Despite the fact that the contemporary trampoline was first created in the 1930s, trampoline-like devices have been used for thousands of years. Archaeologists discovered that they were formerly utilized in the lands of modern-day China, Iran, and Egypt. It’s unclear why people required trampolines at the time, but researchers speculate that they may have been used for festivities and religious rites, or just to get a better look around. Whatever the case may be, ancient paintings of what appear to be trampolines demonstrate that these gadgets played a significant role in people’s lives.
The Alaskan Inuit found trampolines to be quite handy. They need a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding region so that hazardous creatures might be spotted from a safe distance. A traditional trampoline was fashioned of walrus skin, with one person sitting in the center while others gripped the edges and flung him in the air. This trampoline has the potential to be utilized for leisure reasons as well.
Performers began utilizing springboards, which sent them soaring into the air, similar to modern trampolines, throughout the Middle Ages. These soon gained popularity since they were light and portable, allowing performers to easily include them in their performance. According to legend, an artist named du Trampolin came up with the concept of employing the trapeze safety net and labored tirelessly for days on end to produce something that was eventually named after him.
Trampolines are quickly becoming a backyard fixture, and it’s difficult to picture a time when these entertaining, multipurpose toys didn’t have a special place in the lives of families.
Trampolines were originally designed as training instruments rather than for recreational usage. Various rebounding devices have been used for millennia, despite the fact that the contemporary trampoline has only been around for a short time.
History of the Trampoline
Trampolines and people have had a long and fruitful relationship. Surprisingly, the first indication of trampoline use may be found thousands of years ago. Trampoline-like devices have been unearthed in ancient representations in China, Egypt, and Iran, however, nothing is known about their function at the period.
Trampoline-like devices may have been used for festivals, religious rites, or just to have a closer view of the abundant wild wildlife in the ancient people’s surroundings, according to archaeologists. Although the specific purpose of these activities is unknown, the meticulous illustrations imply that trampolines played an important role in ancient people’s life.
Trampolines eventually made their way to Alaska’s harsh environment. Inuit people utilized rebounding devices as a recreational activity as well as a survival tool. They were made of walrus skins and used to throw people into the air. To do so, one person would sit on the skin while several others gripped the edges tightly. The surrounding individuals would catapult the sitting person into the air with a sweeping motion. This early form of trampolining was used for both fun and as a way to identify animals from a safe distance.
Later trampolines are a bit of a mystery as to where they came from. Although there is no historical evidence to back up this claim, it is widely assumed that the early trampoline forerunner was invented by a French artist called Du Trampolin and named after him. Du Trampolin is said to have been watching a circus when he realized that the trapeze safety net might be used as a propelling and landing device, similar to a jumping mat. He spent his days inventing and experimenting with various suspension systems and materials, driven by his enthusiasm. The end product was a medium-sized net that could be used by one acrobat at a time, substantially reducing the risk of mid-air accidents.
What Was the Origin of Trampolines?
Trampolines are very certainly older than you believe. For amusement and entertainment, ancient societies are said to have utilized equipment similar to today’s trampolines. Drawings made by individuals living in ancient Egypt, Persia, and China provide evidence of these early trampolines.
There is more evidence of trampolines or trampoline-like devices being used in ancient societies. In rare situations, the equipment may not be used as you would anticipate.
1. Inuit Blanket Toss
Alaska and the Arctic regions of Canada are home to the Inuit people. They invented the “Blanket Toss,” which used a contraption that is remarkably similar to a modern trampoline. Around the perimeter of a big, circular piece of walrus skin, a group of 30 or more individuals will form a circle. Each individual will pick up one side of the skin, with one person climbing to the top. Others will press on the skin and pull it taut, causing the person standing on top to fly into the air.
Nowadays, the Blanket Toss is all about having a good time. People who are thrown into the air frequently fling sweets into the audience. The object of the game is to see who can leap the highest or stay on their feet the longest. A person’s turn is over if they fall instead of landing on their feet.
The Blanket Toss, on the other hand, played an important part in hunting at first. While in the air, the individual who volunteered for the Blanket Toss had a far better view than those on the ground. They could spot any possible prey — or predators — lurking in the distance as a result of this.
Around the turn of the century, the Blanket Toss began to lose appeal. It was revived in the 1930s due to increasing interest in it as a cultural activity. The Blanket Toss is now commonly held at festivals and other special occasions.
2. Firefighters’ Safety Net
Browder Life Nets were an early version of the trampoline. You’ve probably seen a Browder Life Net in action if you’ve ever watched a cartoon in which a group of firemen brings out what seems to be a huge trampoline and persuade someone to jump from a burning building onto it. The gadget was initially invented in 1887 and is named after its creator.
The life net’s premise seems to be that a canvas cloth stretched taut across a metal ring would generate enough bounce to stop a person’s fall. The truth is that the safety nets weren’t always so safe. While the nets were often helpful when individuals had to leap from windows on the second, third, or even fifth floors, they seldom saved lives when people had to jump from the seventh or higher floors.
Despite the fact that they weren’t very effective in preventing death or major injury, the safety nets were nevertheless in use until the 1970s. Many fire vehicles had ladders that could reach high enough to aid rescue individuals trapped in a burning building’s upper levels by that time.
Who Invented the First Trampoline?
The trampoline as we know it now first appeared in the 1930s. A trapeze performance he witnessed at a touring circus playing in his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, inspired George Nissen, a swimmer, and gymnast. The trapeze performers wrapped up their show by landing on a safety net and bouncing away. It would be fantastic, according to Nissen, if the artists kept jumping and used the safety net as a springboard for additional feats.
It was because of this motivation that he built the first trampoline in his parents’ garage in 1934. His invention was dubbed a “bouncing rig” by him. Originally, it consisted of a sheet of canvas stretched across a rectangular steel frame.
The barely 20-year-old Nissen added inner tube tires to the design with the aid of his gymnastics coach, Larry Griswold. The tires provided the canvas extra bounce by connecting it to the frame. Eventually, those tires would be replaced with springs.
Nissen didn’t give his creation the term “trampoline” until much later. He went on the road with his bouncing equipment, performing as the “Three Leonardos.” Nissen discovered the Spanish name for the diving board, “trampolin,” when performing in Mexico. He added a “e” to the end of the word and created a trademark-worthy name: “trampoline.”
The Griswold-Nissen Trampoline & Tumbling Company was founded over a decade after he and Griswold originally created and subsequently perfected the trampoline. The trampolines were first manufactured and sold commercially under the brand.
Trampolines for Fun
Trampolines have always been a crowd favorite, especially when children are involved. Nissen and Griswold frequently brought their trampolines to schools, where they showed how to use them in assemblies and urged students to join in. “Jump centers” sprouted at petrol stations around the United States. Kids could take a break and bounce on trampolines while their parents filled up their gas tanks.
They also sought to come up with activities that could be played on a trampoline. “Spaceball” was one of these games, which was played on a rectangular trampoline with a net across the centre and elevated edges. The aim of the game, similar to volleyball or tennis, was to send a ball through a hole in the net to the other team’s side. Unfortunately, the game never really took off, so there aren’t many — if any — spaceball courts around these days.
Trampolines in the Military and Space Program
Trampolines weren’t just for kids in the backyard or acrobats and gymnasts in the beginning. Trampolines were used as training equipment by the US military and, later, the Russian and US space programs. Trampolines were utilized by the military to train pilots during WWII. The sense of weightlessness experienced while leaping in the air on a trampoline is comparable to that experienced when flying or in space.
Why was the Trampoline Invented?
Nissen was instrumental in persuading the military to use the trampoline in their training program. His nascent firm received so many orders for the equipment as a result of his efforts that he had to postpone his own enlistment in the military.
The military’s participation in trampolines resulted in a minor alteration in the device’s manufacture and design. Nylon webbing was a novel fabric at the time, and it was utilized for parachute straps. Nissen recognized that it could also be used to replace the canvas cloth in his trampolines, giving them a more durable surface and, most crucially, greater bounce.
Trampoline World Championships
Trampolines were able to return to being enjoyable after the war and the space race. In 1960, Nissen felt it would be amusing to train a kangaroo to jump on the device, which he borrowed from a Long Island location. He was able to persuade the kangaroo to stand on one side of the trampoline while bouncing on the other during his kangaroo training session. The result was a now-iconic photograph of Nissen and the kangaroo floating in mid-air, seemingly having a great time.
The inaugural Trampoline World Championships were held in London a few years after his kangaroo photo shoot. The first championship tournament had twelve countries, with American jumpers winning both the men’s and women’s gold medals. The championships used to be held every year, but in the 1970s, they were moved to every other year. The championships were relocated again in 1999, this time to the year before the Olympics.
Trampolining in the Olympics
Trampolining has been a sport since the 1960s, although it was not included in the Olympics until the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Since then, trampolining has been included in every summer Olympics, featuring events for both men and women.
Aleksandr Moskalenko and Irina Karavayeva, both from Russia, won gold at the 2000 Olympics. Moskalenko, a three-time medallist at the Trampoline World Championships, returned from retirement to compete in the inaugural Olympic games.
The Evolution of the Trampoline in the 20th and 21st Century
The commercial trampoline has seen significant evolution since its inception. Trampolines have developed in certain situations as better, more modern materials have been available. The transition from canvas to bouncy nylon webbing is an example of this. Most trampolines today are constructed of woven polypropylene or waterproof canvas. Another example is the transition from rubber tires to coil springs for attaching the bounce mat material to the frame, followed by the installation of padding around the trampoline’s perimeter.
How Did The Trampoline Get Its Name?
The origin of the trampoline’s name is also fascinating, as it has nothing to do with the English language, if you can believe it. Okay, it has a smidgeon of an English connection, but only that.
Nissen was a member of his high school’s diving squad in addition to being a gymnast. Later in life, he continued to dive, and in 1937, he and his companions were performing their act, the Three Leonardos, in Mexico.
George came up with the moniker “trampoline” for his new invention while in Mexico. El tramplin is the Spanish word for diving board. Nissen just added a “e” and came up with the name for his device.
What Was The First Trampoline Park?
At this time, there are approximately 600 trampoline parks around the United States. It appears like there is a lot of enjoyment to be had. But, surely, it had to begin somewhere, at some point in the past?
It’s also worth noting that the first trampoline park in the globe debuted in the United States in 2004. Sky Zone had a brilliant idea that went something like this: “OK, kids enjoy bouncing about, why not build a trampoline park?” Okay, here is our take on events that we were not present for.
From there, trampoline parks sprang up all over the world, with more than 1,500 in a variety of nations. As a result, Sky Zone has grown into a big corporation, and trampoline parks are now accessible to a large number of people, which is a true win-win situation.
When Did Trampolines Become Popular?
Trampolines were popular very immediately after their development, or at least very soon after. Anyone who saw one wanted to go on it and leap as high as they could. It just looked nice and felt wonderful at the same time.
The actual popularity of trampolines, however, began in the 1950s, when every gas station in the United States had dedicated “jump centers.” Parents would let their children bounce around on a trampoline while they attended to other matters.
That period of popularity lasted for almost 30 years, after which it began to wane. After trampolining became an Olympic sport in 2000, the sport’s popularity resurfaced, and it has been on the rise ever since.
Safety of Trampolines Throughout History
Polyethylene often lasts longer than fabrics like polyester and polypropylene, which rip more quickly due to their lack of elasticity. Polyethylene is also a lot easier to clean and maintain than other types of materials.
The entry zipper is another important component of the safety net. When utilizing the trampoline, kids — and adults — are inclined to bounce around freely. It’s critical that the zipper can resist any stress or pressure applied by bouncing persons.
Another element designed to keep people safe while using the trampoline is safety pads. Metal springs that connect most jump mats to the trampoline frame can pinch, poke, or injure a jumper. It’s essential to have a pad that will not only cushion you in the case of a fall, but also endure the elements including wind, rain, and snow.
Trampoline Facts
- The Spanish term for “diving board” was “el trampolino,” and it was one of several words in general use that was once patented as “trampoline.”
- In the year 2000, the Olympic Committee finally approved trampolining as an official Olympic sport. Irina Karavaeva of Russia won the first gold medal in the Olympic trampoline sport. George Nissen, the 86-year-old creator of the trampoline, was present for the event, which took place during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
- The iconic photo of inventor George Nissen on a trampoline with a “tame” kangaroo (seen above) was only feasible because Nissen held the animal’s front paws when they went on it, preventing the animal from kicking him.
- With 1700 members bouncing around the Jumpers Rebound Center every week, the Gillingham Jumpers, a club headquartered in Kent, England, is the world’s largest known trampoline club.
- The Guinness Book of World Records, published in 2005, has a category for the longest basketball slam-dunk by a player jumping on a trampoline.
- In 1964, Judy Wills Cline won the first trampoline World Champion. In trampoline, synchronized trampoline, and tumbling, Cline won a total of 10 world titles. Dan Millman, a well-known personal improvement author, and speaker was the inaugural men’s World Champion, also in 1964.
- In 1986, a six-man team from Cleveland State University’s Delta Epsilon chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity set a Guinness World Book record for “Longest time jumping on a trampoline” – 53 days of continuous bouncing, beating a team from Phoenix, Arizona, by one day (Fun Fact: – the Phoenix team did it outside, during 110+ temperatures and frequent thunderstorms). In a gym, Delta Epsilon bounced). Ronald Reagan congratulated the Cleveland players over the phone.
- Some trampoline parks provide a mix of bungee jumping and trampoline jumping, in which participants wear a harness linked to bungee cord rigging that allows them to bounce extremely high off the trampoline without the risk of falling if they lose their balance. Basically, they’re selling a bungee trampoline experience, but it’s a little misleading.
- The world’s largest trampoline park, Flip Out, is located in Glasgow, Scotland; the park has a jumping area of 63,000 square feet.
Other interesting Guinness World Records facts:
- The highest bounce is 22 feet.
- 324 backflips at the same time
- The number of consecutive flips is 3,333.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
What was the trampoline’s name before it became known as a trampoline?
After Nissen got a concept from Mexico, the trampoline was nicknamed “Campeon de Trampolin” before it was officially a trampoline.
What are the materials used to construct trampoline frames?
Trampoline frames are generally composed of galvanized steel that is heavy-duty and long-lasting.
What is the composition of trampoline springs?
Trampolines springs are constructed of coiled steel that is just what it needs to be – a spring!
How large is the biggest trampoline?
When it comes to a residential category trampoline that you may have in your backyard, the maximum size is 16 feet by 24 feet, which can easily weigh more than 800 pounds.
When did the trampoline first appear on the scene?
The trampoline was first created in the 1930s, marking the start of trampoline history.