The 4 Trampoline Safety RULES
There is a lot of talk going on about trampoline facilities and their safety. The majority of responses on these issues come from hired PR managers who are trained in the art of spinning negative feedback into something easier to swallow. When you cut through all the smoke and mirrors, a few things stand out more than anything else when it comes to trampoline safety. Specifically, the number one preventative measure that all trampoline facilities should enforce, the 4 trampoline safety rules.
Unfortunately, Airborne Trampoline is one of the only trampoline facilities in Canada to enforce these rules in order to maintain a safe environment for all participants. Read on as I walk you through these 4 rules which are enforced at all Airborne facilities, and how it makes Airborne Trampoline one of the safest and most exciting trampoline facilities in all of Canada.
- One Person Per Trampoline: This is the simplest and most basic of all trampoline safety rules. Simply stated, trampolines are designed to push back against the weight you put on them and, in combination of force applied by your legs, spring you back up into the air. If you have two people jumping at once, the trampoline may very well be springing someone back up into the air as the other jumper is coming down. This results in one of two things. A: The jumper going back up loses the bounce of the trampoline and comes to a stop. B: The jumper coming down gets shot up into the air by the combined force of both jumpers in what we call a “double bounce”. When controlled by an experience trampoline coach, “B” can be a fun and exciting experience. But when two inexperienced people are jump at once, an unexpected “double bounce” can happen which may shoot the other jumper off the trampoline, or into a collision with the other jumper. Obviously, collisions are another issue which should be all together avoided. So, maintaining a one person per trampoline safety rule is the first step to having a great time and staying safe.
- Do Not Attempt Any Flips: This is a trampoline safety rule which is ignored by just about every trampoline park in Canada. Why? We don’t know. At Airborne Trampoline, we understand that flips can be an extremely thrilling, but extremely dangerous thing. This is why it is paramount that jumpers learn how to flip through one of Airborne’s Trampoline Classes before attempting one on their own. As much as the majority of the population understands that any skill that involves putting your head beneath your feet can be dangerous, there are still those who think its not a problem. Unfortunately, that mind set, in combination with the lack of care from trampoline parks across Canada, results in the majority of injuries you hear about in the news. Some can be severe, and some mild. But injuries from flips can happen, and this is why Airborne enforces a strict “no flip” policy unless you have been cleared by an Airborne Trampoline Certified Trampoline Coach.
- Do Not Jump Off The Trampolines: This is quite simple to explain. Trampolines allow you to achieve fantastic heights that are not attainable through any other means. The average child can jump around 1 foot off the ground. On a trampoline, some children can jump 2 feet off the ground, some 4 feet, and some 6+ feet. Now imagine jumping at these heights and abruptly coming to a stop on a solid surface. That is essentially what happens when someone jumps off a trampoline. Although Airborne has custom padding surrounding all trampolines, the bouncy softness of the trampoline bed is WAY more forgiving than a padded surface. Play it smart with trampoline safety, always walk on and walk off the trampolines.
- Always Jump on Two Feet: The human body is designed to support its weight on two legs. Otherwise we would have come into this world with one leg, right? The same applies on a trampoline. When jumping, G forces pushing down on the body can reach up to 3g’s. This basically means that at the bottom of your jump, your body can experience up to 3 times the force of gravity as the trampoline starts to propel you back up into the air. As I write this, I weigh 180lbs (hopefully it stays that way). This essentially means that when I jump as high as I can, for a split second my legs may be supporting up to 540lbs of force. My legs do a fine job of handling that weight. But put all of that strain on one leg, and we invite a potential injury. So please, always jump on two feet.
These four trampoline safety rules are a great start to staying safe and having fun on a trampoline. Unfortunately, most trampoline parks ignore them, or expect you as a parent to know what rules to enforce on your children as they jump.
One thing we know for sure though. If you want a safe and exciting trampoline experience. Come to Airborne Trampoline Vaughan and Newmarket where our Gymnastics Ontario certified Trampoline coaches make sure you have a blast while maintaining the highest level of trampoline safety.
