Trampoline

A trampoline is a fun and bouncy device made from strong fabric stretched tightly over a steel frame. Many coiled springs connect the fabric to the frame, allowing people to jump up and down in an exciting way. Trampolines are used for both play and sport, giving people a great way to stay active and have fun.

The part of the trampoline where people bounce is called the "bounce mat" or "trampoline bed." It isn’t stretchy by itself — the springs store energy that lets people bounce high and land softly. This makes trampolines popular in homes, gyms, and competitions alike.

People enjoy using trampolines for many reasons, from simple recreation to training in gymnastics. They offer a unique way to build strength, balance, and coordination while enjoying the thrill of flight!

History

Early trampoline-like devices

Long ago, people played a game like bouncing on trampolines. The Inuit people would toss blanket dancers into the air using a walrus skin during a spring celebration. In Europe, people were sometimes tossed into the air using blankets held by others. In stories like the Wakefield Mystery Play and Don Quixote, characters were tossed as part of punishment, not for fun. Firefighters once used nets to catch people jumping from burning buildings, invented in 1887.

In the 1800s, a poster for Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal mentioned performances on a device like a trampoline. It was more like a springboard than today’s trampolines.

These early ideas show that bouncing on fabric has been around for a long time. In the early 1900s, some acrobats used small bouncing beds covered with bedclothes to entertain audiences with comedy routines.

According to circus stories, a performer named du Trampolin may have first used safety nets from trapeze acts as a way to bounce and land safely. However, there is no proof that he actually existed.

William Daly Paley of Thomas A. Edison, Inc. filmed a blanket tossing event in 1898.

First modern trampolines

The first modern trampoline was made by George Nissen and Larry Griswold in 1936. Both were athletes at the University of Iowa in the United States. They noticed trapeze artists using nets for safety and decided to stretch a piece of canvas with metal rings to a frame using springs. At first, they used it to train tumblers, but it quickly became popular on its own. The name “trampoline” comes from a Spanish word for a diving board. Nissen learned this word during a tour in Mexico.

In 1942, Griswold and Nissen started the Griswold-Nissen Trampoline & Tumbling Company and began selling trampolines in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Use in flight and astronaut training

During World War II, the United States Navy used trampolines to train pilots and navigators. This helped them practice spatial orientation. Later, as space travel began, trampolines were used to train both American and Soviet astronauts to experience different body positions in flight.

Competitive sports

Main article: Trampolining

The first Trampoline World Championships were held in London in 1964, organized by Ted Blake of Nissen. The first winners were American athletes Dan Millman and Judy Wills Cline. Cline became one of the most successful trampoline athletes ever.

Jeff Hennessy, a coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, was one of the earliest pioneers of trampolining as a sport. He coached the United States trampoline team and helped many world champions, including his daughter, Leigh Hennessy. Both Jeff and Leigh Hennessy are in the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Trampolining became an Olympic sport in 2000. Skilled athletes can bounce up to 10 metres high, performing many flips and twists. Trampolines are also used in sports like Slamball, a version of basketball, and Bossaball, a version of volleyball.

Cross-training for other sports

Trampolines are used to train athletes in other sports like diving, gymnastics, and freestyle skiing. It allows athletes to practice moves quickly and safely, without the need for hills, ramps, or high platforms.

Wall running

Wall running is a sport where people use a wall and platforms next to the trampoline to perform tricks. After bouncing high, the person touches the wall with their feet and can then do many different moves. This helps athletes initiate twists and turns more powerfully and use the wall’s energy to add to their bounce.

Types of trampolines

Recreational trampolines for home use are simpler and have weaker springs than the ones used for competitions. They can come in different shapes, like circles, octagons, or rectangles. These trampolines usually have a waterproof material for the bouncing surface. Some trampolines don’t use springs at all.

Competitive trampolines have a strong steel frame that can fold for easy transport. The bouncing surface is a rectangle, about 4.28 by 2.14 metres, and is held by around 110 steel springs. It is made from tough fabric.

Bungee trampolines are fun attractions at fairs, holiday resorts, summer camps, and even on some cruise ships and ski resorts in the summer. They come in different models and can be easy to set up. The bungee cords help people do flips and tricks safely, even without gymnastics training.

Water trampolines let people combine swimming with bouncing. Even though they are inflatable, they work like regular trampolines with a bounce mat and springs. They are popular for rental by people living near lakes.

See also: Blobbing

Commercial trampoline parks

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, many places in North America had outdoor jump centers where people could bounce on trampolines for fun. But these places often had many accidents, and people stopped going to them.

Indoor trampoline parks became popular again in the early 2000s. Many of these parks operate in the United States and Canada. By 2014, there were about 345 trampoline parks in the United States alone, and even more in other countries. These parks have many trampolines close together, with padded walls to help keep people safe while bouncing. Even with these safety features, some accidents have happened, showing the need for careful safety rules.

Safety

Using a trampoline can be risky. Gyms and clubs often add safety pads and have spotters to help if someone falls. But many injuries happen at home or in trampoline parks where safety rules are not always followed.

It is best to have only one person jump at a time to avoid bumping into each other. Trying tricks like somersaults without training can also be dangerous. Safety nets can help, but they do not prevent all injuries. Wearing special socks that help your feet stick to the trampoline can also make bouncing safer.

Mini-trampolines

A mini-trampoline, also called a rebounder, trampette, jogging trampoline, or exercise trampoline, is a small trampoline. It is less than 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) across and about 30 centimetres (12 in) high. People often keep these indoors and use them to stay fit. This type of exercise is gentle on the knees and joints. Mini-trampolines do not bounce as high as bigger ones used for fun or sports. Many big stores sell mini-trampolines.

physical fitness

rebounding

big-box stores

Educational use

Trampolines can be a fun way for science teachers to show how things move. They use bouncing on trampolines to explain Newton's three laws of motion and how objects bounce off each other in an elastic collision.