The History Of The Trampoline

The trampoline is certainly a recreational and gymnastic apparatus. Trampolines are made by stretching a piece of tight, strong material over a frame made of steel. Using coiled springs, the steel frame allows the person to jump much higher than usual because it gives way to the rebounding force. It is the springs mounted on the steel frame that create the trampoline’s elasticity, not the fabric.

first trampoline patent
The First Trampoline US Patent 2370990

Trampolines were invented in 1934 by George Nissen and Larry Griswold who also filed a patent. Griswold was a gymnastics team tumbler, while Nissen was a gymnastics and diving athlete. It originally came from trapeze artists who used a tight net to perform their act, and it was from then that the trampoline concept was born. In the beginning, their invention was used for training tumblers, but over time, it became more and more popular. Originally, the word trampoline came from the Spanish word “trampolin,” meaning diving board in English. Later, in 1942, H.R. Griswold and Karl Nissen developed the Griswold-Nissen Trampoline & Tumbling Company. This was the beginning of the commercial trampoline industry.

During the Second World War, the United States Navy Flight School used this trampoline to train pilots in spatial orientation for use by navigators and pilots. Trampoline development became one of the most important aspects of the development of space flight after the Second World War. As an experiment in flight body positioning, astronauts from the US and USSR used trampolines in the 1950s and 1960s.

Trampolining became a gymnastic sport as time progressed. A major moment in trampolining was it’s debut as an event during the 2000 Olympic Games. Nowadays, trampolining has become a common sporting event. It is often seen in trampoline tournaments that competitors perform a variety of somersaults and twists while jumping to a height of up to ten meters. Another sport that uses trampolines is slam ball. Slam ball is a sport that has roots in both volleyball and basketball.

Slam Ball using trampoline

Additionally, the trampoline is used in gymnastics, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, diving, and wrestling as a training aid. In training and practicing for sports, trampolines are an integral part of the athlete’s physical exercises.

Since trampolines are multipurpose devices, your children can also enjoy and have fun on one. When they are bouncing, remember to supervise them so that no accidents occur. It is important to place the trampoline in an open area where children can safely bounce without being harmed by sharp or hard edges. Please remember that it’s best to have the children bounce on the trampoline one by one, rather than having them all at once.

The trampoline has become so popular that we are now seeing the emergence of trampoline parks, giant halls filled with trampolines all linked together.

trampoline park
Trampoline Park