When most people are considering purchasing exercise equipment for their home they think – treadmill. But is the treadmill the right investment for you and your family? A study by the American Council on Exercise found that bouncing on a trampoline for less than 20 minutes is just as good for you as running. The best part? It feels better and is a lot more fun!

If you’re thinking of purchasing a treadmill for you home take a look at the benefits of a trampoline instead.

Force of Impact

Lots of people use running as a way to get fit.

“One downside of running is that it can lead to orthopedic injuries,” says John Porcari, Professor of exercise and sport science at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. Running is a high-impact exercise that causes stress on your joints due to the force of impact.

Jumping on a trampoline is a low-impact cardio exercise that absorbs 80% of the shock. It takes the pressure off your knees and removes the strain and stress of a hard surface workout. And Porcari says that makes it seem easier than it is.

Calorie Burning

You may be surprised to find out that trampoline jumping burns more calories than running. Victor L. Katch at the University of Michigan found that a 150 pound person burns 71 calories jogging and 82 calories on the trampoline.

Time Saver

While burning 10 calories more on a trampoline might not seem like much, consider that you need to spend less time on a trampoline than running to achieve that. A NASA study found that 10 minutes of jumping on a trampoline is the equivalent of a 30 minute run. The fact is exercising on a trampoline take less time than running. If you’re a busy parent who struggles to find time to exercise you can go for a quick jump right in your backyard!

Exercise Like An Astronaut

A NASA study found that trampoline jumping is 68% more efficient than running or jogging. In fact, it proved to be the best exercise to rebuild the lost bone tissue of astronauts whose weightless state caused them to lose 15% of their bone mass.

Fun for the Whole Family

Let face it, jumping on a trampoline is fun. And even better, it’s an investment for the whole family. From kids to adults everyone can enjoy the fun of getting outside and active on a trampoline!