Rebounding benefits have been on my radar for years. I’d bounced on and off for a long time, but I hadn’t been on a rebounder in ages, the way most of us drift away from something we love without really noticing. Then this summer, I took a much-needed solo month at Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida, signed up for rebounding classes every morning, and remembered exactly what I’d been missing.

Full disclosure, that first class made me nervous. Years after a stroke left my left side paralyzed, anything that moves under my feet still gives me pause. About thirty seconds in, though, I noticed that nobody in the room was paying attention to me, because everyone was busy staying on their own rebounder. So I started bouncing, and I felt like I was five years old.

By the end of that morning, I’d texted my husband, Mark, to say I was ordering a rebounder the minute I got home. It was the most fun I’d had working out in years. So on this week’s episode of Homes That Heal®, I sat down with rebounding educator Fayth Caruso to talk about what’s going on in your body while you bounce, and why something this fun can do so much good.

Meet Fayth Caruso

Fayth started out as a professional dancer in New York City. Like a lot of dancers, she picked up side work, and an injury led her to Pilates and a studio across from Bryant Park that offered rebounding classes on spring-based trampolines. The studio kept nudging her to try teaching them, so she got certified and fell in love with it.

Then one day a German man wandered into that studio with a bungee-based trampoline sporting hot pink bungees. Fayth tried it and noticed a world of difference. Years later, after she’d moved to Chicago and opened her own Pilates studio, a friend whose car was stuck in the snow asked Fayth to take a meeting in her place with a trampoline company. It was the same man.

Fayth took the hint. She switched her studio over to bungee rebounders and has worked with bellicon ever since on research, training programs, education, and partnerships. Her favorite part of the job is helping more people discover how good rebounding can feel.

Rebounding Benefits Start With Your Lymphatic System

When I asked Fayth what’s happening in the body during a rebounding session, she started with the lymphatic system. Think of it as your body’s cleanup crew. When it’s working efficiently, waste moves out and good nutrients can move in more easily.

Your heart pumps your blood, but your lymphatic system has no pump of its own. It relies on outside help to keep fluid moving, and that help comes from movement, hydration, and things like lymphatic massage. Sitting still at a desk, as Fayth pointed out, does very little for it.

Why the Up-and-Down Motion Matters

According to Fayth, the lymphatic system runs largely up and down through the body, so vertical movement is especially helpful. The trouble is that most vertical movement in daily life, like jumping rope or plyometric jumps, comes with a lot of impact on your joints. A rebounder gives you that up-and-down motion with far less pounding, and you can keep it going for much longer.

Fayth explained that when your lymphatic system is moving well, your immune system may be able to do its job more efficiently. She’s seen people working through autoimmune issues, inflammation, and pelvic floor concerns report that they feel a real difference from that gentle vertical bounce. Movement and lymph flow are closely linked, and a rebounder happens to be one of the most enjoyable ways I know to keep things flowing.

What Rebounding Does for Your Pelvic Floor and Core Muscles

Pelvic floor health is something so many women struggle with, and almost nobody talks about it. Postpartum, perimenopause, and beyond, a lot of us have quietly made peace with a little leaking when we sneeze or jump. Fayth hears it constantly: “But I feel like I’m going to pee my pants!”

Her answer starts with how you bounce. Fayth always begins with what she calls a closed-chain bounce, where your feet stay in contact with the mat. On an unstable surface like a bungee rebounder, that gentle movement may wake up the involuntary muscles of the pelvic floor. It also lets them relax, which matters more than most of us realize. Fayth compares the pelvic floor to a trampoline mat itself. You want it to be able to soften and to lift and support, because a pelvic floor that’s too tight can cause problems just like one that isn’t firing.

She also pointed out a difference between surfaces. Working out on something hard like concrete tends to fire the more surface-level abdominal muscles, which are there for shock absorption. A softer, more forgiving surface may turn on the deeper muscles, including the pelvic floor. Fayth works with pelvic floor physical therapists who use rebounders in their clinics, and as a mom of three, she’s used rebounding to rehab that whole area herself, especially after her third baby.

If you’re dealing with prolapse, pelvic pain, or other existing pelvic floor issues, check in with a pelvic floor physical therapist before you start. It’s a smart step, and it means you’ll know which kind of bouncing is right for your body.

The Rebounding Benefits I Felt in My Core

My own experience surprised me here. My midsection has always been my trouble zone, and I’d assumed sit-ups and planks were the only way to work it. (Boring, by the way.) On the rebounder, just bouncing and stabilizing, I could feel my core muscles engaged the whole time, along with my hips.

Fayth hears this a lot. Because the bungee surface is unstable, your core has to switch on to keep you centered. She also mentioned that the lymphatic and digestive support from rebounding may help ease bloating, which can make a difference in how your stomach feels, too.

Why the First Bounce Feels a Little Scary

When I admitted to Fayth how nervous I’d been that first morning, she laughed and said she’d felt the same way. And she was a professional dancer and a national-level swimmer who knew her body well.

Her explanation made so much sense. Rebounding challenges your proprioception, which is your body’s ability to sense where it is in space, along with your coordination. Most of us don’t practice that skill much in daily life unless we’re ice skating, rollerblading, or doing gymnastics. When we stop practicing it, it fades, and that’s one reason falls become such a concern as we age.

The good news is that the skill comes back quickly. Fayth suggests using a T-bar or support bar for peace of mind while your brain catches up. Back when she owned her studio, she made every new client promise to try three classes before deciding. The first might feel a little unsure, the second feels more comfortable, and by the third, most people barely need the bar. She told me not one person who made it through all three ever quit after that.

That matched my experience exactly. Within two or three days, my instructor noticed I wasn’t using the T-bar as much. We recorded this conversation in September, and by then I’d pretty much graduated off it, except as a stabilizer when I want to jump extra high.

It’s Never Too Late: Rebounding for Balance

A client came to Fayth’s Chicago studio in her late 80s after falling on the ice and injuring her hip. She was on crutches and so afraid of falling again that she barely left her apartment.

When Fayth suggested a trampoline, the woman looked at her like she’d lost her mind. They started slowly with two support bars, gentle bouncing, and balance work, while the bungee surface challenged her proprioception and coordination. Today she’s in her mid-90s, bouncing bar-free, and she sends Fayth a message every year on her birthday to say she’s still bouncing. Fayth did ask her to keep one support bar at home, just for peace of mind.

On the other end of the spectrum, Fayth has worked with Olympic athletes and pro hockey players, including one whose neurologist recommended rebounding after a few blows to the head. Even elite athletes find it challenging, she said, because you can move in every direction on a rebounder, forward, back, side to side, and rotating, all without the joint impact that could hurt their training later.

How to Choose a Rebounder

If you’re thinking about bringing one home, Fayth says the most important thing is the feel of the bounce. You want a suspension system that supports you enough to feel safe while giving you enough buoyancy to get that joy, plus the lymphatic movement.

Bungee rebounders feel noticeably different from spring-based ones, which tend to have a harder bounce. The bellicon comes in several bungee strengths for different body types, supporting up to 440 pounds, so you can match the bounce to your body, your history, and your goals. From there, you can pick a frame size that fits your space, folding legs if storage is tight, and a T-bar or support bars if you’d like extra stability. You can even choose bungee colors that make it look like a piece of art in your home.

A 10-Minute Rebounding Session You Can Start Today

You don’t need an hour or a complicated routine. Fayth says a simple health bounce, with your feet staying on the mat while you let the rebounder move you, is enough to get started. According to Fayth, that alone can wake up your lymphatic system, challenge your posture, engage your core, and give your brain the balance work it craves. She added that it may also help calm the vagus nerve, which is good news for stress and focus.

Once you’re comfortable, try these:

• Shift your weight gently from side to side
• Turn slow circles on the mat to challenge your balance
• Add small kicks forward and back
• Put on music you love, because the beat keeps you moving and keeps your heart rate steady

My own routine is simple. I go for a walk, drink my lemon water, read a little, write down what I’m grateful for, and then head downstairs to bounce. Some days that’s five or ten minutes of doing my own thing. Other days I get after it with a full class from the bellicon online platform, which has more than a thousand workouts.

Fun Is the Secret Ingredient

I used to do MMA kickboxing and run five to ten miles a day. I loved it, and I was in great shape, but I don’t want that much impact on my body in this season of life. Rebounding gives me a way to get strong and feel fantastic while having a seriously good time.

That joy is what keeps people consistent, and consistency is where results come from. A rebounder also has a place for everyone in the house. Mark uses ours, kids can bounce, and grandparents can too. Fayth’s four-year-old has been bouncing since he was two, and she hopes he’s still at it when he’s 102.

If you’ve been looking for a way to move your body that doesn’t feel like a chore, this might be it. Start small, give it three tries, and let yourself feel like a kid again.

About Fayth Caruso

Fayth Caruso is a movement educator, choreographer, and fitness professional specializing in rebounding, wellness, and longevity. With a background in dance, Pilates, and studio ownership, she helps people improve fitness, balance, lymphatic health, and overall wellbeing through movement, with a focus on rebounding. Through her work with bellicon, she has developed educational programs, workout content, and global partnerships to promote and expand awareness of the benefits of rebounding. Her passion is making movement accessible, effective, and enjoyable for people of all ages and abilities while supporting lifelong health, vitality, and joy.

Links & Resources

• Shop bellicon with my link
• Follow Fayth on Instagram: @faythcaruso
• Follow bellicon on Instagram: @bellicon
• Take a peek at my Jen Recommends list to see more of my favorite products.
• Grab my FREE Home Wellness Checklist here for more tips.

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Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services. The statements and views expressed are not medical advice and are not meant to replace the advice of your medical doctor. This podcast, including Jen Heller and her guests, disclaims any responsibility and any adverse effects you may experience from the specific use of the information contained herein. The opinions of guests are their own and this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for the statements made by guests. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you have a medical condition, consult your licensed physician.