Trampolining – Getting Started

When you first get on a trampoline, it can be very tempting to try and imitate others, by doing bounces then dropping on to your bottom or back.  But these maneuvers require skill and practice.  If you want to become good at trampolining, and avoid the risk of serious injury, then it’s better to start with the basics.

The most basic maneuvers in trampolining involve changing positions in the air, rather than altering which part of your anatomy you bounce on.  The six basic movements all involve bouncing on your feet, and performing the maneuver while airborne.  Mastering them helps you to get a feel for using a trampoline, as well as developing your skills.

Tuck Jump
For this jump, you take off from the trampoline, arms high in the air, and just as you reach your maximum height, draw your knees up to your chest and hold on to them with your arms.  It’s generally best to lean forward slightly at the same time.  As you drop back to the trampoline, extend your body fully again.

Piked Straddle Jump
Bounce up from the trampoline, and as you reach maximum height, spread your legs out in a v-shape, at right angles to your body.  The hands reach forward to rest on the ankles, although a variation is to hold your arms out straight between your parted legs.  The body curves forward slightly.  Return to the extended vertical position as you drop back to the trampoline.

Piked Jump
This is very similar to the previous jump, except this time your legs are held together, toes pointed.  The hands rest on the ankles.  It’s very important to keep your legs firmly together; otherwise the jump becomes untidy very quickly.  Return to the vertical as descending.

Splits Jump
Generally more popular with women, in this jump one leg is raised forwards, one backwards as maximum height is reach.  So basically the trampolinist is performing the splits in the air, hence the name.  Arms can be held in a variety of positions, including out to the side, or one up and one down to form a cross in the air.

Half-Twist Jump
This jump is slightly different to the previous four, because the movement commences as soon as you leave the trampoline, rather than at the height of the bounce.  As you push off from the trampoline, turn the upper part of your body in the direction you wish to twist.  This creates torque, and the rest of the body will follow in the same direction.  It’s important to control the amount of torque you create in your body; otherwise you will over rotate the jump.  Your arms can be in a number of positions, including by your sides, one in the air and one across your stomach, or one behind your head and one across the stomach.

Full-Twist Jump
This jump is basically the same as the previous one, except that more force is applied when leaving the trampoline, causing extra torque and forcing the body to do a full rotation in the air.

These jumps may sound quite simple, and they are certainly the most basic maneuvers on the trampoline, but it will still take some time to get them exactly right.  It’s particularly difficult to apply exactly the right amount of force in the twisting jumps.  Once you’ve mastered these basic skills, you can move on to some of the more complicated movements.