On The Rebound: - Enlightenment.Com

BENEFITS OF REBOUND EXERCISE
Which benefits of rebound exercise are proven and which are speculative?
Benefits that seem proven include increased lymph flow and therefore enhanced immune
function; an aerobic training effect and cardiovascular benefits generally; and increased
strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination. The question of rebounding’s health,
fitness, and wellness benefits is a complex one. Chapters 25 and 26 go into detail as to
the health benefits of rebounding as well as providing a summary of all known research.
How can you know that I will experience results as good as the ones you’ve
experienced and spoken about?
I can’t. I can just extrapolate from my own experience, the experience of others I know
and have spoken to, and everything that I have read and heard about rebounding. My
belief is that for most people there may be no better exercise than rebounding, but my
belief may be partially or completely erroneous. On the other hand, almost everyone I
know who has given rebounding a serious try has agreed that it is a wonderful form of
exercise with many advantages to it.
Is rebounding a “Fountain of Youth”? Will it have a positive impact on longevity?
We really don’t know very much about long-term impacts on longevity. My personal
sense is that I am healthier and stronger by far than when I started rebounding. My belief
is that if I keep on rebounding on a daily basis, I will certainly have a healthier, happier,
and more agile life experience, and very possibly a longer one as well.
Is it true that rebounding subjects all of your cells to heavier gravity, and thereby
makes you stronger on a cellular level?
Maybe. We just don’t know. This theory, first put forward by Al Carter, is intriguing, but
there is as yet no scientific evidence to back it up. It’s a great theory, as is the similar one
put forth by Dave Hall wherein the air pressure differentials caused by rebounding
induces the cells to build up their membranes with more protein. But we just don’t really
know enough at this point to make any definitive statement about these theories.
What about the many other claims for rebounding: vision improvement, arthritis
inhibition, diabetes onset delayed, prevention and reversal of heart disease, etc.?
For an extensive list of the benefits claimed for rebound exercise, see Fig. __ in Chapter
25. Basically, we have no strict scientific proof, and precious little clinical data, for any
of these claims, although for some of them (e.g., vision improvement) there is a good
deal of anecdotal evidence. For one thing, any condition that might be improved by
cardiovascular exercise or an improved immune system (resulting from increased lymph
flow) may be one that rebound exercise benefits.
On the Rebound, draft 1.0, © 2004 Jordan Gruber, All Rights Reserved; Confidential, Please do not Reproduce - 30 -