Skip the Stairmaster. Celebrity Trainer Shares a Joint-Friendly Cardio Workout to Burn More Calories in Less Time
When was the last time you jumped on a trampoline? What you may chalk up to an activity reserved for kids is actually an effective workout tool, just on a much smaller scale. Now, before you turn your nose up, rebounder workouts are much more than a gimmicky fitness trend. They offer a fun way to elevate your heart rate and get in some joint-friendly cardio, while also challenging your strength and stability. Every bounce requires your muscles to work together to jump, land, and maintain balance, making it a solid full-body workout.
"I love rebounding compared to running or exercise on hard surfaces because it's gentle on your joints and low-impact," says Lauren Kleban, celebrity trainer and founder of LEKFIT. "On an everyday functional level, the movement also strengthens your pelvic floor, improves your balance and coordination, and supports stress management. You can't be in a bad mood jumping on a trampoline!"
If you want to give it a try, Kleban shared a rebounder workout for beginners, along with the benefits of rebounding and tips for using the equipment safely.
How to Use a Rebounder
On a rebounder, every move should be small and controlled. Rather than launching upward and jumping as high as you can, as you would on a backyard trampoline, you're jumping low, staying grounded, and working against resistance. The bounce is completely different, and that's exactly what makes rebounding so effective and gentle on the joints compared to traditional cardio.
"We always advise to work the center, bounce low, keep hips square with knees always over toes," Kleban says. "When getting off, always step down to the side."
Benefits of Rebounder Workouts
Though jumping on a trampoline may seem a bit aggressive, rebounding is actually a joint-safe, low-impact form of cardio. The mat and bungee cords absorb much of the force, reducing impact on the knees, ankles, and spine while still allowing you to elevate your heart rate and work up a sweat. When done consistently, rebounding workouts support cardiovascular health. The constant movement also challenges your balance, coordination, and proprioception.
If weight loss is one of your goals, rebounding can be an efficient and fun way to burn calories, helping to stimulate the lymphatic system with the acceleration and deceleration that happens as you jump up and down. The change in gravity opens the valves of the lymphatic system, allowing it to activate and drain, according to Kleban.
"The key is that you're not meant to jump high. You stay, jump low, and stay low to the bed of the rebounder, which creates that constant gravitational shift without impact," she says. "This movement helps flush out toxins and excess fluids and boosts immune function."
Rebounder Workout for Beginners
How to Do High Knees
- Begin by standing centered on the rebounder with hips square, feet parallel, knees over toes, chest open, shoulder down and chin up.
- Alternate bringing knees up by activating the core. Make sure to roll through toe to heel.
- Perform 10 reps.
How to Do Scissor Jumps
- Begin by standing center on the rebounder with hips square, feet parallel, knees over toes, chest open, shoulder down and chin up.
- Keep feet down and alternate jumping and landing with the right then left foot front, creating an open scissor look with your legs.
- Jump low.
- Perform 10 reps.
How to Do Jumping Jacks
- Begin by standing centered on the rebounder with hips square, feet parallel, knees over toes, chest open, shoulder down and chin up.
- Perform a standard jumping jack, moving feet and arms wide simultaneously.
- Stay low and roll toe to heel.
- Perform 20 reps.
How to Do Up and Overs
- Begin by standing center on the rebounder with hips square, feet parallel, knees over toes, chest open, shoulder down and chin up.
- Place your right foot on the ground and place your body in a lunge off the rebounder. lift your body up and over alternating sides.
- Stay low, roll toe to heel, keep knees over toes, and place the foot all the way down before lifting up again.
- Perform 4 reps.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 10:00 AM.