6 Trampoline Facts that’ll Knock Your Jump Socks Off
From the circus to the profundities of outer space, the trampoline tends to pop up in a few completely startling and exceptionally cool places. Nowadays, we’re hitting you with six shocking trampoline facts that’ll blow you out of your bounce socks (which is completely secure on a trampoline, assuming you emptied your pockets per our safety rules! You don’t need to land on a wrong item).
Trampoline parks like Elevation are only the most recent of many exciting chapters in trampoline history. From the fun to the captivating, to the completely crazy, these six facts take some pretty amazing turns.
Inuit Trampoline
Well, not quite a trampoline. There was a version of trampolining concocted by the Inuits where they would stretch a walrus skin in a circle, with one person in the center, and then catapult them into the air by tightening the skin rapidly, then catching the person, and so on.
The Innovator and His Kangaroo
American trapeze artist George Nissan invented the trampoline in 1936, inspired by the net that would catch trapeze artists in the circus (the nets would actually launch gymnasts back into the air for the dismount). He made the trampoline in his garage and started to market trampolines first for training, and eventually, also for fun. He famously used a kangaroo on his trampoline as a marketing strategy, timing his jumps with the kangaroo at the same time on his invention. The kangaroo’s name was Victoria.
Trampoline Fabric isn't Elastic!
What?! You read that correctly. Only the springs pulling the trampoline bed taut are elastic. The actual bed itself is made from bands of woven nylon.
Space Pioneer Training
NASA uses the trampoline in several ways to prepare astronauts for spaceflight and help them recover. In addition to the usual health benefits, trampolining is perfect prep for all the bouncing around that happens moment-to-moment during space travel, as it trains you to control your center of gravity. Then, when astronauts return from space, trampolines are a great way to rehabilitate them by helping them rebuild their bone mass and strengthen their joints in a low-impact routine.
Trampoline in the Olympics
Since the year 2000, trampolining has officially become a bonafide Olympic event for men and women! Olympic trampoline jumpers can reach dizzying heights up to 33 feet (8 meters) in the air while performing tricks and twists that would make your head spin... many, many times in a row. Athletes must perform a predetermined routine of several tricks one after the other, as well as an optional routine of 10 recognized skills. Competitors must start and end routines on their feet and are judged for their height as well as their tricks. As a fun cherry on top, inventor George Nissan attended the very first Olympic trampoline event. After the event was over, George, moved by what he had seen, told reporters, “It is something I imagined, like people winning a million dollars.”
The Mineshaft Full of Trampolines
While here at Elevation, we know our trampoline parks, so we got to tip our hat to this crazy wonder. An old mining town in Wales called Blaenau Ffestiniog converted its huge empty mining caverns into a jaw-dropping underground trampoline park. We’re talking essentially a whole underground cave system of trampolines, winding through tunnels as well as up and downhill! What?! Up to 1500 people bounce underground in this mad Welsh marvel each week.
Aerosports Has the Biggest Park in Ontario
Aerosports Trampoline Park is the largest park in Ontario, Canada! That’s a lot of jumping space.