Best Gift for the Paleo diet: Rebounders or Mini-trampolines
A Paleo diet home gym does not need to be complicated. There are a few pieces of equipment needed for an effective workout. The gym might include a doorway pull up bar like this or this, and a set of kettle bells, like these. Fortunately, none of these pieces of equipment are very expensive. Keep in mind that the purpose of a Paleo diet home gym is to mimic the type of movement our paleo ancestors would have done. So there are no treadmills, stationary bicycles, or elliptical machines. In fact many Paleo diet practitioners work out outside, all year round, doing MovNat, Crossfit or interval training of some sort. And outdoors, the only limitation is your imagination and a good pair of Vibrams.
But there is one piece of equipment which is worth having as a part of your gym, even if it does not bear any relationship to anything our ancestors might have done. I am talking about a rebounder or mini-trampoline. There are so many benefits to using a rebounder that you could make it your only piece of equipment and you could still get enough of a workout. A rebounder or mini-trampoline is certainly a best gift idea for the Paleo diet.
Health Benefits of a Rebounder
Why use a rebounder? There are quite a few health benefits. From Rebounderreviews.com
- Rebounding has a low level of trauma to the musculoskeletal system (Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation 1990: 10; 401-408)
- The fastest way to increase blood flow and brain integration for improved vision (Dr R.M.Kaplin; O.D,M.Ed.)
- Promotes lymphatic drainage and reduces toxins in the brain (Brian H. Butler, M.A. Director of the Academy of Kinesiology, Surbiton, Surrey UK)
- Rebounding is a more effective exercise than running on a treadmill (NASA Rebound Exercise Report)
- Rebound exercise significantly improves proprioception (Cornell Hospital for Special Surgery)
- Benefits of rebounding include increased cardiorespiratory fitness levels, caloric expenditure, and possibly improved kinesthetic awareness (Colleen McGlone, B.S., Len Kravitz, Ph.D., and Jeffrey M. Janot, Ph.D.)
- The maximum impact force on the rebounder was only 1/6th that of the wooden board track (A. W. Daniels, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Material Science and Engineering and Orthopedic Surgery of the University of Utah)
- Rebounding has been shown to help children with learning disabilities (4.R. Glen Green. “Hyperactivity and the learning disabled child.” J. Onhomolecular Psychiatry 9:93-104. Second Quarter 1980.)
For more on the health benefits of rebounding visit Urban Rebounding.
The other benefits of rebounding are:
- Widely recommended for detoxing / body cleansing
- Low-impact, total-body workout
- Excellent cardio routines
- Fast, high calorie burn promotes weight loss faster
- Tone your whole body with a wide variety of exercises
- Improve your core strength, balance & cardio performance
- Exercise whenever you want in your own home or office
The Rebounders
There are many brands of rebounders on the market. I’m going to look at 3 brands since these are widely acknowledged to be the best.
I’m going to start with my favorite rebounder, well, the one that I purchased, which is ReboundAIR.
ReboundAIR
This is a fantastic rebounder. It is extremely well made. ReboundAIR was founded by Al Carter the pioneer of the rebounding industry. He has been researching rebounding, building rebounders and authoring books since 1977. He is the authority in the field. He has built in many innovations into his rebounders including the steel frame and the folding hinge design. He has been on the leading edge of rebounder innovation and development for years. This rebounder was used on “The Biggest Loser” TV show and is highly recommended by Kevin Trudeau, the Natural Cures author.
One of the terrific features of Al Carter’s ReboundAIR is that it comes in a non-folding model, half folding and even quarter folding. This makes the ReboundAIR versatile and extremely easy to store. A handle bar is available and there is even a small dolly for the quarterfold.
The bounce is smooth and less noisy than other spring type rebounders. And if you need yet another reason to buy a ReboundAIR, it has the best warranty in the industry, a full life time warranty. All components are covered by this warranty, they are so confident in this product.
Considering its history, quality, lifetime warranty and affordable price, the ReboundAIR probably offers the best value of any rebounder.
| Non-folding ReboundAIR Price $249.95 | Half folding ReboundAIR Price $299.95 |
Quarter fold ReboundAIR Price $349.95 |
My personal biased recommendation: This is the best rebounder you can buy. No other rebounder can offer the total value of a ReboundAIR.
Jump Sport
I was going to review Bellicon rebounders, but in doing the research for this article, I kept coming up with JumpSport. Since Bellicon and JumpSport use bungee cords instead of springs AND JumpSport is a great deal less expensive, I will review JumpSport instead. This brand must be the new kid on the block in the area of fitness trampolines. Several months ago when I was researching my purchase of a rebounder, I did not see any reference to JumpSport.
One of the nice features of JumpSport is that the tension of the cords is adjustable. It has wide arching legs and they have a half fold model. And you can get a handle bar separately. Operation is virtually silent. You could rebound in the middle of the night and not wake your family.
There are some drawbacks to the JumpSport. Weight limit on all models is 250 lbs. The warranty is limited. The frame has a lifetime warranty, the mat has a 5 year warranty and the cords have a 2 year warranty. But this is still a great option.
| Model 220 Non-Folding 40-Inch Trampoline Price $199.00 | Model 250 Non-Folding 40-Inch Trampoline Price $239.00 | Model 350 Non-Folding 40-Inch Trampoline with FlexBounce III Price $249.99 |
Needak
Needak has a terrific collection of rebounders. They come in folding or non-folding models. And there is a softer bounce option for lighter people and a harder bounce option for heavier people. All models come in blue or black and they include a limited lifetime manufacturer’s warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. In construction quality they are comparable to ReboundAIR.
| R04 non-folding Black for Heavier Users. Supports Weight of Over 300 pounds Price $341.00 | Rebounder-R02 -Soft Bounce- Black Non-fold Price $314.00 | Platinum Edition Half Fold Soft Bounce Price $341.00 |
Hopefully I’ve given you some idea of what to look for in a rebounder. You can, of course, go buy a $40 model at Wal-Mart and take your chances. But in my experience, when it comes to important pieces of equipment that also have safety considerations, it is a good idea to buy the best you can afford. If you have to wait a little for the best, that is not a bad thing!
I truly believe that the health benefits gained by using a rebounder are worth the cost of getting a better one. This is something that you can use every day, even for 5 minutes. The advantages override any objections for you can find a model to suit your situation. A rebounder or mini-trampoline is truly an outstanding best gift for the Paleo diet.
For more resources on rebounding visit:
http://www.how-to-boost-your-immune-system.com/rebounder-exercises.html
http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/rebounding-for-detoxification-and-health.htm
