NASA found trampoline training to be as effective as running as a form of aerobic training

Research snippet – Trampoline Fitness:

Trampoline-based exercise has a colorful history as a recreational activity, sport and training modality. During World War II, trampolines were used to help increase the spatial awareness and balance abilities of fighter pilots (Esposito and Esposito, 2009). NASA even studied trampoline training for their astronauts and found it to be as effective as running as a form of aerobic training (Bhattacharya et al., 1978). Many years later, McGlone, Kravitz and Janot (2002) reinforced these findings in a study that found no significant differences in maximal heart rate (HRmax), maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) or energy expenditure when exercising on a mini-trampoline in comparison to treadmill running.

‘…for most group fitness participants and other gym-goers, caloric expenditure is a key consideration when choosing an exercise modality. ACSM (2011) recommends burning 200 to 300 calories during each 30-minute workout in order to lose or manage weight. This equates to 6.7 to 10.0 calories/minute. During the workout portion of the JumpSport routine, men burned an average of 12.4 calories/minute, while women burned 9.4 calories/minute. Including the warm-up and cool-down in this calculation brings these numbers down to 11.0 and 8.3, respectively, both of which are still well within the range offered by ACSM. This level of energy expenditure is approximately equivalent to running 6 miles (9.7km) per hour on flat ground or biking at 14 miles (22.5km) per hour…’

Bhattacharya, A. et al. (1978). Body acceleration distribution and O₂ uptake in humans during running and jumping. Journal of Applied Physiology, 49, 881–887.