Basic
Trampoline Moves
Straight Jump
Pretty self-explanatory really! You just jump up in the air and
(hopefully) land back on the trampoline again. Suprisingly difficult to
do well!
Tuck Jump
Starting off the same as the straight jump; arms are up high and body
straight, then at the top of the jump, the arms come down
simultaneously with the legs coming up and hands and knees touch. The
section from the knee to the toe should be parallel with the body and
the thigh section horizontal. To perform a "line-out", the arms should
then descend down the body as the tuck is "kicked-out" - meaning to
straighten the legs. Alternatively, for novice, it may be easier for
the arms to ascend back to the starting position up high.
Pike Jump
Follow the same pointers for the tucked jump, but this time the legs
come up straight and form a piked shape - you should be aiming to touch
below the knees with your upper and lower body (hopefully?!?) parallel.
Easier for gymnasts to do, but practice... Lining out of this is even
harder than for tuck jumps, but looks even better when done well!
Straddle Jump
Okay - same again but this time legs come up straight but apart.
Competition rules state that they should be more than shoulder width
apart - unfortunate for guys with broad shoulders! Again, lining out
looks good and is not as hard as pike jumps!
Seat Drop
Take off as for a straight jump, but as your feet come back towards the
bed gradually move them out of the way so as to land in a seated
position with your legs straight and together. Your hands should be
slightly behind you (with fingers pointing to your toes) to take some
of the weight. Then push up, using your hands as well, reaching for the
ceiling, straighten your body as you move up.
1/2 and Full Twist
Basic starting point is (!!) on the floor. Stand with your arms wide
apart and bending the knees, jump up. Your arms should come up to
either your left or right depending on which way you rotate. Aim
somewhere over you shoulder with both arms - keeping them straight! As
you raise your arms and generate the twist, you should feel the
rotation increase. Lower your arms as you land and you slow the
rotation. Try this on the bed with a little height and use your arms to
control the amount of rotation - keep them up longer for a full twist.
Although this is the method I prefer, others bring their arms into
their chest, or even down the sides. The important thing is to make
yourself as narrow as possible to make the twist easier.
Front Drop
This move is the pain of most beginners, as it can hurt if you don't
quite get it right - elbows and knees especially! Although this can be
broken down into smaller easier moves, it is better do get a coach to
run you through it so they can ascertain your progress. A good starting
point is hands & knees bouncing and then extending your legs straight
back to land a front-drop position and then back up to hands & knees.
Back Drop
Taking off straight and using your hips to drive your body, this move
involves a quarter rotation to land on your back. Done either with an
early pike into the move or taken up in a straight-body position and
then piked-in on the way down, this move is very difficult to get
right. It also involves a lot of confidence for the novice bouncer as
landing on your back is unusual! The landing position should be broad
shoulders, straight back, legs straight and elevated approximately 45
degrees with your chin held down onto your chest. As you sink into the
bed, a small kick-up with the legs will help you come out straight.
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