Do Trampoline Tricks

You can learn any trampoline trick you like, but there are safety concerns. Trampoline tricks are a progression of one trampoline move to the next. From the basic tuck jump, to the double front somersault - just learn one at a time. To tackle the tricks without injury, make sure you work with a qualified coach to get your technique right once you move beyond simple jumps.

Avoid attempting these moves before being taught by a qualified coach. Use caution when practicing tricks; a trampoline fall can produce serious injuries if not done properly.

Steps

Beginner Tricks

  1. Learn the most important trampoline basic move. It is the tuck jump. You need to be able to tuck up fast enough to get the rotation needed for other jump styles. To do it, bring your knees to your chest and grab your knees with your hands.
  2. Learn the straddle jump and the pike jump. These are important for getting balance and pre-determining later moves. When you straddle jump, keep your legs in a position similar to the splits except in a shape like a mountain or a triangle without a bottom. You go right in between your straddle in fists, with your arms and hands stretched as far as you can go.
    • The pike is similar to a straddle, except that your body forming an 'L' with your legs up horizontally. This trick also consists of placing your arms out in front of you, in fists.
  3. Learn to do half twist and full twist jumps. These may sound boring, but you need to know how to do them as "late twists" and not using your arms and twisting from the bed.
    • A full turn is as easy as it sounds, you spin in the air. You can also try doing double turns.
  4. Learn seat drops. This drop doesn't need much "air" or balance, it consists of about one to three bounces, then you simply drop into a sitting position with your toes pointed in front of you and your back straight. Half twist to seat drop; seat drop half twist out; and swivel hips. This helps with learning to get your hips up and how to twist in and out of moves.
  5. Learn the knee drop and doggy drop. The knee drop is just what it sounds like, jumping and dropping on your knees. This drop consists of about one to three drops. This drop is easy and is a good drop to do for going into back drops (below) and front flips. A doggy drop is the same as a front drop but involves putting your hands in front of your knees.
  6. Learn front drops and back drops. Then learn how to twist into them and how to twist out of them. These fundamental moves will teach you about 'forward' movement and 'backward' moves. Believe it or not... the front drop is "Backward movement and the backdrop is a forward movement. Understanding this is important if your want to do forward or backward flips.
    • The backdrop has a scary feeling to it and needs some courage. When you're doing a backdrop, tuck your chin into your neck tightly and land in the middle of your back (this prevents whiplash). You, also, should point your arms and legs up to sky to help you bounce back up.
    • Front drops (or stomach drops) are super fun once you get the hang of it. When you're starting this trick, it's easier to do it from a knee drop. This trick is simply dropping to your stomach, and when you are doing this, try to prevent dropping with your hands out to the side. Also try keeping your hands in a broken in half triangle form right beside your chin to protect your face and neck.

More Complex Tricks

  1. Learn an array of moves such as the cradle. This is a backdrop half twist to backdrop, the seat roll seat (roller), the airplane (full twist to front drop) and the full twist to backdrop.
  2. Learn the cody. This is a back flip in to a front drop and lift straight into a back somersault.
  3. Learn the barani. This is a front somersault with a half twist - with the key twisting late - just like the roller!
  4. Learn front hand spring. It's a front flip only you put your hands down and you arch you back on the way to you feet. Remember to arch your back. If you don't, you'll end up doing a somersault.
  5. Be aware that these are all tricks which require a clever skill of knowing 'when' to twist. By way of a hint, it's late twisting and twist from the hips and pull your arms the direction you want to twist). Of course, once you have learned all the fundamentals, you can start learning clever trampoline tricks including the Front flip which is a combination of the tuck jump and backward motion of a front drop. Or the Back flip which is a combination of the Seat drop (hips forward) - in to a backdrop (hips up), utilizing the tuck jump!



Tips

  • When you attempt any of these tricks don't stop halfway through because your back will jolt therefore hurting your whole back for a short period of time.
  • When you do a full turn, find an object to focus on. For example, a tree.
  • Somersault and flips are easy for some people but for other people they are harder; don't worry if you can't do them.
  • Remember to have someone spotting you unless you have a net.
  • Never think you need 'room' in front of you to perform a trampoline trick. Take off in the middle of the trampoline and you will land in the middle of the trampoline. If your position is right, when you take off on your toes you will go backwards. When you take off on your heels, you will go forward.
  • If you are having trouble completing a trampolining skill, try 'getting tighter'. Pull in the tummy and squeeze the bottom.
  • When you're jumping, it looks a lot cleaner when you point your toes when reaching the peak of the action.
  • Use your arms right in every move. The arms in the right position is the key to landing every move
  • When doing a back drop don't put your hands behind your back because you will break them.
  • Trampoline basics are: Bouncing, tuck jump, straddle jump, pike jump, seat drop, 1/2 twist, full twist, swivel hips. front drop, backdrop, front drop with twists, backdrop with twists, rollers, back bouncing, front somersault, back somersault.
    • For some free tutorials on trampoline tricks, visit Trampoline Trick Tutorials They also have a trampoline community along with a forum.

Warnings

  • Protect your neck with arms and elbows. Avoid landing off-level like on a belly flop, face first; it is dangerous.
  • Back-flip: If you bounce up from two or three feet (65 or 100 cm) from the edge and tuck, starting from there, it will cause you to back-flip toward the middle; untuck to land on your feet, as usual.

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