Rebounder exercises for beginners
Eight mini trampoline exercises to start with, each described step by step. None of them needs a class, an app or a high bounce. Most keep at least one foot on the mat.
Before you start
Most of this comes from BERG's own manual for the Fitness Trampoline 110. It takes two minutes and it is worth doing every time.
- Space. One metre clear on every side and 2.4 metres overhead. Never set it up under a light fitting or a ceiling fan. Keep it away from walls and furniture.
- Floor. Indoors, on a level floor where the feet will not slide. The rebounder should not wobble or tip when you press on the edge.
- No shoes. Bounce barefoot or in grip socks. Empty your pockets and keep your hands free.
- Getting on and off. Step on to the mat, not the frame edge, and step down when you finish. Do not jump off.
- Warm up. Spend two or three minutes on the floor first: walk on the spot, circle your ankles, roll your shoulders.
- One adult at a time. The rebounder is for users over 14, one at a time, up to 120 kg. Fold it away or keep small children off it between sessions.
Who should ask a GP or physio first
Rebounding is exercise on a moving surface, and it does not suit everybody. Talk to your GP or a chartered physiotherapist before you start if any of these apply to you.
If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, get advice first and start very gently. A 2023 case series described seven people, average age 63, who had spinal compression fractures within weeks of taking up mini-trampoline exercise.
- You are pregnant, or had a baby in the last three months.
- You have osteoporosis or have had a spinal fracture.
- You have a heart condition or have been told you are at high cardiovascular risk.
- You have bladder leaks, a prolapse or other pelvic floor symptoms.
- You have a balance problem or get dizzy.
- You have had a recent operation or a joint injury.
- You have not exercised for some time, or have any other medical condition or concern.
Eight exercises to begin with
They run roughly from easiest to hardest. Learn the first three before you try the rest, and keep every bounce low: a few centimetres is enough.
Each one says how it sits with the stability bar. The bar is for light balance support. Rest a hand on it, stand tall, and do not lean your weight on it or pull against it.
1.Health bounce
The starting point for everyone. "Health bounce" is only the common name for a bounce where your feet stay on the mat.
Stability bar: yes
- Stand in the middle of the mat, feet about hip width apart, knees soft.
- Press down through your feet so the mat dips, then let it lift you. Your feet do not leave the mat.
- Keep a small, even rhythm. Look straight ahead and let your arms hang loose.
Watch for: Looking down at your feet tips you forward. Pick a point on the wall at eye level. If your knees lock straight, soften them.
Suits the stability bar. Rest one or both hands on it lightly.
2.Heel raises and weight shifts
Two slow moves that let your ankles get used to a surface that gives.
Stability bar: yes
- Stand still in the middle of the mat. Rise slowly on to the balls of both feet, then lower.
- Repeat eight to ten times without bouncing.
- Then move your weight slowly on to your left foot, back to the middle, and on to your right. Both feet stay down.
Watch for: Go slowly. If your ankles wobble a lot, hold the bar or do the heel raises on the floor first.
Suits the stability bar.
3.March
Walking on the spot. It is the move to go back to whenever something else feels like too much.
Stability bar: yes
- From the health bounce, lift one foot a few centimetres, set it down, then lift the other.
- Swing your arms as you would when walking.
- When that is comfortable, lift your knees a little higher. One foot is always on the mat.
Watch for: Stay in the middle of the mat. Drifting towards the edge is the usual cause of a wobble.
Suits the stability bar.
4.Gentle jog
The march, speeded up until there is a small spring from foot to foot.
Stability bar: one hand, lightly
- Start marching, then quicken the rhythm.
- Let each foot come only just off the mat. Land softly through the ball of the foot.
- Keep your steps short and your body upright.
Watch for: This is where people start to bounce higher without noticing. Keep it low. If you cannot talk in full sentences, drop back to a march.
Fine with one hand resting on the bar. Stand tall and do not lean on it.
5.Side-to-side step
A step from one side of the mat to the other, which asks a bit more of your balance.
Stability bar: yes
- Stand with your feet together in the middle of the mat.
- Step your right foot out to the side, then bring your left foot to meet it.
- Step back the other way. Keep the steps small enough that you stay well inside the padded edge.
Watch for: Keep your hips and shoulders facing forward. Stop if you find yourself stepping on or near the edge.
Suits the stability bar.
6.Low jumping jacks
The first move here where both feet leave the mat together. Leave it out until the first five feel easy.
Stability bar: hands free
- Start with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
- With a small jump, land with your feet a little wider than your hips and lift your arms out to shoulder height.
- Jump your feet back together and lower your arms. Keep the jumps to a few centimetres.
Watch for: Jumping can bring on bladder leaks or a feeling of heaviness in some people. If that happens, stop and go back to the march, and see the note on when to stop below.
A hands-free move. If you want to hold the bar, do the side-to-side step in its place.
7.Twist
A low bounce in which your hips turn one way and your shoulders stay facing forward.
Stability bar: hands free
- Start with a health bounce, arms out a little for balance.
- On each bounce, turn your hips and feet slightly to the left, then slightly to the right.
- Keep the turn small and your shoulders facing the front.
Watch for: Turn from the hips, not the knees. Keep it small and slow. Leave this one out if you have a back or knee problem, unless your physiotherapist has said otherwise.
Best done hands free, so your upper body is not pulled round against the bar.
8.Single-leg balance hold
Standing still on one leg. There is no bouncing in it at all.
Stability bar: yes
- Stand in the middle of the mat and let it settle.
- Lift one foot a few centimetres and hold for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Lower it, then repeat on the other leg. Two or three holds on each side is plenty.
Watch for: Do it beside the bar, or with a wall or sturdy chair within reach. Put your foot down as soon as you start to tip.
Suits the stability bar. Keep a hand on it until you are steady.
We sell the rebounder with or without the bar. If you are unsure which suits you, read about the stability bar model or ring us on 01 960 1641.
A 10-minute beginner sequence
Once you know the moves, this puts them in an order that builds up and comes back down. Warm up on the floor first. In your first week, stop at minute five.
| Minutes | Move |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Health bounceSmall and steady. Find the rhythm. |
| 3 | Heel raises and weight shiftsTen slow raises, then shift side to side. |
| 4 to 5 | MarchArms swinging, knees a little higher in the second minute. |
| 6 | Side-to-side stepSmall steps, facing forward. |
| 7 | Gentle jogOr keep marching if the jog is too much. |
| 8 | Low jumping jacksOr the side-to-side step in the first few weeks. |
| 9 | TwistLow and slow. Health bounce if you would rather. |
| 10 | Health bounce, then single-leg balance holdSlow the bounce to a stop, then hold each leg once. |
For three timed sessions at different levels, see three 10-minute rebounder workouts.
How often
Start with a few minutes every second day and add time before you add height or speed. Three 10-minute sessions a week is a sensible first target.
Ireland's national guidelines ask adults for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening on two or more days. For over-65s they add balance and strength work on three or more days.
Three 10-minute sessions come to 30 minutes, so the rebounder adds to your week. It does not cover it, and it is not strength training. Minutes count as moderate when you are warm and breathing harder but can still talk. We have not found a study that measured gentle bouncing at home, so judge it by that talk test and not by anything you read about calories.
When to stop
- You feel faint, dizzy or unusually short of breath.
- You feel pain anywhere, including your back, chest, knees or ankles.
- You leak urine or feel heaviness or dragging in your pelvis.
- You are too tired to keep your feet landing where you mean them to.
Stop, step down and sit. If dizziness or pain does not pass, contact your GP. If bouncing brings on leaks, go back to moves where your feet stay on the mat, or pause, and ask your GP about a referral to a pelvic health physiotherapist.
Stand upright throughout. Hunching forward over a handle with both hands is the posture the authors of the 2023 fracture report suspected, though they could not prove it was the cause.
Where to go next
- Three 10-minute rebounder workouts
A gentle one, a steady one and a harder one, built from the moves on this page.
- Rebounding for beginners: how to start
What you need and a sensible first fortnight.
- Health benefits of rebounding: what the evidence shows
Each common claim, the studies behind it and how far they go.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant or recently gave birth, have osteoporosis or a previous spinal fracture, a heart condition, pelvic floor symptoms, a balance disorder, a recent operation or injury, or have not exercised in a long time, talk to your GP or a chartered physiotherapist before you start.
Ready to choose?
Two models, one decision: with the stability bar or without. You order on TrampolinesIreland.com, our main shop, and delivery in Ireland is free.
Rather ask first? Call 01 960 1641