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Overview

Trampolining is a very popular recreational and competitive sport that requires individuals and pairs to perform a range of acrobatic sequences on a sprung surface. In competition, men and women compete separately.

Each trampoline competition requires the competitor to complete a set compositional routine that must contain acknowledged skills. At the end of the routine the participant must remain upright for at least three seconds with both feet in contact with the surface.

A trampoline sequence may include simple jumps in the following positions:

• Straight – a vertical jump with arms held straight, together and above the head on take-off.
• Pike – from a straight jump start, the legs are lifted up and in front, keeping them together and straight. This is done whilst reaching for the toes.
• Tuck - from a straight jump start, the knees are tucked up to the chest and the hands must grasp the legs between the knees and ankle.
• Straddle - similar to the pike jump except that the legs are spread sideways approximately 90° apart and the arms reach forward towards the toes.

The sequence may progress to more complex skills such as forwards or backwards somersaults and twists. The competitor's technical ability must also be complemented with artistry and grace.

Trampolining events are very specialised and require all participants to use a full combination of fitness components.

History

In the early 1930s, the American, George Nissen, observed trapeze artists perform a series of exciting tumbling tricks when bouncing off the safety net. This experience inspired him and his friend Larry Griswold to build the first ever trampoline. The name was invented from the Spanish word "El trampolin", meaning diving board.

The popularity of trampolining soon travelled throughout America, quickly being introduced into school PE programmes, but it was not until 1949 that it was used recreationally in schools in the United Kingdom. The sport had to wait a further 29 years for its first World Championships in London, in 1964.

The World Championships proved to be a turning point for the sport and in 1965, the International Trampoline Federation (ITF) was recognised as the International Governing Body for the sport.

Since 1965, the biggest change to trampolining was the ITF becoming part of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) in 1999. One of the benefits of becoming FIG was that trampolining became an Olympic sport from the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.

Since then, many more countries have started developing programmes. China's programme, in particular, developed World Champion athletes in less than a decade.