Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park
Strictly speaking, a trampoline, whether it’s located outside in a yard or playground or in an indoor trampoline park, is a piece of equipment which consists of a large piece of strong fabric, tautly stretched across a sturdy frame and anchored in place by many tightly-coiled springs. The fabric itself – no matter if the jumping is recreational or in competitive gymnastics – is not stretchy. The “bounce” experienced by jumpers comes from the recoil of the heavy springs.
Trampoline History
The earliest known records that depict jumping are of a game invented by Eskimos, which consisted of people being tossed in the air from Walrus skins – fun, but clearly not an indoor trampoline park! And, while there is evidence of Europeans having been thrown into the air from blankets held by many people, these incidents seem to have been some type of punishment rather than a recreational activity!
However, while it wasn’t an indoor trampoline park, there are posters from the 1800s that refer to stage performances on trampolines and, through the early 1900s, acrobats would act out comedy routines on bouncing beds that were really trampolines disguised with bedding. Circus lore refers to an entertainer named du Trampolin, who began using the trapeze safety net as a landing-bouncing platform in his performances – interesting, but that legend has no records to back it up.
The trampoline that we recognize today, including those installed in every modern indoor trampoline park, was developed by gymnastics competitors at the University of Iowa in 1936. They got the idea from observing those same trapeze safety net performances, but modified the apparatus to use a stretched length of canvas connected to an iron frame with coiled springs. And, while it was initially designed for training, it wasn’t long before people were using them for entertainment and exercise.
During World War II, our country’s Navy Flight School used its own version of an indoor trampoline park to train pilots and navigators in space orientation. And, after the war, trampolines were used to help American and Soviet astronauts master different body positions during flight. Since the year 2000, trampolining has been a competitive part of the Olympic Games. Other sports, such as certain versions of basketball and volleyball as well as diving, gymnastics and skiing, use trampolines in their training regimens, too.
Today’s Courts
Now that you know a little history, we would love to welcome you to Rockin’ Jump Indoor Trampoline Park in Winston-Salem or Greensboro. We guarantee that, even if you use your wildest imagination, you can’t begin to know how much fun there is to be had at an indoor trampoline park!
You can enjoy the Main Court in our indoor trampoline park that is designated for older or more experienced jumpers or the Youth Court for younger kids. You may prefer the excitement found on our Dodge Ball Court or choose to practice jumping into the Foam Pit. However you decide to experience our indoor trampoline park, you will love it—and your body will benefit from the exercise!