What Goes Up And Down, Up And Down, Up And Down?

Zebedee goes up and down - for all those under the age of forty Zebedee was an early Seventies icon of children's TV who bounced around a pretend park sounding all chilled out and laid back.

Tigger goes up and down - most people will know Tigger, the cutest, fluffiest tiger you ever saw straight from the Winnie the Pooh stories and not that bright! Tigger bounced everywhere on his tail, particularly when he's excited, and had a slight lisp which just added to his softness.

Pogo sticks - another of those great Seventies throwbacks. Pogo sticks consist of a pole with two footrests and a spring. The idea is you balance on the footrests and see how long you can bounce up and down. The reality is that most people, usually drunk people, would do three or four random hops and then fall off dramatically removing all skin from the shins in the process!

While we're on the subject of the Seventies, there was also that great invention - the Spacehopper! This was a large rubber ball with handles that you could sit on and bounce all around. Inherently safer than the pogo stick you couldn't fail to look like an idiot on them but boy, were they great fun.

Of course, the ultimate way of going up and down these days, or at least the only way we can discuss in an article of this nature, is to use a trampoline. Trampolines have been hot favourites for as long as they have been around. They used to be situated in amusement areas and you would pay a fee to use them.

However, these days, trampolines are available for everyone to buy and erect in their back gardens. More and more safety features have been added but this doesn't detract from the fun. But where does this fun come from? How can simply bouncing up and down be such a source of fascination for young and old alike?

Well, basically, I guess it's because going up opposes all forces of nature that we are used to, such as keeping our feet on the ground and not being able to fly or float. That feeling of freedom, of going against nature on the upward path, is something different to us as humans and not something we ever get used to.

The downwards path on trampoline travel is inevitable yet just as thrilling. Freefalling, albeit for a second or two, again goes against nature. It is probably the only point when we can fall without fear of pain. The feeling of freedom on a trampoline comes at a young age when children always love these games.
In fact, manufacturers now make trampolines specifically for the very young with safety rails for them to hold on to.

Trampoline jumping for adults is also fun. But more than that - it has been turned into a sport with a series of specifically named moves, twists, turns and landing techniques unique to trampoliners.

On top of all the fun of a trampoline there is actually a serious side with some serious health benefits. Jumping on a trampoline gets the heart pumping which in turn helps clear the lymphatic system and strengthens the lungs. It activates usually idle muscles, strengthening and toning as you jump and land and the soft, flexible landing of a trampoline ensures that the joints of the body are protected while you exercise.

All in all, we can see that exercising doesn't have to be boring and fun doesn't have to see us idle.

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