Trampolines

Inventor Of The Trampoline

Inspired by acrobats and utilized by gymnasts and Olympians alike, the trampoline’s history has very humble beginnings. In 1935 two men, George Nissen and Larry Griswold purportedly invented the trampoline in Nissen’s garage in Iowa. It was a simple structure, consisting of an iron frame and a piece of canvas pulled taught to provide the requisite springiness.

Despite these two men’s ingenuity, it took many years for the trampoline to gain popularity. It first gained acclaim and respect in the UK and Europe in schools. After a short while, trampoline contests began, bringing an audience to the sport.

Finally, the trampoline made it back to America, when a man from Rockford, Illinois revolutionized the judging system.

Safe Trampolines

However, now trampolines are a common domestic item and cause for many children to whine to their parents. With a few precautions, the children can get what they want while parents can rest assured that their children are safely getting some exercise while having fun.

The risk doesn’t simply lie in children just falling off of the trampoline; because the trampoline is also a form of exercise, children can hurt themselves just by jumping wrongly. An easy way to resolve this issue is for trampoline users to stretch before getting on the trampoline. Trampoline users shouldn’t just stretch their legs, since many tricks require the use of hands. So be sure to stretch your arms, legs and back- since your back sustains all of the pressure from going so quickly from a downward to upward motion.

For complete safety, only one person should be on the trampoline at a time. If this precaution isn’t followed, the fun, but often ill-fated, “double-bounce” can occur. When two people hit the trampoline at the same time, the lighter person usually absorbs the force of both parties jump, and is propelled perilously high.

This brings in the importance of having a net around the trampoline. Though it isn’t as easy to prevent children from sharing usage of the trampoline, it is easy to install a safety net around the trampoline, which should extend up at least five feet.

This net should be just that- a precaution to catch someone from being propelled off the trampoline. It should be easy to see through since the trampoline user should have a spotter for ultimate safety.

Trampoline Moves

For a variety of trampoline moves, including the straight jump, tuck jump, ½ and full twist, front and back drop, many videos exist on the internet, as well as written explanations. Learning some tricks can extend the fun of your trampoline experience.