How to Do Trampoline Tricks

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Whether you are hanging out with friends or just jumping around on your own, doing the basic up and down jump on a trampoline can get boring pretty quickly. Luckily, there are quite a few basic tricks you can learn, as well as some more advanced tricks you can practice over time. Practice the tuck and straddle jumps, learn how to execute a front handspring, and familiarize yourself with the various ways to land to enjoy doing new and exciting trampoline tricks.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Learning the Basic Tricks

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  1. This is the first trick to master when you start doing trampoline tricks. After you jump and while you are still in the air, pull your knees up towards your chest, and grab them with your hands. Release your knees and straighten your legs as you land.
    • This move helps you gain a little more time in the air and can be paired with other tricks.
  2. Stretch your arms down between your legs while you’re in the air. Essentially, you are doing a mid-air split! Bring your legs back together as you start to come back down toward the trampoline for your landing. [1]
    • This trick is great because it helps you learn how to control your body mid-jump, and it works out your core muscles.
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  3. Use your abs to pull your legs straight out in front of you when you hit the peak of your jump, making them perpendicular to your torso. Try to reach your toes by stretching your arms out in front of you. Release the “L” shape and return to a normal “straight” position for your landing. [2]
    • This is another move that helps to strengthen your core. Try seeing how many pike jumps you can do in a row!
  4. Decide beforehand on an object behind you to focus on, like a house or a particular tree. Then, when you are in the air, twist your body, lock sight on the object, and focus on landing on your feet without falling over. Don’t use your arms to twist your body; rather, use your core. Keep your arms either down at your sides or up above your head.
    • This trick may sound simple, but it’s easy to get off balance and fall when first starting to do twists.
    • If you are having a hard time completing the half twist, try doing a quarter twist first. Taking small steps to learn new tricks will help keep you safe.
  5. Jump up into the air as high as you can, and spin your body 1 full turn. Pick an object to focus on that is in front of you, so when you see it after you spin you know you’ve completed a full twist. Put your arms above your head or keep them down at your sides and instead use your core to help propel you through your twist. [3]
    • Try to see how big of a twist you can do! Depending on how much height you can get in a jump, you may be able to do 2 full twists!
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Working on Advanced Moves

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  1. Keep jumping until you get about 6 feet (1.8 m) in the air. Keep your legs curved up toward your chest as you land on your back rather than extending them out straight in front of you. This motion allows you to continue bouncing back up and doing flips for as long as you can.
    • Have a spotter with you when you start doing more advanced tricks. They can tell you what you need to do to complete a trick properly, and they are there to help in case you get hurt.
    • Stand in the center of the trampoline and start jumping to get a sense of where your center of gravity is.
  2. Keep your legs curled up toward your chest rather than extending them, and use the momentum of the bounce after you land on your back to propel you backward so you land on your feet. Use your hands to gently push yourself up to a standing position until you become comfortable with the movements.
    • Master the front pullover before moving on to the back pullover. The back pullover is a much harder move to pull off.
  3. When starting the forward flip, pretend like you are diving off of the high board. Let the momentum of the bounce propel your legs up and over your body. Land on your feet and return to a standing position.
    • This move will feel like you’re doing a handstand and then flipping over.
    • Always start the front handspring from the side of the trampoline and not in the middle of it. It’s a good idea to have a safety net in place, just in case you accidentally spring too far forward.
  4. Start with your feet at the edge of the trampoline, facing outwards. As you flip backwards and place your hands on the mat, let the momentum from the bouncing help you carry your legs up and over your head. Land on your feet and return to a standing position.
    • When you first start doing the back handspring, you may land on your knees instead of your feet. That is okay! Practice landing on your knees until you are comfortable with the movements and then work on landing on your feet.
    • Always start the back handspring from the side of the trampoline and not in the middle. Having a safety net in place is recommended.
  5. The more height you can get with this move, the better, especially when you are just learning how to do a back flip. Try to land on your feet, but if you can’t, it’s okay to land on your knees, too.
    • You should be able to do this entire move from the middle of the trampoline. Your body will land back in the place you started from.
  6. Try learning to land on your back, knees, and feet for the front flip. Try to get a good height of about 6 feet (1.8 m) to your jump to give yourself more room to complete the flip before you land again.
    • Stay in the same spot when you jump rather than jumping forward at an angle.
  7. Do either a back flip or a back handspring. When you land, instead of landing on your feet, do a front drop. When you start to bounce back up, flip your body backwards again, grabbing your knees into your chest. Release your knees as your flip finishes to land on your feet. [4]
    • A front drop is when you land on your stomach.
    • Don’t use your arms to push yourself back up from the front drop—use your core strength and the momentum from the bouncing.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Practicing Alternate Landings

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  1. The momentum from landing on your bottom will bounce you right back up so you can get your feet underneath of you again. When you are coming back up, raise your arms above your head rather than keeping them at your side. [5]
    • For fun, see how many times in a row you can do a seated drop before you lose momentum. This is a great exercise for your core!
  2. Keep your back straight as you come back down and don’t sit on your heels—you want to keep your calves perpendicular to the rest of your body if you can. The momentum from landing on your knees will bounce you back up so you can stand on your feet. [6]
    • Practice this move multiple times to learn the right angle for your body’s landing. If you land with your shoulders and torso too far forward, you might fall onto your face. Practice will help you figure out your body’s center of gravity for the perfect landing.
  3. After you complete your flip or trick, gently straighten your back and land backside-down. Don’t make your torso and legs rigid, though. When you bounce back up, stand up on your feet, or continue doing another trick!
    • If you’re uneasy about the back drop, try just doing a trust fall (where you fall backwards with your back straight and let people catch you, except in this case, the trampoline is “catching” you) from the standing position until you become more comfortable.
  4. Land with your hands in front of your face to protect it from the trampoline. You can spring back up to your feet after doing the front drop, or you can land on your knees. You can also move straight into doing another trick after doing the front drop. [7]
    • Practice this move until you can land on your knees, on your feet, and do an additional trick from the front drop position. This move gives you a lot of versatility in your landings.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I warm up before doing a flip on a trampoline?
    Tanya Berenson
    Gymnastics Instructor
    Tanya Berenson is a Gymnastics Instructor and the General Manager of the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics. With over 25 years of professional gymnastics experience, Tanya has also served as a consultant to USA Gymnastics, has served as the USA World Maccabi Games Head Coach, USA Gymnastics Meet Director, and RAS counselor. She holds a B.Ed. in Early Childhood Development from the University of California, Los Angeles.
    Tanya Berenson
    Gymnastics Instructor
    Expert Answer
    Start just by jumping up and down for a few minutes, and try making big arm circles to gain your balance.
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 7
  • Question
    How do I avoid putting my hands down when doing a back drop?
    Community Answer
    You could start the back drop standing up, but with your knees bent so that you aren't as high up in the air. This way, you won't feel as scared and won't have the habit of putting your hands down if you do it a few times. Gradually build up your confidence and stand up at your full height before starting and you should be there.
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  • Question
    How do I get my legs straight in a handstand?
    Community Answer
    Kick up, force yourself to push your feet toward each other, then try stretch them as far as possible.
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about gymnastics, check out our in-depth interview with Tanya Berenson .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.gettrampoline.com/trampoline-articles/cool-trampoline-tricks/#tab-con-2
      2. ↑ https://www.gettrampoline.com/trampoline-articles/cool-trampoline-tricks/#tab-con-2
      3. ↑ https://www.gettrampoline.com/trampoline-articles/cool-trampoline-tricks/#tab-con-2
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/apVW_xlhvCw?t=104
      5. ↑ https://www.gettrampoline.com/trampoline-articles/cool-trampoline-tricks/#tab-con-2
      6. ↑ https://www.gettrampoline.com/trampoline-articles/cool-trampoline-tricks/#tab-con-2
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/EUwsBumEqts?t=50

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      There are plenty of cool trampoline tricks you can learn to impress your friends and family. Start with an easy trick, like pulling your knees into your chest while in the air. This will also help you do flips later on. Try a pike jump, where you hold your legs and arms straight out in front of you and try to touch your toes. You can also do a half twist, where you spin around to land facing the opposite direction. Once you get used to this, try a full twist to face the same direction you started in. When you’re confident doing simple tricks, try doing a front flip and landing on your back. Then, try landing on your feet for a full front flip. Just make sure you get plenty of air so you have time to land it. If you don't have a safety net around your trampoline, have someone spot you while you do tricks so you don't hurt yourself. Consider taking a few trampolining classes before you attempt the more difficult tricks. For more tips, including how to do a backflip on the trampoline, read on!

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