Trampolines are a lot of fun, but they can also be a nightmare for people who are too big or too heavy for the specific trampoline they are trying to use. Although the activity increases your heart rate, involves muscle strength, it can be dangerous and pose a high risk of injury to the arms, legs, head, and neck. Before choosing to use a trampoline, you should be sure to follow the specific safety guidelines regarding the height to jump and the weight limit so you can be safe. Many recreational trampolines have no height limit placed on them; therefore, you must consider how tall you are compared to the safety enclosure’s height to know if you are on the right track.
What’s The Height Limit Of Trampolines?
Most trampolines have no height limits attached to them. Therefore, before jumping on them, it’s essential to consider your height and the safety enclosure’s height to determine how far you can go. An average person will jump to a height of nearly 16 feet, approximately 5 meters. The safety enclosure needs to be high enough to accommodate your jumping height. The best safety enclosure should rise to the waist-high of the family’s tallest jumper to get the best possible experience.
The International Trampoline Federation claims that the minimum height for indoor facilities that support trampolining is over 26 feet in height. Most athletes will easily reach 30 feet on one jump. Apart from the height and weight, the potential height you reach jumping on a trampoline depends on other factors, including the number of springs, spring stiffness, and the net’s elastic component.
What Is A Trampoline And How Does It Work?
A trampoline is a system that stores potential elastic energy depending on how much the trampoline’s net can stretch downwards. Some trampolines are made for home use (recreational), while others are used by professionals (Olympic) to compete how high one can jump.
As one jumps on the trampoline, they accumulate some speed that the moment they land on the trampoline is absorbed equally by the net and the springs. In turn, it’s converted to proportional kinetic energy, which the trampoline transfers to you as you jump to help you make the next jump.
If you jump at an increasing speed and achieve higher jumps, it will increase your body’s potential energy depending on your position regarding the trampoline system. This means that if you land from a higher spot, you will technically be able to jump more heightened because of the response of the springs and net to the energy that your potential energy accumulates.
In simple terms, the trampoline will give you back what you have put in and some interests, which is the elastic component. Moreover, jumping from the center of the trampoline benefits you from a more powerful push because the net and the springs of the system are designed to be well balanced. You will not have the same propulsion force if you jump from a random corner because the net and the springs will not contribute equally.
How To Jump Higher On Trampolines
Trampolines are designed to help the jumper in the upward motion of the body. As you jump, the trampoline will keep the momentum going by pushing the body repeatedly. However, there is no magic trick on how you can jump higher.
The height you reach will depend on your abilities. The legs entirely initiate your first jump, and after that, the exchange of kinetic energy happens between your body and the trampoline.
If you push harder on the trampoline, it will mean that you’ll be giving more force to it, which will return more energy to you to help in the next jump. When landing on the net, you should push harder on it if you want to jump higher.
Practicing High Jump On Trampolines
If you are using an Olympic trampoline and want to jump higher, you should train the body. You need to ensure that your legs are strong and more explosive, although it’s not all about power. When jumping, you may feel like you can’t control your body while in the air and become a little scared.
To jump higher, you must be in total control of your body. That’s why it’s essential to work on your overall core stability through exercises that will help improve your back, abs, and torso. Jumping on a trampoline will become much more manageable as your body improves, and you will be able to jump much higher.
Does Jumping High On A Trampoline Increase The Risk Of Injuries?
If you are not used to jumping on a trampoline and trying to jump too high, you may risk getting injuries. You may land wrong as you jump, flip or twist. You may also crash into another jumper or land on the frame or springs. Moreover, you may risk falling or jumping off, especially on a hard surface.
Some people experience burns when their skins rub across the rough mesh fabric. The rubbing will cause a lot of friction, creating enough heat to damage your skin. The friction burn will cause redness, swelling, and pain. A trampoline may also cause cuts, scrapes, and bruises.
Many professionals attempt stunts while jumping on the Olympic trampolines. These stunts may cause cervical spine injuries. In some instances, these injuries can be permanent and treatable in others.
Other injuries you may get include sprains and fractures. The most severe injury you can get jumping on a trampoline is a brain injury. When practicing, a fall or crash into another jumper can lead to brain injury. Serious accidents may result in paralysis and in extreme cases, death.
Conclusion
The feeling you get when jumping high on a trampoline can be significant. However, you must be careful about how high you jump if you use a recreational trampoline. Recreational trampolines do not give you the chance to jump higher as Olympic trampolines do. However, you can still enjoy the great benefits of jumping by doing it on recreational trampolines.
