Cool Trampoline Tricks for Beginners

Trampolining has always been a great way to exercise and a fun way to impress family and friends with some cool tricks and aerial maneuvers. In the following post we will provide you with information on how to learn and master some basic trampoline skills and tricks. Some of the basic trampoline maneuvers that we will cover are learning some basic jumps, and performing simple seat drops and our first twists. These skills will help improve your body awareness and self-confidence and allow you to move to some more complex beginner skills such as Front Drops and Back Drops. Let's start off with the basics of jumping on a trampoline and proper technique.

Straight Jump

A Straight Jump is a vertical jump with the body held straight and arms in a straight line above the body at take-off. It is the most basic skill in trampoline gymnastics and the Straight Jump is often the first skill that a gymnast will learn on the trampoline.

Straight jumps are a key way to teach new gymnasts and trampoline enthusiasts how to jump in a controlled fashion.

Proper Form

• Arms straight, pointing upward
• Head between your arms, looking straight ahead
• Back straight
• Hips straight
• Legs straight
• Knees and feet together
• Toes pointed at apex of jump

Tuck Jump

A Tuck Jump is a maneuver where from a straight jump start, the knees are pulled up to the chest and the hands must at least briefly grasp the legs at your shins between the knees and ankles.

A Tuck Jump is a common position for many trampoline aerials.

Progression

• Perform a straight jump.
• At the peak of the straight jump, tuck by bringing your knees up to your chest. Pull your knees to your chest by briefly grasping the your shins.
• A properly performed Tuck Jump does not throw off your balance. Always jump directly upward and only execute the tuck if you feel you have proper control over your straight jump.

The Tuck Jump is a prerequisite for many skills, and is referred to as the ‘tuck position'. The tuck jump also introduces the gymnast to more advanced maneuvers such as a 'kickout'.

Proper Form

• Proper balance on straight jump
• Knees tucked to chest
• Hands on the knees or shins
• Toes pointed downward

Pike Jump

From a straight jump start, with your legs together lift your legs to a straight position parallel to the trampoline and your arms and body reach forwards towards your pointed toes.

Proper Form

• Back straight, head and eyes looking forward
• Knees straight
• Legs horizontal or higher to the trampoline bed
• Hands touch legs/feet
• Knees and feet together
• Toes pointed

Straddle Jump

The Straddle Jump is similar to the pike jump except that the legs are spread sideways approximately 90° apart and the arms reach forward towards the pointed toes.

Proper Form

• Back straight, head and eyes looking forward
• Legs apart (more than 90°)
• Legs horizontal or higher to the trampoline bed
• Hands touch legs/feet
• Toes pointed

Seat Drop

Seat Drop or Seated Landing in trampolining is landing in a seated position with your legs straight in front of you. Your hands support your body on either side of your hips and very slightly behind the posterior, palms down with fingers pointed forwards towards your pointed toes.

The seat drop is a good beginner's trick for all ages to learn. To perform the seat drop, start a steady, rhythmic bounce on the trampoline. When you are ready, bounce up on the trampoline and assume a seated position with your legs in front of you. Bounce on your backside and legs on the trampoline, and when you bounce upwards, land back on your feet again and keep bouncing.

Proper Form

• Start with a straight jump
• Kick legs out in front of yourself at a 90 degree angle as you descend, landing on your rear end.
• Legs are straight and body is in a seated position. Keep abdominals firm and back straight.
• Eyes and head are looking straight ahead
• Hands are next to the body / hips on the trampoline bed for slight support
• In seated position hands move from sides to straight in front of you as you bound off of the trampoline and come back to a standing position.
• Knees and feet together
• Toes pointed

Swivel hips / Seat Landing Half Twist

Swivel Hips, also known as a Seat Landing Half Twist are the combination of a seat drop, bounce up to a straight position (without landing) and then performing a half twist to land in a second seat drop facing in the opposite direction.

The swivel hips is one of the first combination skills that a gymnast will learn.

Swivel Hips are a great introduction into rotations on a trampoline. Each gained skill allowing the individual to feel more and more comfortable in their progression of more complex skills.

Proper Progression to Swivel Hips Skill

• Seat drop to feet
• Seat drop to half twist to feet
• Half twist to seat drop
• Seat drop to half twist to feet to seat drop
• Seat drop to half twist to seat drop (swivel hips)

These skills are just the beginning and are at the core of building a strong foundation for more advanced maneuvers. Always stretch and warm up prior to any trampoline jump or training. Have fun and stay within your comfort zone.

In our next post we will jump into some more complex beginner skills: Twists, Front Drops, and Back Drops.