Bouncing
for Health
By Scott Miners
Like no other time before, our newly changing times call for us to create health for ourselves and others .
Rebounding, or bouncing-like children do on a springy bed or
mini-trampoline-stimulates and exercises every cell in the body.
It also strengthens the cardiovascular system and pumps the lymph
system in ways no other exercise can do, thus stimulating the
immune system in numerous ways.
Rebounding on a quality rebounder is easy to do with little effort.
Even the elderly or those who don't exercise can do rebounding
easily and happily. Bob Hope said, "I keep my rebounder at
the foot of my bed and use it daily."
Rebounding Health Benefits
When you rebound even lightly, you strengthen your body's immune
system, promote cellular repair, circulate more oxygen to the
tissues, reduce arterial pressure, increase production of red
blood cells, improve transmission of nerve impulses, increase
mental performance, slow aging...and much more, according to Dr.
Morton Walker (Jumping for Health).
You can also jump, do aerobic exercise, custom jog, run and more
on a rebounder. Rebounding is especially healing for the ankles,
knees and lower back, without the shock of regular exercise. Scientists
at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) cited
rebounding as 68% more efficient than regular running exercises.
Rebounding is more playful than it is a job of exercise.
The one feature of rebounding that sets it apart from all other
exercises is that you are not opposing gravity half the time!
When you are bounced upward by the springs and mat of the rebounder,
your body is not being pulled by gravity. Because of this action
each cell in the body and brain receives a "positive"
stress.
All other exercises-running, tennis, swimming, weight training,
fitness exercises-are done on the horizontal plane. In rebounding,
"every cell of the body is being stimulated by the forces
of acceleration, deceleration and gravity," says Linda Brooks
in her book Rebounding to Health.
Your cells experience a "gentle squeezing at the bottom of
the bounce," which pulls toxins out, and cells become stronger.
Brooks cites a study from the University of Oklahoma: Because
the mat of a quality rebounder absorbs 87% of the shock of the
bounce, the exercise is safe and healing to all the cells. Rebounding
stimulates the cells of all organs, veins, arteries, bones and
muscles, the eyes (which is one of the reasons many people experience
vision improvement with rebounding) and the brain, and it increases
circulation and lymphatic drainage, which is why arthritic conditions
and other illnesses heal with rebounding. Here are a few examples
of some specific health benefits people have experienced from
rebounding:
The Lymph System
The lymphatic fluid is a clear liquid that contains the body's
T- and B-cells. The lymphatic system, as Dr. Morton Walker refers
to it in his book Jumping for Health, is the "metabolic garbage
can of the body. It rids you of toxins, such as dead and cancerous
cells, nitrogenous wastes, fat, infectious viruses, heavy metals,
and other material cast off by the cells."
When you rebound, you are helping your cells metabolize, cleanse
and renew, and you are helping your lymph system to pump and drain
out the body's waste. Unlike the cardiovascular system, with the
heart as a pump, the lymph system does not have a pump. Linda
Brooks: "Lymph is moved like a hydraulic pressure system....
The lymph tubes are filled with one-way valves that only open
up, or allow drainage toward the center of the body. When pressure
below the valve is greater than above (as when you are moving
downward on the rebounder) the valves are forced open so the fluid
can flow."
Cancer
By completely flushing the lymph system in a 2-minute session,
Linda Brooks notes that she has had clients in her rebounding
workshops who have healed cancerous tumors by rebounding for 2-3
minutes of each hour. Why 2-3 minutes each hour? Because white
blood cell count triples during the bounce, removing toxins, but
then white blood cell count resumes to normal within an hour.
It was important in these cases, Brooks notes, that these clients
also followed a pure, natural, healthy diet with lots of fruits
and vegetables, which decreases the "load" on the lymph
system and helps purify it. They drank pure water, which helps
flush out toxins, used digestive enzymes, and had a strong belief
in getting well.
Arthritis and Circulation
"I have had both my ankles broken," says Yvonne Rivers,
"and when they ache, I rebound to take the pain away!"
Her case is not extraordinary. "Before using the rebounder,
I couldn't walk," says James R. Heald. "I literally
shuffled and stumbled my way along. Now, I can walk! My body feels
lighter, my skin is now a rosy pink. Also, since more blood now
gets to my brain, my memory is improving every day."
Bouncing flushes the lymph, the toxic substances and dead white
blood cells out of the joints. During bouncing, the by-products
from white blood cells are immediately flushed out before they
can form new waste by-products. When the inflammation subsides,
gentle motion exercises with all the joints help re-establish
painless movement.
Illustrating how powerful circulation of the body's natural defenses
can be is this comment: "I had bone spurs on both my heels
for about 15 years," says H. M. from Edmonton, Canada. "I
needed arches in my shoes so I could walk comfortably. I also
had a calcium build-up on my fifth vertebrae in my back. After
using the rebounder for only three weeks, my spurs had totally
disappeared; the vertebrae in my neck took a little longer. I
enjoy using my rebounder every day and owe a big thank you!"
When circulation is increased in the body, more oxygen is carried
to the cells, and the bones absorb more calcium.
Osteoporosis
Rebounding can help prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis. Bones
become stronger when they are used, and the cells take in more
minerals with use of the bones (exercise). Brooks points out that
the astronauts who were studied after their trip to the moon lost
15% of their bone density in 14 days because there was no gravitational
force to put "stress" on their bones. Even where osteoporosis
is already present, a gradual program of rebounding can help build
bone density.
Conditions of Aging
Rebounding also helps improve or heal these conditions: varicose
veins, excess weight, sagging, bagging and wrinkling of the skin,
and many other conditions of aging and disabilities. Yes, you
can rebound even with a handicap, gently or with the help of a
buddy, sitting, kneeling or standing! And, to help with balance,
you can get a stabilizing bar to hold onto while you bounce.
Weight Training
Because rebounding exercises every cell in the body, it can improve
the efficiency of weight training. You can hold light weights
while rebounding as well. There is greater fat metabolism, muscle
definition and improved strength and endurance as a result of
rebounding with weight training. Rebounding helps flush the lactic
acids from stressed muscles.
Calories Burned
Linda Brooks notes that the number of calories burned per hour
by a 154 pound person sprinting on a rebounder is 1,440. Regular
running, in contrast, would burn only 750. Jogging on a rebounder:
600. Bicycling at 10 mph: 420. Health bouncing on a rebounder:
150.
Rebounding in the Workplace
Linda Brooks writes that a business owner in California started
with one rebounder for himself, "then bought six more for
his employees. When he noticed positive results from his employees,
he purchased 40 more rebounders." Why? He saw a "marked
reduction in stress reactions" among his employees, and "increased
production." He also noticed "more physical capabilities,
uplifted spirits, [and] reduction in absenteeism," and he
said "employees looked and acted healthier and more cheerful."
Imagine an employer helping employees enjoy their workplace and
jobs. Rebounders, because they are small and light, can be placed
in almost any workplace or office space.
In the Home
L. P. Publisher of Ohio said that he and his wife started with
one rebounder, then bought two more, and they now "keep them
on all floors of the house." They feel the convenience "exceeds
by a factor of 10 any other exercise product."
I have arisen from my writing desk at least four or five times
while writing this article. Sitting too long is actually deenergizing
to me. I bounce, and within two minutes my lungs fill with air,
I take a deep breath-one of those magical breaths that relaxes
the entire body-my spine straightens, my legs flex and feel strong,
my body is energized. I feel happy. I've rebounded.
Finding a Rebounder
I went to a local sporting goods store. I did the health bounce.
I asked questions: Why did their rebounder cost so little? Was
it made with child labor? Did it have a warranty? The clerk disclosed
that he didn't really like selling it because he was relatively
sure the labor conditions were not ideal nor were the materials
long lasting. Within a few minutes I started to get a backache
on the store model, which never occurred on our Needak® rebounder
at home.
The store model mat was a very tightly woven, hard synthetic fiber
of some kind. It wasn't soft and flexible like ours. The frame
and legs were flimsy. The legs were made of a very low-quality
cast metal. The springs were too taut and inferior. Linda Brooks
had warned me that most of the models on the market have parts
that break within a short time. The legs split, the springs break,
the mats shred. Some are even off-balance on the floor because
they are so poorly made, and the springs are sometimes too long,
giving a false sense of springiness or bounce, and the mats are
too small, not allowing a safe place to bounce. Also, she said,
few have warranties, and the short warranties that may be offered
are often hard to enforce.
On the other hand, if a spring ever does break on a Needak®
rebounder, the one my wife and I bought, you can call the manufacturer
direct in O'Neill, Nebraska, to get a replacement. I called the
Needak® company and spoke with owner/partner Ken Seeley. He
and his partner started the company 10 years ago. "At first,"
he said, "we offered a 5-year warranty on the frame and hinges.
In 10 years nothing has ever gone wrong with any rebounder, so
we now offer a 10-year warranty." (They offer a five-year
warranty on the jump mat, which is made with Permatron®, a
material that gives an invigorating bounce.)
The spring-loaded legs allow the Needak® rebounder to be easily
stored under a bed or behind a door. The 40" diameter heavy-duty
metal frame is outstanding. Individual spring-mounted pins attached
to the frame on all 36 special, tapered springs prevent frame
wear (the taper and the number of springs give this rebounder
its special "soft bounce" quality). The springs are
all shielded with a protective cover. You can even fold the Needak®
rebounder in half, and with the carrying bag (included) take the
rebounder traveling with you. For all these reasons, I think my
wife and I have found the best rebounder for our health made today.
Readers may purchase a Needak® rebounder for $225 (plus shipping), which is $24.95 off the retail price of $249.95. (See www.needak-rebounders.com). Readers will receive a copy of Linda Brooks' wonderful book Rebounding to Better Health, and a video titled The Immune System, by Rebound expert Al Carter, when ordering a Needak® rebounder from Well Being, locally, at 425-888-0375 (9-5, M-F) with any major credit card. (Allow approximately two weeks for shipping.)
Scott Miners is a writer who enjoys passing on information about health. He can be reached at seminers@aol.com.