Many people might look at someone bouncing on a trampoline and wonder what all the excitement is about. But the truth is, trampolines are great for physical fitness of children and adults, as well as for influencing other things such as balance.

Trampolines are used regularly by athletes who skate, dance, dive, or do gymnastics. That's because bouncing on a trampoline takes more than just the effort of jumping up and down. It takes coordination to achieve consistent height, balanced landings, and the ability to perform complex maneuvers without injury.

These athletes learn to hone skills important to their own sports, by using the mechanics of the trampoline. This can include techniques like turns, flips, and splits.

Children who learn how to use a trampoline properly, gain a new sense of freedom, and the thrill of soaring into the air. A few lessons can go a long way towards giving them a sense of achievement and self-confidence, especially if they have tried other, more difficult sports and not been successful.

Adults can benefit from either full size trampolines, or the smaller ones known as "rebounders", designed to be used in the home. Not only does the gentle activity of bouncing on a trampoline strengthen voluntary and involuntary muscles, it helps bones to become stronger, and stay denser.

The aerobic activity involved strengthens the heart, and provides you with many of the same benefits as jogging, with less stress on weight bearing joints.

The "G" force, or effects of gravity in jogging, can actually increase the impact on your feet, to a value that is equivalent to four times your body weight. Using a trampoline can reduce that stress by 80%, providing a safe, effective way to exercise for older adults, and those with certain physical challenges.

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Paul Johnson works as a software developer, often working long hours under great stress. He considers exercise crucial to his health. When purchasing his own fitess equipment he researched all available products. Now he's written a series of useful articles on choosing (and using) exercise equipment.