Ready to Rebound: A 12-Week Prep Plan for Safe, Strong, and Joyful Jumping
Ready to Rebound: A 12-Week Prep Plan for Safe, Strong, and Joyful Jumping
Rebounding can be an incredible way to boost your cardiovascular health, build strength, and support your pelvic floor when your system is ready for it.
But jumping—whether on a trampoline or not—isn’t just child’s play. It’s a full-body event that demands elastic recoil, fascial glide, pressure management, and joint integrity. That’s why preparation is everything.
In this post, I’ll walk you through a 12-week progressive plan to get you rebound-ready. Whether your goal is mini-trampoline fitness, skipping in the park, or just enjoying the feeling of bouncing without worry—this is for you.
Why Jumping Matters (On or Off a Trampoline)
Jumping delivers impact—and that’s not a bad thing.
✅ Bone density improves with load (especially ground reaction forces and impact).
✅ Fascia and muscle chains become more resilient when loaded and released elastically.
✅ Cardiovascular health is supported through short, sharp bursts of intensity.
✅ Pelvic floor coordination improves when the whole system works as a pressure-modulating unit.
These benefits rely on a well-prepared foundation. As physiotherapist Diane Lee states, “You can’t isolate one part of the core system. The diaphragm, abdominals, pelvic floor, and deep back muscles must coordinate together for functional load transfer.” (Lee et al., 2008).
The 12-Week Rebound Readiness Plan
Weeks 1–4: Breath, Walk, Align
Goal: Establish breath mechanics, nervous system regulation, and foundational movement.
Focus:
Daily Hypopressives (5–10 minutes). Emphasise 360° breath and postural stacking.
Walks 3–5x per week (start on flat terrain, 20–30 minutes).
Practice walking with intention—soft knees, tall spine, heel-to-toe gait.
Gentle mobility: think cat-cows, wall angels, rib rocks, hip rolls.
Want to add more challenge? Choose a route with slight inclines. Gradiented walks are a great way to layer in load without impact.
Weeks 5–6: Add Skipping Drills (No Rope Needed)
Goal: Train reflexive recoil and introduce light, short bursts of impact.
Focus:
Keep Hypopressives 3–4x/week.
Walk 4x/week.
During walks, add 30-second skipping intervals (skipping without a rope—just rhythmic hops).
Alternate between skipping and walking in a Fartlek-style format (e.g., walk 4 mins, skip 30 sec).
Stay light on your feet—focus on springiness, not height.
Physiotherapist and educator Dr. Sarah Duvall notes the importance of dynamic pelvic floor loading: “We need to train the pelvic floor to handle fast, reflexive demands, not just slow Kegel-type contractions. This is especially important for jumping, running, and real-life activity.” (Duvall, 2020).
Weeks 7–8: Build Strength with Resistance + Suspension
Goal: Build muscular and fascial strength with progressive load.
Add 2 strength sessions/week:
Here are some foundational movements to build springy strength:
🔹 Squat (Bodyweight or Resistance Band)
Focus: Hips go back, spine long, feet active.
Cue: Inhale to lower, exhale to rise.
🔹 Skater Step (Lateral Bound)
Focus: Side-to-side movement challenges glutes, balance, and fascial slings.
Mod: Start small and step instead of jumping.
🔹 Suspension Trainer Lunge
Focus: Front-leg glute and hamstring drive, with pelvic stability.
Mod: Use a TRX or rings to assist and encourage upright posture.
🔹 Suspension Row
Focus: Mid-back activation, arm-pelvis connection.
Cue: Keep ribs stacked and pull with breath on the exhale.
🔹 Chest Press (Suspension)
Focus: Ant chain, rib control, core tension under load.
Mod: Adjust the angle to change intensity.
Weeks 9–10: Add Light Plyometrics
Goal: Train elastic recoil and control under short, sharp bursts.
Progress strength moves:
Add a small jump to your squat (land quietly, knees soft).
Switch lunges mid-air if you’re ready (or step through rhythmically if not).
Continue walking + skipping, with slightly longer skipping intervals (up to 1 min).
Antony Lo, physiotherapist and coach, advocates for load exposure without fear: “Load isn’t the enemy. It’s about progressing gradually in a way the body can tolerate—and even benefit from—without bracing or over-cueing.” (Lo, 2021).
Focus on quality of movement—no breath-holding, no belly doming.
Weeks 11–12: Gentle Rebounding Begins
Goal: Introduce short trampoline sessions—2–3 mins max to start.
Suggestions:
Keep hands on hips or light bounce with arms moving gently.
Bounce with breath (inhale on down-bounce, exhale softly on up-bounce).
Stop if you feel pressure, heaviness, or leaks—pause, reset, revisit Hypopressives.
Build gradually: 2 minutes → 3 minutes → 5 minutes.
Always assess how you feel the next day as much as in the moment.
A Note on Timing and Personalisation
This 12-week plan is a guideline, not a rulebook.
Depending on your body’s unique history—birth injuries, prolapse, fatigue, joint issues, previous surgeries—you may need more time in certain phases.
💡 Many people benefit from spending longer in Weeks 4–6 before adding impact. Others may move more quickly through strength training. Some may need to stay on low-impact drills for months while they build coordination and control.
What matters most is that you listen to your body, not the calendar. There's no shame in slowing down, repeating a week, or skipping the rebounder altogether in favour of joyful movement in another form.
Final Thoughts
There’s no medal for rushing into rebounding—especially if your pelvic floor is still learning to adapt.
But done progressively, jumping (with or without a trampoline) can be a powerful tool for:
✔️ Stronger bones
✔️ Healthier connective tissue
✔️ Improved lymphatic drainage
✔️ Better breath coordination
✔️ More confident movement
As always, listen to your body. If you’re not sure where to begin or whether this plan is right for you, my Pelvic Floor MOT is a great place to start or book a 1-2-1 or better still let’s do this - book a 12 week block of sessions and let’s get you functionally moving again.
You can return to jumping. You just need a foundation built for flight.
References:
Lee, D., Vleeming, A., & Stuge, B. (2008). The role of the thorax in the treatment of lumbopelvic pain: a biomechanical model. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 16(3), 112–120.
Duvall, S. (2020). Core Exercise Solutions – Blogs and pelvic floor rehabilitation strategies.
Lo, A. (2021). The Female Athlete Online Course. ThePhysioDetective.com
Bø, K., & Nygaard, I. (2020). Is physical activity good or bad for the female pelvic floor? A narrative review. Sports Medicine, 50(3), 471–484.
