Page 2
Jump Your Way to Health & Fitness
Psychological benefits of Rebounding
The exercise was good psychologically for Mr. Kofsky, since so much activity had him believing that he was “winning” his battle against cancer. Philosopher Michael Novak has described winning as “a form of thumbing one’s nose, for a moment, at the cancers and diseases that, in the end, strike down all of us.” The patient pushed himself harder each day. By the end of a year, he had doubled his daily rebounding time and was seemingly able to go into a meditative state even as he bounced on the device. Mr. Kofsky additionally increased the number of swimming laps, miles run, and time punching the bag. He gained a new confidence.
Since he needed to research his Ph.D. thesis, later the student was forced to drop back on his two more time-consuming sports at the gym and swimming pool. But he never diminished the amount of his jumping for health, because he traveled with a portable rebounder which folded into its own airplane carryon bag.
I met Sam Kofsky 120 feet below the ocean’s surface at Grand Cayman Island when we buddied during a morning scuba dive on the North Wall’s underwater drop off. Returning aboard our dive boat, he enthusiastically told me of his involvement with rebounding. I told him then of my having authored a book on the same subject. We met often during that vacation trip and spoke about other alternative methods of healing. Our conversations took place in January 1995, and we’ve stayed in touch since. Kofsky, now age forty-two, had already lived well past his prior dire prognosis. He attributed the circumstance of his thriving to his jumping for health and life.
The same time that he took chemotherapy and engaged in his prolonged exercise therapy, the Dartmouth student finished his doctoral thesis. He is now an assistant professor of economics at a midwestern university. Dr. Kofsky needs no chemicals for cancer and feels fitter than ever today. Perhaps the malignancy still lurks somewhere in his body, for once cancer has been present the potential for its return always remains. Still, this economics professor knows that he has fought it off the best way he could. Dr. Kofsky continues to rebound and participate in other sports activities.
Rebounding Benefits the Body in 30 Healthful ways
Rebounding is an exercise that reduces your body fat; firms your legs, thighs, abdomen, arms, and hips; increases your agility; improves your sense of balance; strengthens your muscles over all; provides an aerobic effect for your heart; rejuvenates your body when it’s tired, and generally puts you in a state of health and fitness.
You can easily perform this exercise in your living room, your office, and your yard. The traveler may wish to carry a portable rebounder aboard an airliner for use in a hotel room. It’s the most convenient, metabolically effective form of exercise around.
|
There are 30 health advantages of regular rebounding, including the following: |
|
| 1. | It increases the capacity for respiration. |
| 2. | It circulates more oxygen to the tissues. |
| 3. | It establishes a better equilibrium between the oxygen required by the tissues and the oxygen made available. |
| 4. | It causes muscles to perform work in moving fluids through the body to lighten the heart’s load. |
| 5. | It tends to reduce the height to which the arterial pressures rise during exertion. |
| 6. | It lessens the time during which blood pressure remains abnormal after severe activity. |
| 7. | It holds off the incidence of cardiovascular disease. |
| 8. | It increases the functional activity of the red bone marrow in the production of red blood cells. |
| 9. | It aids lymphatic circulation, as well as the flow in the veins of the circulatory system. |
| 10. | It encourages collateral circulation. |
| 11. | It strengthens the heart and other muscles in the body so that they work more efficiently. |
| 12. | It allows the resting heart to beat less often. |
| 13. | It lowers elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. |
| 14. | It stimulates the metabolism. |
| 15. | It promotes body growth and repair. |
| 16. | It tones up the glandular system, especially the thyroid to increase its output. |
| 17. | It adds to the alkaline reserve of the body which may be of significance in an emergency requiring prolonged effort. |
| 18. | It chemically attains absolute potential of the cells. |
| 19. | It reserves bodily strength and physical efficiency. |
| 20. | It expands the body’s capacity for fuel storage and endurance. |
| 21. | It improves coordination through the transmission of nerve impulses and responsiveness of the muscle fibers. |
| 22. | It affords muscular vigor from increased muscle fiber tone. |
| 23. | It offers relief from neck and back pains, headaches, and other pain caused by lack of exercise. |
| 24. | It enhances digestion and elimination processes. |
| 25. | It allows for better and easier relaxation and sleep. |
| 26. | It results in a better mental performance, with keener learning processes. |
| 27. | It curtails fatigue and menstrual discomfort for women. |
| 28. | It minimizes the number of colds, allergies, digestive disturbances, and abdominal problems. |
| 29. | It tends to slow down aging. |
| 30. | It reduces the likelihood of obesity. |