The first trampolines were said to be used by the Inuit people who used to toss each other into the air on a walrus skin. This may have also occurred in Europe with people using a blanket; this is very similar to the practice used by firemen to catch people from falling buildings. The very first trampolines were made by Nissen and Griswold in 1934. They had experimented by stretching a piece of canvas out and used coil springs, it was used as a training device for tumblers but obviously soon became popular in its own right. The name came from the Spanish word trampolin which means diving board.

Benefits of Trampolines

Obesity is reaching crisis levels in modern society, and in these current conditions any form of physical activity or exercise should be considered good. It is often hard to get your kid to exercise because of all the computer games and new technology that keeps them inside. The trampoline stands the test of time and is a very fun and enjoyable way to get your kid out there onto it and get them bouncing around. After some minutes your child will start burning some vital energy. Trampolines are by no means the most effective form of exercise for weight loss, but what we are trying to encourage is for kids to get outside and play and enjoy themselves. With kids entertainment being dominated by video games and computer games, any more active form of recreation is great. Trampolines are great because they are fun, and fun should translate into kids wanting to do it. And in the long run this should have an impact on body composition and health.

As far as parents are concerned, trampolines are great way to take the kids off their hands for a few hours. Spending time on a trampoline is not only a fun form of exercise, it can help develop coordination, body control and movement skills which can lay a good foundation for participation in other sports.

Many gymnasts, aerial skiers and acrobats started on trampolines, and this gives them a good foundation to learn the body control and skills necessary for their other sports. Trampolines are used for cross training to practice particular flips and twists.

One of the negatives of trampolines is that they have an injury risk associated with them. However most trampolines have padding available for the frame which can reduce the damage to some extent. There are also safety nets available, which almost completely cuts out any dangers associated with the trampoline. It is a fun exercise that has stood the test of time, and should be in every little kids backyard!

Olympic Sport

The trampoline is actually an Olympic sport. It was first recognized as an Olympic sport in the Sydney 2000 games. There are a few disciplines and the athleticism displayed is quite outstanding. A skilled trampoline artist can bounce up to ten metres high whilst performing many somersaults and twists. They can also be used for cross training for other sports especially to help hone in acrobatic skills. They are use din sports such as, gymnastics, diving, water skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding and wrestling.

Mini Trampolines

These are the small round trampolines that you see around. These can be great for smaller children but are also used a lot in a rehabilitation setting. The unstable surface that the trampoline creates can be good for working on balance. It is a good proprioception exercise, which is especially useful for people coming back from ankle injuries.

Trampolines are an interesting piece of equipment that have been around for a very long time and will continue to be.