four times a week for 20 to 30 minutes per session. If you're just starting out, you can do just five or 10 minutes a day and gradually work your way up.

To maintain good physical health and a healthy body weight, experts recommend 75 to 150 minutes a week of aerobic activity (like rebounding). But if your goal is to lose weight, you might aim for a little more physical activity, which could be a combination of rebounding with other types of movement, like daily walks.6

Rebounding vs Other Cardio Exercises for Weight Loss 

How does rebounding compare to other aerobic exercises? Here's a breakdown:

  • Rebounding vs running – Research shows rebounding is just as beneficial for burning calories and reducing body fat as running, without the high impact. It might even be better in some cases, especially if you're doing varied movements, like those outlined above.10
  • Rebounding vs walking – Walking and rebounding are both relatively easy, low-impact exercises. They're pretty close in terms of calorie burn—rebounding uses about seven calories per minute, while walking briskly burns roughly seven and a half calories a minute.5 A more leisurely walk is closer to four and a half calories per minute, though.6
  • Rebounding vs cycling – Cycling (whether outdoors on a bicycle or inside on a stationary bike) can burn anywhere from five to 10 calories per minute, depending on the intensity. Rebounding may be easier for some people, not to mention gentler on the joints.4
  • Rebounding vs swimming – Like rebounding, swimming is a low-impact form of exercise with decent calorie burn—around eight and a half per minute.6 Of course, not everyone has access to a pool, whereas a rebounder can be placed inside your home and used year-round, rain or shine.

Compared to many other types of exercise, rebounding has a very low risk of injury. The full-body, low-impact, sustainable workout can be kept up long-term, making it ideal for those with excess body weight, older adults, and anyone new to working out.5 For more low-impact exercise equipment you can use at home, check out our blog.

Considering a vibration plate? Explore the differences between vibration plates vs rebounders in our guide.

Safety Tips for Rebounding for Weight Loss  

While injury risk is low, you'll still want to think about safety when rebounding for weight loss. Here's what we recommend:

  • Make sure it's set up properly – Ensure your rebounder is placed flat on the floor. Lifepro's JumpTrack rebounders have non-slip feet to prevent them from shifting around while you jump.
  • Wear the right shoes – Proper athletic shoes (like cross-training sneakers) or grippy socks can provide traction and keep you from slipping on your rebounder.
  • Always warm up and cool down – Warming up with light movements (whether with slow bounces on the mini-trampoline or dynamic stretches) and cooling down afterward with static stretches can help you avoid injury and get the most out of your rebounder workout.11

Nutrition Tips to Support Weight Loss While Rebounding

What you eat is just as important as exercise when it comes to losing weight. You don't need to count calories, but focusing on healthy portion sizes and nutritious foods (think lean protein, healthy fats, fresh fruits, veggies, and whole grains) will help you reach your goals.1,6

And don't forget to drink plenty of water!

Get Started with Rebounding for Effective Weight Loss with Lifepro

Rebounding is a great workout for weight loss. This low-impact, easy, and fun activity burns calories, improves cardiovascular endurance, and works all the main muscle groups—to name just a few of the many benefits.

Want to incorporate rebounding into your routine? Our JumpTrack Lite and JumpTrack Pro rebounders can help people of all ages and fitness levels lose weight, get stronger, and achieve better overall health—all from the comfort of their own homes.

Bounce your way to a healthy body weight and better well-being with Lifepro, and enjoy lifetime support and tons of self-help resources.

 

Sources:

  1. Diabetes Spectrum. Role of Physical Activity for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556592/
  2. Cleveland Clinic. The Many Health Benefits of Exercising on a Trampoline. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/trampoline-workout-benefits
  3. Nutrition and Dietetics. Effect of rebound exercise on overweight and obese adults: a scoping review. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358795501_Effect_of_rebound_exercise_on_overweight_and_obese_adults_a_scoping_review
  4. Cureus. Rebound Exercises in Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11296216/
  5. Science & Sports. Exercise intensity and energy expenditure during a mini-trampoline rebounding exercise session in overweight women. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0765159716300892
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Physical Activity and Your Weight and Health. https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/physical-activity/index.html
  7. Clinical Interventions in Aging. Effectiveness of a Mini-Trampoline Training Program on Balance and Functional Mobility, Gait Performance, Strength, Fear of Falling and Bone Mineral Density in Older Women with Osteopenia. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6929928/
  8. Libyan Journal of Medicine. The effect of rebound exercise on cognition and balance of females with overweight and obesity. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19932820.2024.2438513?src=exp-la
  9. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. Does trampoline or hard surface jumping influence lower extremity alignment?. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5890218/
  10. International Journal of Sports Science. Does Mini-Trampoline Training More Effective than Running on Body Weight, Body Fat, VO2 max and Vertical Jump in Young Men?. http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.sports.20160601.01.html
  11. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. The effect of warm-up, static stretching and dynamic stretching on hamstring flexibility in previously injured subjects. https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2474-10-37
  12. Journal of Education Health and Sport. Springing to Life: Unveiling the Transformative Effects of Trampoline Bouncing on Human Health. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377582938_Springing_to_Life_Unveiling_the_Transformative_Effects_of_Trampoline_Bouncing_on_Human_Health
  13. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research (JSCR). Caloric expenditure of aerobic, resistance, or combined high-intensity interval training using a hydraulic resistance system in healthy men. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25162652/
  14. Western Journal of Medicine (WJM). Walking can burn more calories than jogging. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1071504/
Joel Gottehrer

AUTHOR

Joel Gottehrer

Joel Gottehrer is the Co-Founder of Lifepro Fitness and has dedicated his life to helping people transform theirs. With over 12 years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and owner of two personal training studios, Joel has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to helping transform lives. After suffering from physical injuries, Joel and his business partner, Abraham Brach, came together with a common goal to alleviate the pain caused by their injuries.

They continued to find themselves disappointed with the results stemming from various products promising to relieve their pain, and with that – Lifepro Fitness was born. Joel's mission is to have a positive impact on millions of lives with the Lifepro brand. Whether it's finding new and innovative ways to help people recover from injuries or developing products to improve overall wellness, Joel is always looking for ways to push the boundaries. Thanks to his commitment to help people live their lives free of pain, Lifepro has been able to do this for thousands of people since its founding in 2017.