subject: Mastering Simple Tricks On Your New Trampoline [print this page] If you want to have fun with the family on your new trampoline, you need to learn some basic tricks! Dexterity is essential before moving on to more advanced trampoline tricks.
As is true for any other sport, safety measures need to be implemented and strictly followed to prevent accidents. Make sure that you have followed the safety instructions that came with your product, explicitly.
The most important thing about bouncing is that it should be done in the center of the bed. The basic bounce should always begin low and be under control.
The check bounce skill should be learned right away, and should be employed whenever you land away from the center area, or when first learning new stunts so that off balance landings can be controlled. Walk to the center of the bed and stand with your feet about shoulder width apart.
Every time the feet hit the bed they should land in this position. Standing in the center of the bed with your feet shoulder width apart, you should attempt about three easy bounces.
Kill it by bending your knees upon landing. To keep your balance adjusted to the center of the mat, focus your eyes on side of the trampoline.
The arm is very important for proper control and lift. Kneel on the bed with the shoulders, hips, and knees in a straight line.
Lift forcibly up with the arms as described above, and begin to jump on the knees much the same as on your feet. Body alignment is very important.
When jumping, normally the head, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle points should be in a straight line. The eyes should be focused near the end of the frame and should momentarily drop down on the bed to pick-up the relationship of the feet to the center of mat.
To do a seat drop, you should be sitting in the center with your legs straight out in front of you and with your toes pointed. Take three little jumps, pick up your feet at the top of the third one, and sit down.
You should land with your butt where your feet were. Push with your hands and drop the legs as you rebound up to your feet.
Common mistakes here are failing to push down as you bounce up, or picking up your feet too soon and traveling ahead on the landing. Next, try a front drop.
The front drop is one of the basic landing positions which cause some concern, for unless the body is in proper position when landing on the bed, a discomforting strain in the back area may result. One approach to learning the front drop starts from the hands and knees drop.
First, drop to the mat, making sure that the back is parallel to the bed. As you rebound from the hands and knees, stretch so that you land on your stomach.
You can rebound to your hands and knees or go directly to your feet. Carrying on this progression, you would take three bounces, assume the hands and knees position in the air, and before you hit the bed, stretch to a direct front landing.
Next, when landing for the knee drop, the back must be straight with good alignment of the shoulder, hip, and knee. Before attempting this skill on the bed, kneel on the trampoline with the back straight, the toes pointed, and the arms up, but do not sit on the heels.
Then, stand up, take three little "bobs." On the upbeat of the third "bob," lift up, flex the leg at the knee, and with pointed toes land in the proper knee drop position. Last, check out the hands and knees fall.
To do this properly, there must be just as much weight on the hands as on the knees; the back should be about parallel to the bed and the hip, leg, knee, and lower leg should be at right angles. You should pick up your hips and legs behind and drop covering a spot where your feet were.
The knees and hands should land simultaneous. To get the feel of this position, get down on your hands and knees on the bed.
Make sure you have weight on both your hands and your knees. Do not sit on your heels.
These are some fun tricks for the whole family, when done carefully and safely. Now get out there and jump!
