Full size trampolines have benefits far beyond the obvious fun factor for children and families. There is an unbeatable potential for adults and teens wanting to derive fitness benefits from the larger trampolines. Quite simply, large trampolines are the highest efficiency exercise devices yet devised my man. Big words, yes, but this bold claim is supported by none other than NASA.

The NASA study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology 49(5): 881-887, 1980, was performed by the Biomechanical Research Division, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. It was done in cooperation with the Wenner-Gren Research laboratory, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. To quote “...for similar levels of heart rate and oxygen consumption, the magnitude of the biomechanical stimuli is greater with jumping on a trampoline than with running, a finding that might help identify acceleration parameters needed for the design of remedial procedures to avert deconditioning in persons exposed to weightlessness.“ Therefore, jumping on a trampoline is clearly the optimal exercise for achieving maximum fitness level. This is also the case when trampolines are compared to treadmills and modern elliptical machines.

This study is often cited by rebounder, or “mini trampoline”, manufacturers as proof of the benefits of their products. This is a little misleading, however, as the NASA study was done only with full size trampolines, and not small rebounders. Why is this important? Rebounders do not allow you to bounce in the same way as full size trampolines, and exhibit a much reduced level of exercise intensity.

This is not a criticism of rebounders, which are a great form of exercise. But, they don’t match the exercise efficiency of full size trampolines! The reason why can be explained with some simple physics. Full size trampolines utilize springs that are 6 to 10 inches in length or more. This results in a much deeper bounce, which typically results in a larger range of motion for the user’s legs during each bounce cycle. The frequency of bouncing is also lower with a full size trampoline, meaning that the duration of the exertion for each bounce is longer. The combination of these factors means that a full size trampoline causes the body to work much harder than a mini-trampoline.

Rebounders have much shorter springs which result in a much shorter, less intense, bounce. As a result, a jumper on a full size trampoline will experience a more rapid rise in heart rate and oxygen utilization. This means exercise sessions can be shorter, which is good news for busy people. Also, one can perform more intense interval training on a full size trampoline. This type of program is a recent fitness trend, which has been gaining in popularity, and is aimed at developing heart health. Interval training is much more difficult to achieve on a rebounder, once a reasonable level of fitness is reached. This is much less of a problem with a full size trampoline. No matter how fit you are you can maximize your heart rate jumping on a full size trampoline.

Rebounders are very good for gentler bouncing over a longer duration workout. This is great for older jumpers or those that are in injury rehab; or any other person wanting a good solid exercise alternative to other cardio exercises. But if you want an exercise devise that blows away any competition, the full size trampoline is both an ideal fitness tool for you and a fun piece of sports equipment for your kids.