The Best Rebounders On The Market?

What Is Rebounding?

Rebounding exercise using a mini exercise trampoline or ‘rebounder’ started in the USA in the 1970’s when the benefits of having fun bouncing around on a small trampoline were first explored in a scientific way. NASA hailed it as ‘the most effective form of exercise devised by man’. By bouncing on a rebounder, you simultaneously exercise all the cells in your body because by resisting gravity you exert a gentle force throughout the body with each bounce.

This type of exercise gradually increased in popularity throughout the 70’s and 80’s on both sides of the Atlantic and eventually cheap rebounders from China flooded the market, offering very few of the benefits found in the original good quality models. A key advantage of a well designed rebounder is the low level of shock to the body due to the impact cushioning effect of the mat and the springs. Skeletal shock is a known hazard in exercise like running and team sport. This benefit of reducing skeletal shock can be all but lost with some of the worst examples of cheap rebounders. If you don’t want to completely ruin your first experience of this highly enjoyable and effective form of exercise, its best to be prepared to spend a little more money at the outset and get good equipment. Cheap steel spring versions can be very jarring and quickly put you off this very beneficial, fun and easy form of exercise.

What Makes A Good Rebounder?

The strength and profile of the springs, the tension and elasticity of the mat and the stiffness and construction of the frame will all contribute to the characteristics of the bounce. Quality examples from Europe and the USA have advanced safety features, including rebounding mats made from the best materials and strong dual taper steel springs for a progressive but stable bounce. Some have a softer, more comfortable bounce with a lower frequency while others have a stiffer, more aggressive, faster bounce more suited to vigorous aerobic type exercise. You can get a little variety in the bounce if you look around but while steel spring rebounders are great, their design limitations don’t lend them to being truly customisable for individual needs. With steel spring models the ‘buy cheap and buy twice’ problem can arise, so be prepared to spend a little more on a good one first time. There are some shockingly bad cheap models available that simply cannot offer the genuine benefits of rebound exercise.

What’s So Different About Bellicon?

Rebounder exercise can vary from low impact rehabilitation of injury and ailments right through to intensive cardio fitness training, so any design innovation that makes exercise more adaptable to individual needs is a bonus. The biggest such innovation by Bellicon has been the introduction of rubber loops or bungees which are used instead of steel springs to attach the mat to the frame. This works both as a method of making the bounce characteristics more customisable and as a further improvement to the low impact, comfortable nature of this type of exercise.

In the 21st Century, by introducing rubber bungee spring models, Bellicon has emerged as a new European force in rebounder manufacturing. Founded on over 20 years of research and experience, backed by the combined excellence of German and Swiss engineering, Bellicon’s revolutionary rubber springs allow a fully customisable range of choices. Bellicon rebounders are built in Germany with the best materials and the highest standards of craftsmanship. This customisable feature broadens the range of options to offer truly personal tweaks and variations in functionality – at a price. But if you want the ultimate rebounder, one that incorporates the latest research and development benefits, then you have to pay a bit more. With a Bellicon you select the strength of the elastic rubber loop springs (bungee loops) according to your body weight and preferred style of exercise, you then have a choice of three frame sizes plus colour options and you can accessorise according to how you will use it. (See our buyers guide table below to choose the right Bellicon for you). There’s an optional cushioned frame pad – a mat and spring guard which is good for young children or when the rebounder is used in physical therapy. Stability handles are available for those who are unsure of their balance and you can choose between legs that fold or attach with a screw thread. All these choices can add up to a price in excess of £300 but compared to a good quality treadmill, that is still relatively inexpensive. When you consider that low impact rebounding is believed to be more beneficial and efficient than any walking or running exercise, getting a premium quality option seems like a potentially good investment. German and Swiss craftsmanship and engineering are rightly held in high esteem throughout the world and generally command a premium price. Bellicon rebounders continue the proud heritage of manufacturing excellence associated with both those countries and their traditional production values show in the finish and quality of the end product.

Will I Still Get a Good Workout on a Bungee Rebounder?

Yes, most definitely. You can choose the weight rating of the Bellicon to suit the intensity of exercise you prefer, as in the table below. The gentler Kunhardt method of rebounder exercise is believed to offer similar benefits to intense aerobic activity for less effort and this method needs the deeper, softer bounce of a rubber bungee spring rebounder. The exercise principle at work here is that the greatest overall benefits from exercise come at about 50% of your maximum capacity. With a Bellicon bungee rebounder you can bounce without even jumping and still get great benefit. Longer contact with the mat maximises the benefits of the acceleration and deceleration on each bounce. It’s hard to describe the strange sensation of ‘doing work without doing any work’ that comes from the swinging type of bounce motion on a Bellicon Rebounder. The Bellicon is geared towards highly effective and dynamic range of exercise, so you can crank up the effort level if you need to sweat in order to feel like you’ve done some exercise! The long, deep and extremely comfortable bounce is both dynamic and powerful in the way it optimises gravitational resistance to exert every cell in the body. With the wide range of bungee strengths available they can be customised to exactly the type of exercise that you prefer. Bungee rebounders are even more fun to use than steel spring types because the transition in the bounce is much more smooth and stable. Once you’ve been on the Bellicon Rebounder, reverting to a steel spring model is a bit like stepping from a Porsche into a tractor.

I have back/knee/joint problems. Can I use a Bellicon?

Bungee Rebounders are the best type for people with back or joint trouble and for anyone who finds other forms of exercise painful. However we recommend that with any back injury you should always consult your Doctor or Physical Therapist before undertaking any form of vigorous exercise.

Muscles around joints are said to be trained to rhythmically tense and relax with gentle rebounder exercise, increasing joint strength. Joint lubrication is also reported to be improved by the increased flow of synovial fluid. This is believed to help the more mature user maintain greater joint health and flexibility until much later in life. The gentle swing of the bounce improves circulation and gently elevates heart rate without the need for strenuous action. This simultaneously exercises every cell in the body with the stretching and compressing forces exerted by gravity as you bounce, so even if your fitness level is not so high you can tone up and may lose extra weight relatively easily. So if you would like the best rebounder that money can buy, we recommend that you customise a Bellicon Rebounder to your own personal specifications and get bouncing! The extra money you spend will give you a German made product manufactured to the highest standards – and access to possibly the best fun you can have with your clothes on!