Trampolining

Trampolining is a cool sport where you jump really high. Athletes bounce on a trampoline and do flips, twists, and tricks in the air. It is a type of gymnastics. Top athletes can jump more than 25 feet in the air. Trampolining became an Olympic sport in the year 2000.

How It Works

Trampoline athletes do routines with 10 skills in a row. They must do flips, twists, and land back on the trampoline each time. Judges score them on how hard the tricks are and how well they do them. Athletes must land on their feet at the end. They try not to step off the trampoline while bouncing.

Training and Safety

Trampoline athletes train many hours every week. They start with simple jumps and slowly add harder tricks. Coaches make sure kids learn safely. Most training places have thick pads around the trampoline. Beginners sometimes use a special belt on a rope to help them learn flips.

Fun Facts

• The trampoline was invented in 1936 by an American named George Nissen.
• NASA has used trampolines to train astronauts.
• A gymnast can stay in the air for about two seconds on each jump.

Did You Know?

The word 'trampoline' comes from the Spanish word 'trampolin', which means 'diving board'. George Nissen liked the sound of the word and used it.