Activity: Trampolining

Why I think trampolining is Good:

- Its bouncy

- It keeps me fit

- An adrenaline rush

- Trampolines are great for sleeping on, on those locked out occasions!

- I love learning new 'moves'

- Cos I had lessons as a kid

- A fun activity to do with friends

- Good way to get rid of anxiety

- It never gets boring

- I can do a back flip :)

- Can be done in all weathers

- Makes a good boxing ring

- Safety net makes it extra safe

- Can be turned into a den!

- So much fun!
- Can be slept on

.....

Facts about trampolining:

- Trampolining was introduced to the Olympics in 2000
- After watching trapeze artists bounce from safety George Nissen designed and  made the first modern trampoline in his garage.
- It takes years, from a young age, to become good at trampolining.
- Trampolining is a competitive Olympic Sport in which gymnasts perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline.
- The word 'Trampolining' originates from the Spanish word 'Trampolin' (Diving board)
- The world record trampoline jump is 6m 15cm
- The roots of modern trampolines can be traced back to China, Persia the Ancient Egyptians and even Eskimos, who used Walrus skins to bounce each other about.
- West Germany was the first country to host an international trampolining event in 1962.
- In 1999, the agency that represented trampolines, The International Trampoline Federation merged with the Fdration Internationale De Gymnastique.
- On today's professional grade trampoline, athletes can propel up to 30-feet.
- In the Olympics, a minimum of 10 contact-combinations, resulting in one of four landing positions (feet, front, back or seat) is a guideline of competitive trampolining.
- The most popular Olympic trampoline routines include three shapes: tucked, piked and straight.
- Competitive trampolining requires that all routines begin and end on the feet.
- The dimensions of a trampoline vary between 6- and 17-feet.
- Generally, trampolines are available in a handful of shapes: octagonal, square, round, oval or rectangular.
- A round, 15-foot trampoline has anywhere between 70 and 96 springs.

- Mini-trampolines are also called rebounders. Fitness enthusiasts use this smaller version of the trampoline to workout. Jumping on the rebounder allows the jumper to get a low-impact cardiovascular workout that also targets the lower body and abdominal muscles.

- Medically treated trampolining injuries occur at a rate of 246,875 per year in the United States, according to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. People ages 14 and younger represent 186,405 of these annual injuries. In 2004, more than 89,000 went to the emergency room for injuries related to trampolining, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Most trampoline injuries occur during the spring and summer, with 90 percent of these injuries occurring at home, according to the Hasbro Children's Hospital in Rhode Island. Most trampolining injuries occur when multiple jumpers collide with each other. Other common ways for injuries to occur include attempting tricks such as somersaults, falling off the trampoline and falling into the frame or springs.

.....

Words relating to trampolining:

- Twist
- Turns
- Olympic sport
- Pike
- Tuck
- Straddle
- Springs
- Bounce
- Net
- Safety
- Gymnastics

.....

Opinions of trampolining:
Questions and answers posted on 'Yahoo Answers'


" How do I get amazingly good at Trampolining? "
" Before flips... practice on your landings and twists first... seat drop, front drop, back drop, half and full turns (full turns into or out of seat drops are nasty - be careful!), wriggle hips (that's consecutive seat drops with half-twists in between), consecutive seat drops to feet, and various combinations of the above with the basic tuck, pike, and straddle positions..."


" Is trampolining a good weight loss exercise? "
" Yea it is, I used to all the time.. that is until my dog made a massive hole in it. Lol no it's really good exercise, 3 lots of 10 minutes is perfect.
If you're aiming to lose weight you might need to do this in conjunction with a healthy diet. Eating as much good stuff as the bad, or better yet eliminate it from your diet for a week or two. Lots of water helps too, it fills up your tummy so you don't get as hungry.
Good luck & have fun trampolining!"

.....

Images of trampolining:

'Straddle' Position

Typical trampolines found at leisure centres for teaching.

Trampolines used in a gymnastics class

Trampolines can now be bought for garden use, not as large or as 'bouncy' as those found in classes, but none the less still a lot of fun.