Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this rebounder 3 years ago & still love it! I'm a 32-year-old woman with a lot of different health problems. Even though I haven't used it every single day it still has gotten a lot of use & has held up well. Below are my pros (+), cons (-), & tips. + WEIGHT LOSS Within minutes I can get my heart rate up & keep it up. Due to muscular problems this is the only exercise I get besides typical daily walking. When I first started rebounding 3 years ago I lost weight. I rebounded 4-5 times a week for 30 minutes & changed my diet. I went from 160 pounds to 120 pounds in under 6 months with rebounding as my only exercise. It also helps to tone/tighten your muscles. My stomach, thighs, & arms would jiggle when I first started rebounding but after awhile I noticed the jiggling had basically stopped. +DETOXES LYMPHATIC SYSTEM This is one of the only ways to detox the lymphatic system besides massage & dry body brushing. If you Google all the benefits of lymph detox you can see an extremely long list of benefits rebounding contributes to. + IMPROVES DIGESTION When I first started rebounding I would often have to stop & take a bathroom break. From someone who often experiences constipation due to IBS rebounding has helped me become more regular & has helped stimulate my digestive system. + CORRECTS POSTURE I lead a very sedentary life due to my job which has caused poor posture. When I rebound I make sure to stand tall with my shoulders back, scapula drawn down, & abs in. This has greatly helped correct my posture & I can sometimes hear a popping sound in my neck/back as the rebounding forces everything back to where it should be. + EASY ON JOINTS/KNEES I have knee pain & popping joints. Most of the time I have no issue rebounding but my knees do hurt sometimes. If they hurt I'll just bounce gently instead of jumping. I've heard the cheaper models with springs tend to aggravate knee problems which is one of the reasons I wanted to purchase a model with bungee cords. + QUIET The bungee cords make rebounding fairly quiet. I live in an apartment with really thin walls which is another reason I wanted to buy this model. There's still a little bit of noise when your feet hit the mat but the cords are extremely quiet. This is particularly helpful when I have a bout of insomnia & decide to bounce for awhile. + FUN I can honestly rebound for an hour without realizing it (as long as I have music). I criss-cross my legs; do jumping jacks; bounce; jump; walk; jog; add arm exercises; stand on my tiptoes for calves; do ab exercises; etc. Because it's fun & because it's easy to access right in my very own apartment I'm more willing to work out. The more willing I am to work out the better the results! + EASY TO ASSEMBLE This was very simple to put together. Instructions were clear & all the necessary parts were included. The mat is one piece & is already mounted to the frame with the bungee cords. The 6 feet then need to be attached to the frame & that's it unless you want to adjust the bungee cords. If you order the handle bar then you won't need 2 of the feet they provide. I just threw the extra feet in a junk drawer in case I ever needed them. Once it's put together it won't fit through a typical doorframe so make sure to put it together in the room you want to keep it in. I keep it in my bedroom but if I had space I might keep it in my living room & watch TV while rebounding. + STURDY After 3 years of weekly use it's still holding up strong. There have been weeks here & there when I haven't rebounded at all either due to health or travel. I've had no issues at all with the mat, legs, & handle bar (sold separately). The cords, however, are slowly starting to wear away. That being said, none of them have ever broken/snapped after 3 years of use. There are a few that are starting to look worse for wear so I'll probably swap those out with the few replacement cords that already came with the rebounder. - NON-FOLDING This model can't be folded so it does take up quite a bit of space. However, I use the handle bar as a drying rack for my wet laundry at night. I know it may sound weird but I also use my rebounder as a seat sometimes. I don't personally care that it takes up space but I wish I could travel with it. - HANDLE BAR NOT INCLUDED You have to buy the handle bar separately. I would highly recommend buying it. My balance was really bad when I first started rebounding. If I hadn't been able to use the bar I wouldn't have continued due to fear of falling off. I no longer use the bar very much while rebounding although I do sometimes lose my balance & need to grab it if I'm jogging or something. I just wish it was a package deal especially since the bar is so expensive by itself. - FUTURE BUNGEE CORD REPLACEMENT My bungee cords are not going to last forever. I don't look forward to replacing them. When that happens I'll update my review. I do a weekly examination of my rebounder, looking at each cord, to make sure it's safe to use. - PRICE It's one of the more expensive models, though not the most expensive. When I purchased it 3 years ago it was $199. With the bar it ended up being around $270. At that time I had the money to purchase it & don't regret it. I'm trying to convince my sister to buy one but she's hesitant about the price. All of my family regularly use my rebounder when they visit & she loves it. TIP: START SLOWLY This will detox your lymphatic system so you don't want to detox too quickly & put unnecessary strain on your organs. The first week just bounce/jump lightly in 5-10 minute increments. Slowly work your way up to 15-20 minutes, then 30 minutes, etc. TIP: USE THE HANDLE BAR If you have balance issues or are just starting out I'd suggest using the handle bar to help maintain balance. There have been a few times I've almost fallen off from jumping a little too enthusiastically but I've always grabbed the bar & been fine. TIP: WEAR LOOSE CLOTHES & SHOES I typically rebound in my sports bra, underwear, socks/shoes. I do that so I don't have to wash dirty workout clothes & because the more you jiggle the more it will tighten you up. Also, I over-pronate so I have to wear shoes. I would recommend wearing shoes regardless. TIP: USE A PEDOMETER Wear a pedometer to count your steps/jumps. I use the pedometer feature on my iPod to help set a goal for each session. I usually try to jump 3,000-5,000 times 4-5 days a week. Sometimes I'll do this in a single session, sometimes I'll spread it throughout the day in multiple sessions. It takes roughly 10 minutes to jump 1,000 times so about 30 minutes for 3,000 jumps. TIP: DON'T JUST JUMP I listen to music & switch my routine every song or every few songs. I'll jump for a few songs, jog for a song, do arm exercises for a song, jump for a few more, do abs for a song, etc. It makes it interesting & allows you to focus on different problem areas if need be. TIP: COMMIT TO SMALL INCREMENTS If rebounding for a long time is daunting to you then try to set yourself a different goal. Tell yourself you'll rebound for 5 minutes in the morning & at night. Or every time you go to the bathroom rebound for a few minutes. Those minutes here & there will add up & are easy to incorporate into your daily life.