Would you like to get better at trampolining? Whether you’re a complete novice or an improver looking for ways to hone your technique, it’s time to bounce into action with our simple guide to boosting your trampoline skills.
Go back to basics
All trampoline routines – however advanced – depend on some basic skills. To progress, you’ll need to nail these first, so begin by learning the right way to jump and the right way to land. Once you’ve got these mastered, you’ll have better control and the building blocks of the more advanced tricks and skills. Try the following:
- Pushing off. Practise bending your knees to push off, keeping your limbs straight, and pointing your toes down as you jump.
- Landing. As you approach the surface of the trampoline, change the angle of your feet so that they land flat on the bed.
- Stopping. After you’ve completed a few bounces, it’s time to stop. To do this, you need to prevent the trampoline from pushing you back up into the air. Bend your knees at the moment of landing, but keep your back straight, to absorb the energy from the trampoline.
There will be a red cross marked in the middle of your trampoline. This is there to help you land in the right position – but try not to fixate on it! Keep your head up and your eyes forward, in order to achieve the correct centre of gravity. Practice makes perfect, so spend time at your local trampoline park, honing your moves.
Warm up well
To become a better trampoline artist and prevent injury, it’s important to be flexible. So before your trampoline workout, warm up with some aerobic exercise such as skipping before spending time doing some stretches. Concentrate on stretching your hamstrings, quadriceps, feet, ankles and lower back, in order to prepare your joints and muscles for the workout ahead. Then do some core stability exercises to boost your strength and balance.
As with any type of physical exercise, it’s always a good idea to cross-train on your days off. You can do any activity that takes your fancy; yoga and Pilates are great, low-impact choices that can help you to build the strength and stability you need.
Watch your moves back on camera
Once you’re confident with your basic moves, it’s time to progress to some more advanced skills, such as the tuck jump (where you tuck your knees towards your chest at the height of the jump) and seat landing (where you land in a seated position before bouncing back up).
Physical skills can be tricky to master, when we can’t see exactly what’s going on. That’s where Action Cam analysis comes in! This handy trampoline park technology plays back your jumps in slow-motion detail, so you can pinpoint any weak points and ultimately improve your technique. And when you’ve finally perfected your moves, it’s easy to upload videos to social media to share with friends.
