We came across this image and just had to share it.

A swimming pool, disguised as a pond with a trampoline diving board!

Author: Bob Bounce

Trampoline clubs are available in most large towns and cities

We are now maintaining a list of all the trampolines clubs we know of in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  The list is organised by county and then alphabetically by the name of the club.  Counties in England are shown first, followed by counties and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  We are showing the address of the club site plus the most up to date contact telephone number and email address we can find.  Where we can, we have included a link to the website for each club by making the trampoline club name clickable.

If you find any errors in our information then please let us know by emailing us or posting a comment to this blog.  If you know of a trampoline club that has not been included then please send us the relevant information and we will include them in our list.  We are hoping this will become the first choice reference point for people looking for a local trampoline club.

Click here to find trampoline club a local to you.

Joining a trampoline club can offer a great introduction to the sport of trampolining.  Trampolining is a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone, young and old, able and for those with special needs.  The benefits include getting fitter, building confidence, learning discipline and, of course, developing a new skill that could lead to competitive success, even, perhaps to an Olympic medal for those that excel at it.  Joining a trampoline club is particularly popular with those using garden trampolines who wish to develop their skills further in a professionally managed environment.

Trampoline clubs usually offer regular training session on a weekly basis to meet a range of abilities and requirements.  They will also arrange entry to local, regional and national competitions so their members have the opportunity to test their skills against others trampolinists in a competitive setting.  Opportunities are usually available for intensive courses and for those with special needs.

We encourage anyone buying a garden trampoline to join their local trampoline club to develop their skills in the sport to the maximum.

Author: Bob Bounce

View from a garden trampoline

Trampolines can be very comfortable places to sleep.  Lying on a trampoline in the day time and watching the clouds drift past can be very relaxing.   They are great places to sunbath too.  The trampoline mat makes a very comfortable place to rest your body.  The trampoline can also be a great place for looking at the stars at night.  If you fit the trampoline with one of our trampoline tents you can easily lift it when you are ready to go to sleep and it will protect you from the rain and cold during the night.

Here is another idea for making a trampoline bed in a house – not so good for those people below you though, especially if you sleep with nothing on!

Trampoline Bed

Author: Bob Bounce

Chill-out on a trampoline

Fast Track, a trampoline walkway

This trampoline walkway has been built in a park in Russia. It comes hot on the heels of the idea to construct a bridge over the River Seine in Paris made of three linked trampolines suspended over the water – trampoline bridge – and the On Space Time Foam art installation in Milan created by artist Tomas Saraceno which gives the sensation of a large trampoline type experience.

Fast Track, a trampoline walkway in the woods, was installed in Nikola-Lenivets park in rural Russia for the Archstoyanie art festival back in July 2012. The installation was created by Estonian architecture firm Salto Architects. The trampoline walkway has proved so popular that the organisers have decided to leave it in place for visitors to the park to use.

Giant trampoline in a Russian Park

Fast track is now an integral part of the park infrastructure, described as, “…. a road and an installation at the same time”, and further as “… an attempt to create intelligent infrastructure that is emotional and corresponds to the local context. It gives the user a different experience of moving and perceiving the environment.”

The trampoline walkway, Fast Track, is a 167 foot long trampoline set at ground level above a shallow trench in a flat area of the park cleared specifically for it. Fast Track is made, like a conventional garden trampoline, using a trampoline mat held under tension with numerous trampoline springs connecting the trampoline jump mat to the frame at regular intervals along the entire length.

Trampoline Walkway at Night

The trampoline walkway has proved popular with regular park users, those wanting some good exercise as well as people interested to see this unique piece of trampoline infrastructure.

I wonder if they make you take off your shoes before bouncing on it?

Author: Bob Bounce

We are starting our blog posts for 2013 with one of what we plan on being a series of blogs written by guest bloggers who we think have something interesting and useful to say to our readers. 

The first guest post is written by Angus MacWatt, a partner in Sunken Trampolines, who are the UK’s specialist installers of in-ground trampolines.  The blog includes some advice on what to consider as well as some photos of in ground trampoline installations they have completed.

Sinking a trampoline into the ground so it becomes a ground level trampoline is becoming increasingly popular, however it is not without problems.  Before commencing such a project you need to consider drainage, how the air movement below the trampoline will be handled and a durable structure to retain the side walls of the hole.

Written for us by Angus MacWatt of Sunken Trampolines (angus@sunkentrampolines.co.uk)

To many people an in ground trampoline is just a hole in the ground with a trampoline thrown in. This is perfectly possible and fine in the short term. In the longer term what happens is the walls of the hole start to tumble into the hole causing the surrounding area to subside and become a safety hazard. Also allowing animals to crawl into the trampoline hole.

Sunken trampolines installed by Sunken Trampolines

In order to overcome this you must erect a barrier between the trampoline frame and the wall of the hole. It has been suggested that a timber frame will suffice, again while this is fine in the short term in the longer term the wood will rot and again the walls will subside. Not only that but with a timber frame you would have to screw it to the trampoline frame – something we have seen done. This immediately nullifies many of the trampoline manufacturers guarantees.

In-ground trampoline installed by Sunken Trampolines

We suggest that a single depth brick or block retaining wall is the best, most efficient way of providing the piece of mind that your in ground trampoline will retain its structure for years to come.

Covering the bricks for safety and aesthetics is also an important thing to consider. Coverings must ideally provide a cushioning effect in case the user should find themselves jumping off the trampoline. Finishings for in ground trampolines can include rubber play mats, artificial turf or rubber tarmac as seen in many playgrounds. What is important is that it covers the bricks.

“In ground trampolines” as seen supplied by some suppliers can be used. In reality it is not at all necessary as any good sturdy trampoline made of galvanised steel will suffice. The key is to ensure it will not rust. In our experience the key to a good sunken trampoline is the padding covering the springs. Because the trampoline is at ground level the padding tends to be walked on far more than when it is above ground with an enclosure. A good thick and sturdy padding therefore becomes all the more important. A cheap trampoline from your local DIY shop therefore is inadvisable! As the old adage goes buy cheap buy twice.

Ground level trampoline installed by Sunken Trampolines in the UK

Ensuring adequate drainage is also an extremely important factor. Soil type will dictate to a certain extent however every sunken trampoline should have a layer of drainage to cover the underlying soil. This also acts as a barrier to plants growing and you ending up with a fernery – something we have seen with improperly installed sunken trampolines.

So before you embark on this project think carefully about how you are doing it. Getting it right now will alleviate problems in the future.

All the Atlantic Trampolines are suitable for in-ground installation.  Our frames are galvanised both inside and outside the tubing providing security against rust.  Our spring padding is also strong and durable being covered with a layer of tough UV stable rubberised PVC. 

Further information can be found on Atlantic Trampoline’s related blog post “How to sink a trampoline in the ground”.

Author: Bob Bounce

No matter where you are, pick up a local newspaper and you’ll find countless stories of groups or individuals raising funds for numerous charities. From sponsored walks to swims and silences to singing, there isn’t a day where the public haven’t dug deep into their pockets to support their chosen cause.

With increasing regularity, trampolines are being used to fundraise. A church fete or school fun-day will happily have a trampoline set erected so the visitors can pay for a five minute bounce. For the duration of the event there will be a constant queue of children waiting for their turn.

Alternatively, sponsored events can easily utilise a trampoline in a number of ways.
One could be an endurance event by organising a 12 or 24 hour Bounceathon. For those of you who have used a trampoline and know how tired you become after 10 minutes bouncing you’ll realise a team of people will be needed, taking it in turns for the duration to ensure continuous bouncing.

Club venues which have a number of trampolines erected can have several bouncers on the go at one time. Whether an individual or a team is raising funds they could do so by being sponsored for the number of jumps completed within a given period. Observers could tally the bounces, a simple automated bounce-counter is readily available but many smart-phones have the capability to count using their accelerometer.

For the more experienced trampolinists, the number of somersaults completed within a given period could be sponsored although great care should be taken not to exceed your safe capabilities.

Whichever way you choose to fundraise using your trampoline, what a fun way to support a good cause.

Author: Bob Bounce

Trampoline!

Author: Bob Bounce

Last week we heard of yet another product recall issued by a trampoline manufacturer, this time in the USA.  The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a recall on  November, 28 2012 for more than 23,000 Sportspower trampolines sold exclusively at Sports Authority stores.  The CPSC states that the 14ft trampoline’s metal legs can move out of position and puncture the jumping area.  This can cause damage to the trampoline mat if someone bounces on the trampoline in this situation, but more importantly it could cause serious injury to the bouncer.

Atlantic Trampoline’s patented T section joint secures the frame ring to the leg

This fault could occur when the frame ring becomes separated from the leg tube, most likely when the trampoline is moved by lifting the frame ring.  With the Atlantic Trampoline our patented “T-section” joints give a tight fit to connect the frame ring and leg tube.  BUT it is always important to check all the leg tubes are securely connnected before using the trampoline, and especially after moving the trampoline.

Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, however it is known that in one incident the trampoline separated from the frame and caused a puncture to the jumping mat.

This is more evidence that buying a cheap trampoline can be a false economy, and possibly also dangerous.

Trampoline T section joint which secures the frame ring to the trampoline leg without the need for a weld

The most recent recall notice, concerning the Sportspower Parkside model TR-14FT-COM, comes close after Sportspower issued a voluntary recall on their netting of their 14ft BouncePro trampoline TR-1463A which was found to tear prematurely when exposed to the outdoors, leading to a potential fall hazard.

Atlantic Trampolines offer a full parts replacement service so, even if parts of your trampoline wear of become damaged by weather, you can easily obtain the replacement parts to keep the trampoline looking in tip-top condition, keeping it safe to use and operating at peak performance for the user.

If you require any advice about care and maintenance of your trampoline, or if you need to source some replacement parts, then call our team of experts  free on the Trampo-line 0800 032 5879.

Author: Bob Bounce