When exercising for fitness, most people are trained to do resistance training for strength and muscle growth and cardio exercises for fat loss and energy. But there is a crucial third component of physical fitness that is overlooked even by the most fitness minded: coordination.

Coordination is composed of three main elements: spatial awareness, timing, and balance. Just like your muscles, coordination can be worked and improved upon if you train correctly. Also like your muscles, coordination can decrease and atrophy if you ignore it.

Good coordination isn’t just beneficial to Olympic gymnasts, because everyone uses good coordination every day. When your drive your car, open a door, or walk into your office with files under one arm and your bag lunch in your hand, you are using your coordination to get through your day.

But how exactly do you improve upon this crucial element of fitness?

One of the most popular and effective ways is by training on a mini trampoline also known as a Rebounder. They come in a variety of sizes, depending upon your specific fitness level and needs. There are also a number of fitness videos and books that teach you great workouts that you can do on the rebounder. Performing specialized workouts on this rebounder has often proved to be much more effective than simply working out on flat ground.

Here is how a rebounder can help you in the three main elements of coordination.

Spatial Awareness - Rebounders train your spatial awareness by forcing you to correct and move back the center of the rebounder as you jump. Jumping on a rebounder inevitably makes your “drift” ever so slightly to the edge. When your brain recognizes this and you adjust your body so that you move back the center, you trains yourself to be more aware of the space around you. The more intense and quicker the exercise, the
more you are required to be totally aware of your surroundings in order to maintain balance.

Timing - Bouncing on a rebounder for an aerobic workout is very rhythmic. You have to quickly teach your body to adjust the bouncing rhythm. You learn when to bend your knees and when to contact your muscles for perfect balance and rhythm. This greatly increases your sense of personal, physical timing of the course of several workouts, which in turn increases your reflexes and your overall coordination.

Balance - Another major component of spatial awareness is balance, and there is where exercising on a rebounder can be particularly effective. Everyone needs a rudimentary amount of balance just to stand up and walk around. However, training on a rebounder can take your sense of balance to the next level. This is because the surface of a rebounder is not stable by design. The durable surface material is held aloft by metal springs. This forces your body to constantly correct to realign your body for perfect balance. Over time, you get better and better at stabilizing in your body, and thus improve your overall sense of balance.

Though rebounders are excellent for improving your coordination, their usefulness doesn’t stop there. Because you are engaging in a repetitive movement with light resistance while training on a rebounder, you can get in a great calorie burning aerobic workout. Because you work your lower body, it also acts as great resistance training.

Rebounders are also great because they work at everyone’s fitness level. If you are a newbie to working out, you can get a rebounder that has a handle to assist with your balance. As you progress and improve your coordination, you can simple remove the handle and continue doing your workout routines for more advanced exercise.

There are many rebounders on the market but it is important to purchase a good quality one, http://www.irebounder.com/ is a great source and only sells quality rebounders by top brands like Needak, Bellicon and ReboundAir.