Trampoline Fitness

Trampolining is a great form of exercise. But in order to get the maximum benefit out of it and to aid improvement in the skills you can perform on the trampoline it is important to maintain your fitness. This can be done by a variety of exercises both in the sports hall and outside of it.
Some of the main things you need to help you progress on the trampoline are:

1. Coordination
2. Core strength
3. Flexibility

These can all be improved by trampoline and non trampoline based exercises.

Conditioning

On the floor
Conditioning or circuit training is a high intensity exercise that is easy to follow and provides benefits in the form of fat loss, muscle building and heart fitness. The basic conditioning set that we do involves 30 minutes of continuous exercise with 11 different individual exercises. Those exercises are:

1. Squats
2. Crunches
3. Press Up
4. Lunges
5. Arch Raises
6. Front Raises
7. Alt Squat
8. Twisting Sit Ups
9. Burpees
10. Step Ups
11. Dips

These exercises are performed, in this order, for 30 minutes. It is important to ensure that each exercise is completed properly to gain the most benefit - Quality not Quantity!

Conditioning times will be posted on the forum weekly so keep your eyes peeled. You should make sure that for your first conditioning set to arrive on time, so that all the exercises can be explained to you. Conditioning provides the added advantage that it is a whole body workout that does not cost anything, once you know the set you can do it whenever suits you. It is important to make sure that you are wearing the correct clothing - shorts and tshirts and recommended.

Once undertaken it can provide huge benefit in terms of aerobic capacity and muscle tone. It'll make all those shapes easier to make during somersaults!


On the trampoline
Another form of conditioning is that which you can do on the trampoline. This will enable body coordination as well as help you to become comfortable performing a range of different movements on the trampoline. Some of the conditioning exercises which can be undertaken here include:

- Front Drop Bouncing
- Back Drop Bouncing
- Seat Bouncing to Roller
- Front Bouncing half twist to Back
- Back Bouncing to Turnover
- Standing Front Somersault
- Standing Back Somersault
- Hands and Knees bouncing to Handstand
- Front Somersault/Front Somersault (Linked)
- Back Somersault/Back Somersault (Linked)

The exercises you perform should be according to your own ability and each exercise should be repeated up to 10 times.

Drills

To help you to improve in trampolining you must have good basics. Each move is a further progression from an easier move that you will have done - for example, to do a good back somersault it is important that you have first mastered the technique for a good backdrop. Drills are a great way to become more comfortable with your current moves to make them more consistent. Thus, when it comes to take the step onto that next move you should be very comfortable with the basic move from which it comes. We have standard drill sheets which you can find here: DRILLS
Alternatively talk to any coach at training about the next move that you want to do and they will be able to tell you any drills that you need to work on to get there.

There are also a number of other exercises that we can undertake outside of the training hall to improve general fitness including:

Swimming

One of the most strenuous exercises that you can put your body through is swimming for 30-50 minutes at a time. It is an excellent form of exercise that relaxes your body and mind while toning your muscles and improving your stamina - to help you make it through that routine! Since it is an aerobic exercise it helps to maintain weight and offers a cardio workout at the same time. Swimming helps in toning muscles in your arms, legs, stomach and chest and so gives your entire body a workout. A few people from the club go swimming once a week or so in Glenalbyn in Stillorgan. Ask around if you're interested or post on the forum if you are looking to go with people.



Here is a link to the DLR Leisure Services website. SWIMMING POOLS. It has the timetables for the Glenalbyn Swimming Pool (nearest to UCD) and other pools in the area. if you want to have a look and pick a time that suits you. The public swims are the ones you want to go to, these are swims with lanes marked out for distance swimming.

Finally....

Any exercise you do will help your trampolining. So whether you're into a game of five-a-side footie, hockey, jogging, walking, skipping, climbing.. get out there and get moving!! It all pays off and will help get you in shape so that you can sharpen up your routines and learn new moves!

If you have any questions about fitness please talk to any of our coaches at training who will be able to help you plan what will work for you!