Trampoline Tricks: Learning to do tricks and flips on your Jumpflex trampoline

Learning to do tricks can be great fun and one of the most exciting parts of trampolining! Learning new tricks can be quite dangerous if not approached safely, so we have put together a handy 'how-to' guide for beginner tricks as well as landing your first backflip on your Jumpflex trampoline for the more advanced.

Ways to stay safe!

• Always have a parent, friend or gymnastics coach with you to make sure you aren't going to land in dangerous ways and to spot you as you attempt to tumble and move your body in new ways.

• Make sure your trampoline is set up correctly and the safety net is erect and tight to catch you if you fall out of the jumping zone.

• Last but not least, always start out small and work your way up to bigger movements to avoid injuries.

Here are some awesome trampoline tricks for beginners!

What's covered in this blog:

• Tuck Jump

• Pike Jump

• Spin

• Front flips

• Flexboard tricks

• Create your own

• How to do a backflip

 

1. Tuck Jump

This is the simplest trick and therefore should be the trick that your kids master first. Push off from the trampoline and jump directly up, bring your knees up to your chest and wrap your arms around your legs. Reset to a straight position as your land.

2. Pike Jump

The key to a pike jump is height! First make sure you’re getting a good bounce, then jump up and stretch your legs out in front of you, keeping them together and straight. Reach your arms out, almost like you are touching your toes.

@cynthiaoese

3. Spin

Start off with a small one-quarter turn and work your way up, then you’ll get used to the spinning motion.

@markyelaa 

3. Front flips

A front flip should only be conducted under supervision, only one jumper at a time and takes a bit of practice. Front flips are the easiest out of all the flips. First step is to get a good bounce going and then throw your arms forward and tuck your body in. Grab your shins just below your knees and tuck yourself into a ball, to continue your rotation. Don’t hold on for too long or you may end up crashing down without landing on your feet. Next straighten up and put your feet down to land.

4. Tricks on our FLEXBOARD

Love snowboarding, surfing, skating or wake boarding? Make sure you grab our FLEXBOARD to perfect your technique and nail those landings safely on a trampoline. You can do all sorts of tricks on the Jumpflex Flexboard.

5. Create your own!

Get creative and have fun, get your friends and family together and make your own pose in the air! Make sure you have a camera handy to capture these great shots! There are so many trampoline games you can play!

 @scottifortune

For backflip, side flips, somersaults and anything more complex we strongly recommend enrolling your kids to a local trampolining class to learn new trampolining skills.

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mindy Massry (@mindym121)

How to do a Backflip in 4 easy steps!

Step 1: Back Drop

Once you’re warmed up, do a backdrop. This means falling onto your back and bouncing right back up. When you feel comfortable enough, try the backdrop and throwing your legs over, like a small, slow somersault. Try to do a backdrop, lifting your legs up and throwing them behind you, and then using the bounce back up to rotate behind you and onto your knees. This will get you used to the momentum of going backwards, which can be quite unnerving.

Step 2: Back Hand Spring (sideways) 

Do a “sideways” handspring over your shoulder. A backdrop is the basics of this move, only it lacks the momentum. Now aim for a back handspring that’s more off to the side – it’s much less scary. Here’s how to do it.

1. Bend your arms at your elbows and imagine them going up and over your head, propelling you backwards and fully around into a full circle. This is the motion you need to keep throughout the jump.

2. Look behind you. This will drive your body as your neck brings the rest of your body with it. It will also help you place your jump.

3. Get a good bounce going and jump up straight.

4. At the peak of your jump, propel yourself over your shoulder. Aim to land on your hands.

5. At first, don’t worry about your landing. On your hands and then knees is fine.

Step 3: Regular Back Hand Spring

Once you get the over-the-shoulder handspring down, do a full back handspring. Instead of looking over your shoulder, you’ll need to look up and behind you. Other than that, it's the same. Make sure to get plenty of air!

If you propel yourself mainly backwards, you may fall off the edge of the trampoline. Start near the edge of the centre, and aim to jump up and then around – not backwards. If you just throw your body back, you could seriously injure yourself. Here is where a spotter will come in handy. Keep a friend nearby to stop you falling incorrectly. 

Try to get higher and higher each time so that you can land on your feet to finish the hand spring

Step 4: - Don't plant your hands, instead grab and tuck your legs to your chest.

Do a full backflip landing primarily on your feet. Use your hands to steady you (or possibly to protect your neck), but flip so that the majority of your weight is being carried by and lands on your feet. At this point, it’s a backflip! Just not a graceful one yet.

For now, your aim is to get over your body, not to land it perfectly. Remember to use your arms to propel you up and then around – as long as you land and don’t hurt yourself, you’re doing it.

 

YOU DID IT!!

From here all that's left is to keep practising to clean it up and land on your feet. Your first couple of backflips may not have a clean landing or you may over spin, this is okay and with plenty of practice, you will have it perfect in no time. 

 

Things to note: 

• Do not jump too close to the edge of the trampoline; it causes a backwards thrust and you will hurt yourself

• Head and neck/spinal injury can occur, so be careful.

• Jumpflex takes no responsibility for injuries that occur while learning new flips and trick such as this one. 

• Always have a parent or guardian present when children are jumping and practising moves 
  
  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jumpflex (@jumpflextrampolines)