How a bellicon^® trampoline works

When looking at how simple the swing movement on the highly flexible trampoline is, it hardly seems possible that so many positive reactions in our body can be triggered by this. The trampoline however really is like an effective medicine, and the active ingredient in it is the continuous gravitational change between the highest point and the braking phase.

When swinging on a bellicon® the following takes place in your body

As soon as the stationary„point has been passed on the upswing, the body becomes weightless and the muscles relax – until they decelerate when reaching the mat. Imagine a flight path: at some point on the way up you slow down and reach reversal point. As all functioning powers are suspended at this moment , the cells are completely relaxed. On the way down towards the mat acceleration is increased. At brake point, the increased force of the weight affect the body. All muscle cells tense automatically, so that the body is stabilized and doesn’t collapse. At the lower reverse point of the swing, maximum gravitation is reached. Depending on the intensity of the exercise, far more gravitational force than normal effects the body and the muscles tense accordingly. This procedure is then repeated: relaxation of the whole cell structure during the upswing and renewed tension at brake point.
 
These constant gravitational changes produce enormous metabolic activity. Although subjectively this movement is not perceived as arduous, your whole body is actually exercising. as due to the reflex, hardly any cell can avoid the increase and relief of tension. It is quite easy for you to check this yourself by touching any muscle ,whilst swinging on the trampoline. Regardless of which one you choose, whether it is in the arm, stomach or neck, you will clearly feel it tensing and relaxing whilst swinging.

Difference between a concrete and a flexible floor

In itself, this alternating gravitational force is nothing special: regardless of the type of floor, every time you jump up and then come down again, muscle tension and relaxation occurs . This also happens on a concrete floor. What makes the bellicon so special is its suspension. Due to its high elasticity, the up and down swing is lengthened. Whilst on a concrete floor you are slowed down immediately, deceleration on the flexible trampoline is extended, resulting in the muscles being exerted for longer. This decelerating training is called »eccentric exercise«. It equates to walking down a mountain (do you remember what makes your muscles ache most: walking up or down?), and it is very effective.
 
Deceleration therefore takes longer when swinging or bouncing on a highly flexible mat than on concrete. In our experience, there is no better suspension than that of the highly elasticized rope rings. When exercising on a steel sprung trampoline , the deceleration path is clearly shorter, thus preventing optimal muscle building. As a comparison: the coach of the national football team in Germany, Jogi Low, had his team train with highly elastic bands. .
 
The best exercise results can only be achieved with the highly flexible rope ring suspension. These rope rings are extremely resilient but also very gentle and sparing on the back, intervertebral discs and joints.

It doesn’t just train the muscles

This form of exercise also makes demands on other cell structures: cartilage and intervertebral discs are gently massaged and supplied with nutrients due to the increase and decrease of tension. At the same time, gentle demands are also made on organs like the pancreas, kidneys and the liver , thereby training them.

Without exaggeration it can therefore be said that your whole organism benefits from gently swinging up and down on a highly flexible bellicon® mini trampoline.

Many fitness products are combined in a bellicon®

Training on a bellicon is versatile. Exercise methods from other devices are all combined in one:  

Stepper
The up and down movement on the mat resembles gentle stair climbing – an exercise that several “step-machines ” have adopted. The bellicon though is extremely gentle on the joints and intervertebral discs and offers more variety.
 
Cross – Trainer
Exercising on the bellicon activates all large muscle groups and thus enables a total cardio workout – comparable to a cross trainer which doesn’t however activate all muscle groups.
 
Running machine
You can jog on the bellicon – similar to on a running machine. Depending on the strength of the suspension you can either simulate a walk “on the beach” or “in the woods”. But by training on the bellicon, far less strain is put on your joints than on a hard running machine.
 
Vibration plates
The vibration plates produced by several manufacturers induce muscle contractions in a similar way to a bellicon: through tension and relaxation. It is more fun though to swing on a bellicon and it gives you that unique feeling of weightlessness. The demands made on the muscles and the variation of exercises also aren’t as onesided as on a vibration plate. The main difference though is that on a vibration plate only one muscle group is trained at a time, whilst on a bellicon all muscles are stimulated simultaneously
 
Balancing board
The bellicon is like a large balancing board: your feet and balance sensors are permanently exerted as they try to keep you stable. On a bellicon, the demands made on your equilibrium are higher though, which makes exercising more intensive. This is because the highly elastic material of the mat prompts the whole body to stand and swing steadily. Simultaneously, our circulation is improved and our muscular strength increased.