Online Trampoline Coach

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I get a few questions every week from members asking how to do a somersault, and they mention that they can do handsprings on the trampoline, or they have been practicing handsprings on the trampoline.

Handsprings are not a trampoline move, and they do not help in somersaulting on the trampoline.

The handspring is a GYMNASTIC move and as so many Gymnastic coaches also teach the trampoline, many people are taught the trampoline in a similar way to gymnastic coaching.

However, most gymnastic moves use speed and travel across the floor, neither of which are required for the trampoline. In fact, obvious injury would occur if these same techniques were used on a trampoline.

My first trampoline coach was a gymnastic coach. Everything I learned from the age of 15 to 18 years had to be undone and re-taught. As I got on to more sophisticated moves, the flaws  in my basic coaching started to show. Under a new coach, I had to start from scratch all over again. Considering I had attended a few competitions, it was difficult to go to gym and practice bouncing, tuck jumps and swivel hips for 6 months so I could totally forget the more advanced moves and re-learn them. This personal experience taught me that the trampoline moves need to be taught very differently to gymnastic coaching, and is where I got my own coaching style.

When I began coaching in 1989, I taught my students how the trampoline works, and never did moves that required knee or hand landings, as there are no trampoline moves that require a hand or knee landing. The only exception to this rule is the barani layout. As this was one of my own ‘problem moves’, I also had trouble teaching it effectively. So I do now teach this with a knee and hand landing as a progressive step.

So gymnasts - drop everything you have learned before stepping on a trampoline, and keep the handsprings and round-offs for the gymnastic floor.

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