Trampolines and jump ropes are incredibly different pieces of equipment, but they share one obvious thing in common. You have to jump to use them. However, that’s about all the similarities these items have because of how they work, the type of exercise you get, and the calories burned.
Which is a better exercise, trampoline or jump rope? I will share everything I know about why these forms of jumping yield such different results.
A jump rope is a better exercise than a trampoline because you burn more calories per hour. If your goal is weight loss, muscle maintenance, or fitness in general, you only need your jump rope to stay fit. As simple, portable, healthy workout activities go, it’s hard to beat a basic jump rope, except with a weighted jump rope.
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Jump Rope vs Mini Trampoline
On the surface, comparing a jump rope to a mini-trampoline seems similar. Either way, you are jumping and providing all the power for the exercise.
You will burn plenty of calories doing exercise regardless of which one you pick because all forms of jumping are great for your body.
Still, it’s pretty apparent which activity is the better burner, and there are many other differences.
Jump Rope vs Trampoline Calories
When you use a jump rope versus a trampoline, the way your body moves differently. Though both are jumps, the jump rope is a series of quick hops with matching arm movement.
Meanwhile, the trampoline is mostly repetitive leg, glute, and lower back jumps that don’t necessarily engage your arms.
The ground is unforgiving, so your jump rope is a high-impact workout.
A trampoline, on the other hand, is decidedly low-impact and is often recommended for those with back and leg issues in place of running, walking, and jumping. The mat absorbs most of the shock when you land.
Unfortunately, not everyone burns calories at the same rate. Age, gender, build, and weight can affect how many calories you burn.
In order to simplify, I’ve created two charts below showing how many calories you burn (on average) based on time and weight.
You can clearly see the jump rope is a better workout burning roughly 3 to4 times as many calories.
Calories Burned Jumping Rope By Body Weight & Time
Minutes | 120 lbs | 140 lbs | 160 lbs | 180 lbs | 200 lbs | 220 lbs | 240 lbs |
5 | 56 cal | 66 cal | 75 cal | 84 cal | 94 cal | 103 cal | 112 cal |
10 | 112 cal | 131 cal | 150 cal | 169 cal | 187 cal | 206 cal | 225 cal |
15 | 169 cal | 197 cal | 225 cal | 253 cal | 281 cal | 309 cal | 337 cal |
30 | 337 cal | 393 cal | 450 cal | 506 cal | 562 cal | 618 cal | 674 cal |
45 | 506 cal | 590 cal | 674 cal | 759 cal | 843 cal | 927 cal | 1012 cal |
60 | 674 cal | 787 cal | 899 cal | 1012 cal | 1124 cal | 1236 cal | 1349 cal |
Calories Burned Trampolining By Body Weight & Time
Minutes | 120 lbs | 140 lbs | 160 lbs | 180 lbs | 200 lbs | 220 lbs | 240 lbs |
5 | 17 cal | 19 cal | 22 cal | 25 cal | 28 cal | 31 cal | 33 cal |
10 | 33 cal | 39 cal | 44 cal | 50 cal | 56 cal | 61 cal | 70 cal |
15 | 50 cal | 58 cal | 67 cal | 75 cal | 83 cal | 92 cal | 100 cal |
30 | 100 cal | 117 cal | 133 cal | 150 cal | 167 cal | 183 cal | 200 cal |
45 | 150 cal | 175 cal | 200 cal | 225 cal | 250 cal | 275 cal | 300 cal |
60 | 200 cal | 233 cal | 267 cal | 300 cal | 333 cal | 367 cal | 400 cal |
Can You Lose Weight Faster On A Trampoline or Jumping Rope
You will lose weight faster jumping rope than on a trampoline. Burning fat means using up calories, and there are about 3500 calories in a pound of human fat.
A 240 lb person could burn just over 1 pound of fat jumping rope at a moderate pace for 3 hours, and a 120 lb person could do the same in about 6 hours.
Burning around the same number of calories on a trampoline would take the 240 lb person just under 9 hours and the 120 lb person around 18 hours.
It would take a thinner person longer because they aren’t lifting as much weight as they jump.
Whether your weight comes from muscle, fat, or sheer size, like being tall and having more bone mass, you will always burn more calories to do the same thing as a lighter person.
This can add to the plateau effect when losing weight since losing a pound means you have to work a little harder to lose the next one.
The Mayo Clinic points out, “…as you lose weight, your metabolism declines, causing you to burn fewer calories than you did at your heavier weight. Your slower metabolism will slow your weight loss, even if you eat the same number of calories that helped you lose weight. When the calories you burn equal the calories you eat, you reach a plateau.”
It’s also important to note that when you eat right and exercise regularly, you can gain weight.
Muscle mass is denser and weighs more than fat, so it’s possible to go down several sizes in clothing and still weigh more or plateau because of muscle gains, though this isn’t the case for everyone.
Is Jumping On A Trampoline Considered Good Exercise
Jumping on a trampoline is considered good exercise. Although jumping rope has a higher calorie burn, rebounding is still a great workout.
You can follow along with a professional video, take a class to burn a few extra calories with more effort, or keep things casual at home and bounce to some music for fun.
Additionally, jumping on a mini-trampoline is also a lot more accessible. You can install a balance bar if you’re worried about balance, feel more steady, or want to try some more advanced moves.
With or without the bar, you’ll still have fun and burn calories without the jarring sensation of jumping you get when you use a rope on the ground.
Below are some of the many benefits of a trampoline workout below:
- It’s Aerobic Exercise – Maybe spin classes and jogging aren’t for you, but everyone loves to bounce on a trampoline. Whatever your fitness or comfort level, trampolines are an easy way to get your aerobic exercise in.
- Cardio Is Good For Your Heart – Rebounding is a fantastic way to strengthen your heart and improve your circulation.
- Balance and Stability – If you want to improve your balance and stability, a small trampoline can help you work on those things without having to think about them.
- Spinal Decompression – Most physical exercise puts a fair amount of pressure on your spine, but rebounding is the opposite. Some doctors even recommend it for physical therapy after spinal surgery.
How Long Should You Jump On A Trampoline or Jump Rope For A Workout
If you are out of shape, it’s a terrible idea to try to throw yourself into a heavy workout routine.
You can strain your muscles, damage your body and even increase your risk for heart attacks and strokes.
Instead of going hard and fast, ease yourself into jumping on a trampoline or with a jump rope, and always stop if it causes significant pain.
Minor muscle soreness and fatigue can be a good sign, but any severe or sharp pains are a red flag and mean you should stop.
For mini trampoline users, 15 to 20 minutes is plenty for a beginner. Start in 5-minute increments and build up from there to avoid problems.
Additionally, don’t bounce as hard and fast as you can at first because you’ll wear yourself out immediately.
Pick a slow to moderate song and bounce in time to the beat. You can always go fast later.
Jumping rope is a gradual process, but you use up more calories, so it’s well worth the effort. Start off by jumping for just 1 to 3 minutes.
Build up slowly until you can do 5 minutes uninterrupted 3 times a week.
For serious workouts and people who are more physically fit, aim for a 30-minute jumping workout no more than 3 times per week with at least a day between for muscle recovery.
Jump Rope On A Trampoline
Jumping rope on a mini-trampoline is not recommended for beginners. Good rope control takes time, and it is easy to snag your rope on the front end or other components of a small trampoline.
However, if you have a full-size trampoline, it’s a great workout that will have you using your arms, legs, core, and back muscles.
What Is Better, Jump Rope or Trampoline
A jump rope is better than a trampoline for lots of reasons. Calorie burning aside, a jump rope is significantly more portable for one thing.
Even a folding trampoline with a carry bag is heavier and takes much longer to set up than your jump rope, which takes seconds to sling over your shoulder or drop in any bag.
Another reason jump ropes are better is versatility. Once you jump a while on a mini trampoline, the only thing you can do to improve the workout safely is to go faster or switch up your footwork.
You can do both things by skipping rope and upgrade to a weighted jump rope for a better arm workout.
Finally, there’s the price to consider. Jump ropes are cheap, and you can almost always buy one for less than $25 even when it’s weighted, though some specialty ropes are more.
You can even make one at home if you have a long enough piece of rope. Mini trampolines, cost $50-250.
Helpful Tips To Know About Trampoline vs Jump Rope
Deciding whether to rebound on a trampoline, jump rope, or do both is up to you. Weigh the benefits of low versus high impact and different calorie-burning options.
Here are a few more helpful tips to know about trampoline versus jump rope.
- The only area where a jump rope is not as good as a trampoline is impact. After jumping a rope for long enough, your feet, knees, ankles, and back will feel it because of the jarring. However, with a trampoline, you won’t have compressed joints at the end of your workout.
- Both trampolines and jump ropes provide less obvious benefits as well. Exercising can help you burn more calories for about an hour after you stop working out, even if the workout is brief.
- Another benefit to jumping is that it helps improve your mental health. Although no amount of physical exercise can make clinical depression and anxiety disappear, it does seem to help minimize the effects. According to the National Library of Medicine’s National Center for Biotechnology Information shows, “Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.”
Final Thoughts
For most reasonably healthy people, the debate of trampolines versus jump rope is a no-brainer. With a jump rope, you’ll burn more calories and build muscle faster.
Additionally, jump ropes are cost-effective, highly portable, and require less time commitment to get great results.
However, for anyone who needs a great, low-impact cardio workout, it’s best to skip the rope (pun intended) and go straight to rebounding on a mini-trampoline.
More experienced and fit exercisers can even do both at the same time. Still, if you can only do one, jump rope.