What is the use of a trampoline?

Tops of trees – wall – tops – wall – tops … What I see changes in time with my jumps: I take off to the level of the windows of the sports and recreation complex and return to the trampoline grid. It is so strange to be without much effort at a height of several meters above the ground and for a moment hang in the air. At this moment, the body seems weightless! Hooting down, I feel how it freezes in the stomach and somewhere in the stomach area it becomes so ticklish that I gasp every now and then. “You can laugh and be afraid!” the instructor encourages me. But I do not feel fear – only surprise and joy. It turns out that flying is easy!

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More than pleasure

I heard about training on the trampoline from a friend: she enthusiastically shared how, in six months of classes, she changed the 48th clothing size to the 44th. No diets or other physical activity. “So far, somersaults are not very good,” says Alena, who, it is worth emphasizing, was not yet familiar with gymnastics by the age of 35. – But it is not important. But what a result and how much pleasure!” The story made an impression on me: before that, I associated the word “trampoline” only with a children’s inflatable attraction that appears in parks every summer. “As a result of regular exercises, the main muscle groups come into tone, the state of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems normalizes,” Ilya Orlov, a trampolining instructor, lists. Rhythmic deep breathing saturates the blood with oxygen and has a beneficial effect on metabolism. The load is so intense that for a 45-minute workout, an average of 700 calories is consumed. For comparison: the same effect can be obtained if jogging for 1,5 hours, crawl swimming for 2 hours or cycling for 5 hours. And at the same time, fatigue is almost not felt!

By the way, the trampoline is also used in the training of astronauts: it trains the vestibular apparatus, improves coordination and teaches you to make decisions faster. Therefore, these classes help you feel more confident behind the wheel and succeed in those sports where you need a quick reaction, such as tennis or skiing.

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First workout

Upon learning that I am a beginner, the instructor suggests that I first jump with a rope, and then allows me to climb the trampoline: “Breathe in the rhythm of the jumps, exhale when in contact with the net. In flight, relax your neck and shoulders, and when pushing, gather so as not to lose balance.

At first, I just jump up and down: the body gradually gets used to the new lightness, and the feeling of tickling in the stomach passes. Then the instructor asks me to jump back and forth and left and right. Then – in a jump, press either the left or the right knee to the chest; spread your legs to the sides and clap your hands above your head; spin imaginary pedals. Simple, it seems, exercises are not so easy: the slightest deviation forward or backward – and I fall on my side and on my back. It feels like I’m re-acquainted with my own body. Of course, the instructor gives advice – but can you explain how to control the body in the air? It can only be felt.

First results

The tasks get more difficult. Turn around 180 degrees? You are welcome! Jump on your back? It’s not that easy anymore. Do somersault forward? Crooked, but it comes out. Something works, something doesn’t. Regardless, I’m overwhelmed with elation. Indeed, with each jump I feel more and more confident: if at the first training session I only remember how to tumble, then after the third – for the first time in my life! – doing somersaults forward.

I leave the room wet and happy. Pleasant fatigue in the muscles, blissful emptiness in the head. After all, over the grid, I completely forget about all the problems and completely concentrate on the present. On a trampoline, this is vital: it is worth being distracted and – goodbye, balance!

To whom and how much

To reduce weight and improve the silhouette, two to three sessions per week are enough. In general, you can practice as often as you want. The main thing is under the guidance of an instructor: after all, many exercises contain elements of acrobatics. It is better to start with 20-minute workouts and gradually increase their duration and intensity.

But what if it’s scary? “You can jump at the age of 5 or 55,” reassuring osteopath Viktor Stepanenko. – But before that, you should consult a doctor: the trampoline is contraindicated for those who suffer from scoliosis, hernias and other diseases of the spine. And also with a weight of more than 100 kg – at the moment of contact with the mesh, the load on the joints and spine is much higher than usual. ”