We Tried It: Urban Rebounding

Urban Rebounding was first developed 20 years ago, but I didn't quite know what to expect when I enrolled in my first class this weekend at SELF's Workout in the Park.

Unlike the cardio classes at the event, which were held in front of a large stage to accommodate as many fitness enthusiasts as possible, our class had about 20 participants and one instructor.

Although I'd heard good reviews of the class and our instructor, who had the most well-defined legs I'd ever seen, promised he'd give us a tough, totally body workout, I couldn't help thinking to myself: Little kids play on trampolines every day. How hard could this really be?

After a few minutes, I had my answer.

Urban rebounding, which was developed by martial artists and personal trainer JB Berns, was developed to tone, strength and build muscle in a low-impact environment, which allows those of various fitness levels to participate. In Berns' case, he developed the routine as a way to stay in shape while recovering from injury.

As someone who has been in and out of physical therapy, Urban Rebounding's principles made sense. Like Pilates and yoga, this is a class where it could be very easy to go through the movements without reaping all of the physical benefits. A good instructor who can explain exactly how to stand and complete each move will be key.

Once we stepped onto our trampolines, our instructor, Terrell, showed us the basic moves that we would be completing throughout the class. Luckily, there were only a handful and our ability to get a good workout would depend on our form more than our ability. Terrell reminded us constantly to suck in our stomach, stand tall, push down into the trampoline and drive our knees.

Our shortened class time (there were thousands of women who wanted to test the class), gave us about 15 minutes to run through the moves that most class participants would usually spend 45 minutes mastering. Although I didn't break a sweat -- and I'm usually a pretty sweaty person -- I could feel my ankles and calves stretching and strengthening. I could also feel my core muscles working hard to counteract the trampoline's bounce and keep me balanced.

There were a few moments when I felt like I'd break the trampoline -- they're quite small, and I'm not -- or bounce off it, because they aren't very wide and we were doing several side-to-side jumps that left me a little off balance. But working out on a trampoline, which I haven't played on since high school, was a great way to break up my usual workout routine. It also boosted my mood (because who can be cranky jumping on a trampoline?) and made me really think about some other fun cross-training activities to try.

Pluses: It's a quick, effective workout that gets your heart rate up. I love that it helped strengthen my ankles, toned my legs and worked my core in a low-impact class. As someone who loves running, this could become a go-to cross training activity for me. It's definitely not your average workout class.

Minuses: We had a unique opportunity to test this class at SELF's Workout in the Park. Finding a gym that hosts the class regularly, at a time that's convenient and with enough space that you're not constantly on a waiting list could be a challenge. Crunch, Bally's and Equinox are among the 5,000 gyms nationwide that hold classes. However, you can purchase a trampoline and at-home DVDs. Also, those with larger chests will have to invest in a good sports bra or wearing two bras to keep from painful bouncing.

Takeaway: This is a great workout that could be added to your weekly schedule if you can find a gym that offers it in your area. It's playful, fun and provides a killer workout without putting too much stress on your muscles.

Check out the rest of the That's Fit team's reviews of SELF's Workout In the Park in New York. We hope you'll join us there next year.