Body by Simone: Trampoline Cardio

This is the first workout I’ve ever done by Simone De La Rue. It popped up as an advanced/intense rebounder workout so I decided to give it a try. As soon as I popped in the DVD the music on the menu screen motivated me immediately. This was a very challenging rebounder workout. There were no advanced moves. What is advanced is the speed everything is done at. The first disclaimer that Simone does not give (but should) is that every rebounder is different and the speed of your jumps depends not only on your fitness level, not only on you executing the jump properly (more on that in a moment) but the tension of the canvas on your rebounder and whether it is spring bound or bungee bound. So I had to remind myself of these things as I struggled to keep pace with Simone. It did make me miss AngieFitnessTV and Linda @ Barlates rebounder workouts! But with that said, this is a good workout. It is important that you know how to bounce properly to do it at Simone’s speed (or as close as you can get) and Simone does not teach you how to do that. When you instinctively jump on a trampoline, you’re pushing yourself upward, in to the air. Those are the fun bounces and they feel good, but they aren’t controlled bounces. In order to bounce fast and with control, you have to consciously press your feet down into the canvas as you jump–so you are pushing down not up. You will not jump as high but you can execute bounce moves much faster. Even though I know how to do that (and did it), it was still hard for me to keep up. ***See update below***

This workout is done in circuits. There are 10 circuits and 4 of those circuits are choreography based. Even if you know how to bounce properly (which I do), it was still hard to keep pace with Simone’s fast-paced choreography. I have a different rebounder and I am clearly not as athletic and fit as she is. But I did my best and it was a fun workout that I enjoyed in spite of the fact I struggled to keep up. The music was driving and motivating and Simone is so cute and full of energy. She teaches the dance segments in layers then you run through them several times. She also teaches the lower body portion first then adds the arms. When you run through the completed circuit there is not a lot of cuing so you have to remember a lot on your own and the choreography is pretty complex for a rebounder workout. My favorite circuits were the easier ones that were not choreographed. The warm up on the rebounder and the sprints at the end. But Dance Cardio #1 circuit had the best music and it was fun, I just had a hard time keeping up with Simone. You also have some toning work. Simone has some one pound wrist weights she uses for two circuits. I used my one pound sandbag weights.

My stats for this workout: 433 calories burned, I was in my cardio heart rate zone 72% of the workout and in my peak zone only 4 minutes. That kind of surprised me but that’s probably because I couldn’t keep up. Had I been able to do everything as fast as Simone I suspect there would have been a lot more red on the graph. When I do Linda @ Barlates’ rebounder workouts the graph is often on fire (peak zone is red on the graph)–but that’s because I can keep up with Linda. However, I was at the high end of my cardio zone the majority of this workout. I “walked” 4329 steps.

01/08/21 UPDATE: I got stronger bungees for my rebounder for Christmas and I returned to this workout. It completely changed the workout. I was able to keep up with Simone on everything. I had a lot more fun because I was no longer lagging behind Simone but I was still working very hard. In fact, I worked even harder! My stats with stronger bungees is 502 calories burned and I spent 54% of the workout (33 minutes) in my peak heart rate zone. So this time the graph had a big red streak! If you are serious about rebounding like I am then definitely invest in a quality rebounder with extra strong bungees.

Trampoline Cardio is 59 minutes; 3 minute warm up (warm up is done on the floor) and 3 minute stretch. Equipment: rebounder and one pound wrist weights (I used one pound sandbag weights). There are arm movements with all of the moves but they change and are not easy to describe so just know they are present. And they are often “dancey” arm movements. Also, with the leg movements Simone does them to various tempos. Again, there is so much going on I am just breaking down the basics. Finally, you repeat everything multiple times so I am only listing it the first time it appears. So the break down looks more basic than the workout actually is.

Warm up on the rebounder (this is after the floor warm up):

1. Jump with legs wide
2. Jump with legs close together
3. Jack legs
4. Heel digs
5. High knee runs

Dance Cardio #1:

1. Hop with legs wide and hips shifting side to side
2. Hop with legs close together
3. Jack legs
4. With legs together hop in a circle
5. Hop knee each leg then hop kick each leg
6. Jack legs with a double hop when legs are together
7. Triple steps
8. Hamstring curl hops, angling body to side
9. Double hamstring curl hops
10. Cross jacks

Dance Cardio #2:

1. Double hamstring curls
2. Hop 4x on one leg
3. Jack feet
4. Quarter turn jacks
5. 180 hop turns (hop 4x in each direction then 2x then singles in each direction)
6. Heel digs on a diagonal + knee raises on a diagonal
7. 3 wide hops + one wide tuck jump

Put on wrist weights (or grab one pound hand weights):

1. Stand on rebounder with legs wide, extend arms out to sides in a T and do small arm circles; keep one arm extended straight to side and lower other arm behind bottom and raise it back to shoulder level; changes to lowering one arm in front of you then returning it to shoulder level; lower both arms behind bottom then return them to shoulder level; lower both arms in front of you then return them to shoulder level
2. Keep arms extended in a T, bend elbows and push arms back out to sides; changes to bending elbows but in a pulling motion, as if pulling something down rather than pushing it away
3. Arms are still extended out to sides in a T and do single arm bicep curls, bringing hand to shoulder; changes to pulling elbow down to hip then pushing arm overhead; repeat both motions with both arms at the same time
4. Raise straight arms from shoulder level to overhead
5. Arms extended in a T, press straight arms back, palms open and facing wall behind you
6. Swam arms–gracefully lower arms in front of you then raise them back to T; changes to raising them overhead
7. Keep arms extended overhead and open and close hands; slowly lower hands back to T while continuing to open and close hands; arms still in a T, small arm circles while opening and closing hands

Dance Cardio #3 (still wearing wrist weights):

1. 2 scissor runs + one jack legs
2. Double hopping knee raises
3. 2 fast high knee runs + one slow
4. 180 jump turns (jack 4x in each direction)
5. 4 front/diagonal hopping kicks each leg; changes to doubles; changes to singles

Mega-Mix: combines Dance Cardio #1, 2 & 3 and you repeat this long combo several times

Lower Body:

1. Uneven squat (start with one foot on floor and one on rebounder, squat then rise up onto rebounder tapping floor foot to rebounder frame; tap changes to knee raise; knee raise changes to front leg lift
2. Hop lunge side to side off rebounder (one foot is always on rebounder, other foot taps the floor when in lunge)
3. Repeat #1 on other leg
4. Repeat #2
5. Balance on one leg, extend other leg out straight to side, bend that knee and bring it in across body, opposite arm is raised over head, bring elbow down to knee when it raises
6. Alternating heel dig hops
7. Twist hops
8. Repeat #5 on other leg
9. Repeat #6 & 7
10. Balance on one leg, slowly extend other leg out straight behind you while hinging forward then slowly return upright while bringing knee in front of you; keep leg extended straight behind you and pulse leg
11. Repeat #10 on other leg
12. Wide squats on rebounder
13. Controlled squat jumps (not bouncing)
14. Repeat #12 & 13

Planks:

1. Straight arm plank with feet on ground and hands on rebounder, alternate tapping feet out to sides; changes to plank jacks
2. Mountain climbers
3. Jump feet in, stand and jump on top of rebounder, step backward off rebounder then jump back on top of rebounder
4. Repeat #1-3 two more times
5. One push up (hands still on rebounder, feet on floor) then rotate into side plank, arm reaching to ceiling (alternate sides when doing side plank, a push up between each side plank)

Core:

1. Lay on back on rebounder, legs are extended straight to ceiling, lower straight legs until body is straight then bend knees into chest and straighten legs to ceiling again; reverse this motion
2. Same starting position as #1, do small alternating scissors, alternating which foot is on top, as you are doing this little movement slowly lower legs then raise them
3. Same starting position as #1, slowly lower straight legs to side then return to start, alternate sides
4. Repeat #1-3
5. Still laying on back on rebounder, knees are bent and feet on floor, hands behind head, elbows out to sides, do crunches in this position; bring legs together, raise them and turn bent legs to side, continue crunching in this position

Sprints:

1. Wide high knee runs (legs are wide, knees are turned out to sides), arms are open to sides in goal post, bringing elbow to knee when it is raises; changes to a pattern–single, single, hold (she calls this the “monkey”)
2. Fast feet run
3. Repeat #1 & 2 two more times
4. Freestyle jumps (whatever you want to do)
5. Repeat #2
6. Repeat #4