Rebounding for Health

Purchase a Rebounder

Made in USA

How Rebound Exercise Accomplishes Its Benefits
by Morton Walker

Rebounding involves aerobic movements performed on a bouncing appliance that looks like a small trampoline. It has you jumping up and down for health and fitness. As an ideal jumping appliance, the mini-trampoline or “rebounder”; has a strong woven mat attached by coiled steel springs to a circular steel frame. The rebounder usually is round, although some models have been made oval, rectangular, square or polygonal. The entire jumping surface of the mat is twenty-eight inches in diameter, stands on six legs with spring coils of their own, which are seven to nine inches high.

Sometimes, for people who feel unsteady on their feet or for the elderly, handicapped, and disabled, a stabilizing bar may be added to the rebounder’s frame (see Photograph 2). It’s attached to two of the frame’s legs so that the individual needing more security can hold onto this bar and still bounce aerobically.

In jumping on a well-made rebounder, the exerciser usually feels invigorated and filled with a sense of well-being. People who rebound find they’re able to work longer, sleep better, and feel less tense and nervous. The effect is not just psychological, because the action of bouncing up and down against gravity, without trauma to the musculoskeletal system, is one of the most beneficial aerobic exercises ever developed.

Rebounding aerobics is working with gravity to cleanse your tissue cells and act as an oxygenator, which, in turn, lightens the load on the heart. Also it’s fun to bounce! Much more than fun, however, rebounding provides a number of physiological pick-me-ups for the person who sustains this activity for at least ten minutes, four times a day, or for a single daily session for 40 minutes. As you bounce, your feet hit the mat with twice the force of gravity. Then just as the astronauts experience while floating in space, your body is in a state of weightlessness at the top of the bounce.

Jumping on the mini-trampoline is remarkably un-strenuous on the Joints. There’s no solid ground to suddenly stop the bouncing of your feet. Your movements are perfectly safe, and they make the effect of gravity beneficial. By working against constant gravitational pressure while bouncing, you resist the Earth’s pull. Your resistance is subtle, but it builds cellular strength. Rebounding’s alternating weightlessness and double gravity produce a pumping action which pulls out waste products from the cells and forces into them, oxygen and nutrition from the bloodstream.

Jumping’s Oxygenating Effect

If you have a resting heart rate of less than 60 beats a minute, don’t smoke, don’t have chest pain, live a healthful lifestyle, and engage in rebounding for 40 minutes or more each day, at least five days a week, theoretically it’s not likely that you’ll ever develop a heart problem if you have none now. Jumping on a rebounder helps you to attain your heart rate target zone every day that you rebound for the recommended 40 minutes.

Rebound exercise strengthens your heart in two ways: It improves the tone and quality of the muscle itself, and it increases the coordination of the fibers as they wring blood out of the heart during each beat. The aerobic effect while you are rebound-jumping equals and often surpasses that of running.

Your rate of rebounding will vary, depending on how vigorously you bounce and how high you lift your feet off the mat. Rebound exercise offers the ideal aerobic effect with almost any rate of performance, because it fills all the requisites of an oxygenating exercise.

The Detoxification Effect of Rebounding

The lymphatic system is the metabolic garbage can of the body. It rids you of toxins such as dead cells, nitrogenous wastes, fat, infectious viruses, heavy metals, and other assorted junk cast off by the cells. The movement performed in rebounding provides the stimulus for a free-flowing system that drains away these potential poisons.

Unlike the arterial system, the lymphatic system does not have its own pump. It has no heart muscle to move the fluid around through its lymph vessels. There are just three ways to activate the flow of lymph away from the tissues it serves and back into the main pulmonary circulation. Lymphatic flow requires muscular contraction from exercise and movement, gravitational pressure, and internal massage to the valves of lymph ducts.

Rebounding supplies all three methods of removing waste products from the cells and from the body. Then arterial blood enters the capillaries in order to furnish the cells with fresh tissue fluid containing food and oxygen. The bouncing motion effectively moves and recycles the lymph and the entire blood supply through the circulatory system many times during the course of the rebounding session.

Rebounding is a lymphatic exercise. As stated earlier, it has the same effect on your body as jumping rope, but without any jarring effect to the ankles, knees, and lower back that comes from hitting the ground. Better than rope jumping, however, the lymphatic channels get put under hydraulic pressure to move fluids containing waste products of metabolism around and out of the body through the left subclavian vein.

Rebounding’s Stabilizing Effect on the Nervous System

Bouncing on a rebounder is an excellent method of reducing stress. It can put the bouncing person into a trance like state and totally relax him or her. Jumping for health and fitness not only stabilizes the nervous system during the exercise period, but continues to help maintain equilibrium after one steps off the device. The result is increased resistance to environmental, physical, emotional, and mental stress. It may possibly help an individual to avoid psychosomatic disease and mental or behavioral instability.

Rebounding may be enjoyed for a lifetime and adjusted to your own particular level of fitness. It is safe, convenient and inexpensive, and its protective effects against degenerative diseases make it one of the most effective forms of motion in the work place, in recreational pursuits, or in simply exercising for the care of your body and mind.

The Physical Muscular Effect of Rebounding

James White, Ph.D., director of research and rehabilitation in the physical education department at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), has explained how jumping for health offers a true physical strengthening effect to the muscles. He said, “Rebounding allows the muscles to go through the full range of motion at equal force. It helps people learn to shift their weight properly and to be aware of body positions and balance.”

An advocate of rebounding for athletic conditioning, Dr. White uses the rebounder in his rehabilitation program at UCSD. “When you jump, jog, and twist on this (jumping) device you can exercise for hours without getting tired. It’s great practice for skiing, it improves your tennis stroke, and it’s a good way to burn off calories and lose weight,” said Dr. White. “My students tell me it’s so much fun that they often exercise on the rebounders for their own enjoyment.”

Dr. White added that jumping for health is more effective for fitness and weight loss than cycling, running or jogging (see Table B), and it has the added advantage of producing fewer injuries.

The gentle bounce of rebounding is effective in returning natural, regular bowel movements to chronically constipated persons. The steady bounce sets up a pulsating rhythm transmitted by the nervous system to the brain area responsible for regulating the intestinal system, which reestablishes one’s rhythmical bowel activity. Digestion is improved as well.

Specifications for the Perfect Rebounder

Depending on the quality, rebounding devices may be relatively low in cost, especially a department store model that’s no more than a toy. Bouncing on such poorly-constructed models, usually imported from Asia, may actually be harmful to one’s muscles, joints, and nerves. There’s no yield to them and the abrupt jarring effect is the same as landing on the floor. My recommendation is that one should avoid purchasing these cheaply priced models.

Rebounding devices can be acquired from sporting goods stores, department stores, by mail order, and in some health food stores. No one manufacturer has a lock on the market for rebounders, but some are better manufactured than others. It’s best, perhaps, to purchase your exercise unit directly from the manufacturer. (See Resources.)

Most important for excellent rebounding is the mat material. It should give no stretch during the downward landing, while at the same time providing a resilient rebound. Such a mat will be made from Permatron® material, which has a smooth finish. The Permatron® is resistant to ultraviolet rays, doesn’t break down as do other fabrics, and allows no moisture absorption. Part of the specifications for a perfect rebounder is that its mat will be sewn together using 5760 stitches of high-grade nylon thread with two layers of strong polypropylene webbing stitched around the mat’s edges.

Attached to a heavy-grade, all steel round frame should be an oversize spring mechanism holding four-inch-long, custom-made jumbo springs which deliver a soft bounce. Thirty-six springs made of quality wire will hold the mat to the frame. The springs should be shielded by a protective cover. Individual spring mounting pins prevent frame wear. Tapered coils help to give extended wearability to such springs. (Untapered coils allow low-quality springs to break frequently, requiring replacement.) Replacement springs must be available directly from the manufacturer since retail distributors seldom stock spare springs.

The spring-loaded legs should fold for easy storage under a bed or behind a door. For a folding rebounder, the frame should fold in half to be packed into its carrying bag, allowing for storage in a car trunk.

To jump for health, rebounding devices that exhibit all of these features of excellence I’ve been describing are the Needak® Soft-Bounce™ rebounders. They meet all of these specifications for the ideal rebounding device.

My rebounder was delivered to my office last Friday, and I took only a few minutes before going home that day to try it out. What a fabulous feeling from the increased oxygen in just a couple of minutes! I know of no other exercise that would give noticeable energizing in 2 mins. or less. Thank you to Tropical Traditions for adding this wonderful item to your list of health-raising habits!! I want to tell everyone I love about it (as I did about coconut oil), but I’ve decided to begin by making such excellent changes in myself that they won’t be able to resist asking what is making the difference and becoming interested in it themselves. Your smiling sister rebounder. Loraora

I started using my rebounder the week of July 18. I have had some problems over the last six weeks which kept me from working out and dancing. After testing it out for a few minutes, I decided to try it for 15 minutes. I am a 53 year old belly dancer so my ankles are pretty strong ( been dancing a little over a year). I did feel sore at first. Since that date I have been using it for 30 minutes twice a day because I found that I like it very much. With this rebounder, I have not needed to use any of my other equipment. Also, I have had problems with spinning around when I belly dance. The rebounder helps me with that. I am able to turn around on it very fast and do not feel as dizzy as I use to feel when I am dancing. So, it also is helping me with my dancing. The weight lost was a surprise. I enjoy this rebounder very much. It is also easier using hand weights while jumping of it. I have never been able to do jumping jacks without pain. Now, no pain. I love it.  Jean

At Needak Manufacturing in O’Neill, Nebraska, making the highest quality rebounders is all we do. Marketing companies who purport to be manufacturers actually contract with overseas jobbers to produce the cheaply built, look-alike rebounders they import by the container load. Since we are a true manufacturer, we have complete control over all phases of manufacture. We maintain high standards of quality control over every component that goes into your Needak® rebounder.  Your purchase of a Needak® rebounder helps American workers provide for their families and continues the noble tradition of high quality American workmanship.

Needak Manufacturing is the only company to offer a rebounder with over 12 years of continuous production. We offer a TIME TESTED product with a proven warranty.  In the event that you experience any problems, please consult the following warranty for the details on servicing your rebounder.

Our Warranty for purchasers of the Needak® rebounder:

In manufacturing the Needak® rebounder we insist that only the best materials and workmanship available be used. This assures us that the Needak® rebounder will be the best, from the standpoints of design, performance, and durability. Consequently, each rebounder comes with a limited warranty as expressed below:

Residential Use: Needak Manufacturing guarantees the following items to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for the periods indicated:

• Frame, frame hinges, platform pins, leg springs, and legs: LIFETIME
• Mat, mat cleats, and spring pins: five (5) years
• Mat springs, leg tips, and safety spring cover: two (2) years

Commercial Use: Needak Manufacturing guarantees the following items to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for the periods indicated:

• Frame and frame hinges: five (5) years
• Mat: five (5) years
• All other parts: one (1) year

It is normal for springs to need occasional replacement. However, if needed, we will provide replacement springs for your Needak® rebounder FREE for the stated period from the date of its purchase.

This warranty is extended to the original purchaser only. It is valid as long as the user’s weight is not in excess of 300 pounds. Any and all other guarantees or warranties, expressed, implied, written, or otherwise stated will not be recognized by Needak Manufacturing.

While every attempt is made to embody the highest degree of protection in all equipment, we cannot, however, guarantee freedom from injury. The user assumes all risk of injury due to use. All merchandise is sold on this condition.

The New Cleat

Needak® is constantly re-evaluating our successful product to see if there is a way to make it better. Our latest design innovation is our close fitting cleat.  You will see in the photos below how our new design compares with our previous cleat and those of some of our competitors.

The Old “Bullhorn” Cleat

Competitor’s Square Corner Cleat

One of the features of our old cleat design is that if a cleat would wear out, it could easily be changed by the user. This feature continues with our new cleat design. You will note that the competitor’s design with the sharp corners is sewn onto the mat and is impossible to change requiring a new mat when the aluminum or soft pot metal wears through.

Needak® rebounders are
Made in the USA

Resources

Footnotes
1. The chart comes from research performed by Victor L. Katch, Ph.D., Dept. of Physical Education, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
2. The chart comes from research performed by Victor. L. Katch, Ph.D., Dept. of Physical Education, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

This article originally appeared in the July, 1995 issue of the Townsend Letter For Doctors, pages 42 -48.

Copyright Needak® Mfg.  and   Dr. Morton Walker.

New! Needak® Platinum Edition Soft-Bounce™ Rebounders

For many years the jump surface of Needak® rebounders was made of blue Permatron® and accessorized with blue vinyl spring covers and carry bags.  The boom of the fitness industry in the late 1990’s forced a shift in the color scheme to black fabrics which matched the exercise equipment found in Gyms and Health Clubs.

Needak Manufacturing is now offering our quality rebounder in a color other than black.  We call it our Platinum Edition rebounder and it incorporates all of our current features and several others that you have asked for.

Blue color—We offer this popular base for customers that prefer blue to our standard black rebounder.

Contrasting edge banding—To aid in centering on the rebounder, Needak® utilizes a space between the jump mat and spring cover.  This visual cue tells you when you are near the edge of the jump mat.  We have added a platinum band to make this more obvious when doing vigorous exercise.

Improved jump mat—all of the platinum edition rebounders use our new mat cleat and newly upgraded  sewing pattern found on our black rebounder to produce the best jump mat you will find anywhere.

The Platinum Edition rebounder is available in 1/2 folding and non-folding models

What comes FREE with my Needak® Soft-Bounce™ rebounder?

In addition to the finest rebounder, made in America of superior materials, you will receive:

A FREE carrying bag (Folding rebounder only) a $45.00 value,

A FREE copy of the book, “Jumping for Health” by Dr. Morton Walker - a $7.95 value

A FREE copy of the “Immune System” VHS DVD by Albert Carter (a prolific rebounding promoter, Carter demonstrates the Needak® rebounder and explains immune system functioning.), a $20.00 value

And a FREE copy of Dr. Morton Walker’s reprint article from “The Townsend Letter For Doctors,” a $1.50 value.

American workmanship and quality materials provide you with the superior Needak® rebounder.

Platinum Folding Rebounder Retail: $279.00 plus S/H Now: $225.00 plus S/H

Platinum Non-Folding Rebounder Retail: $249.00 plus S/H Now: $200.00 plus S/H (this item has heavier shipping charges)

©Copyright 2002-2008 Tropical Traditions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Household Traditions™ is a division of Tropical Traditions
Tropical Traditions® is a registered trademark of Tropical Traditions, Inc.