Friday, January 23, 2009

Install Your Trampoline With Safety In Mind

By Jane Bracken

In order to place the absolute best trampoline on your property, every owner should make sure the land is even in some way. If the land is uneven it could prove to be a hazardous condition to anyone hoping to improve their trampoline fitness.

Every person knows that the best trampolines are set up on a completely flat surface. This ensures that when people are jumping, there is no risk of the trampoline tipping or rocking in place. There are several ways to keep the trampoline level, including digging.

If your trampoline is on a slope, the best trampoline position would be to dig a trench for the highest leg to rest inside. This would ensure that the trampoline would not slide down the hill or incline at any point in time.

Another way to ensure the safety of the jumpers would be to pour sand underneath the lowest leg of the trampoline. This would raise the leg and, in turn, stabilize the trampoline. This can be more complicated than digging a small trench.

Once you've set up the trampoline properly it's time to have some fun and get in shape at the same time. Trampoline work stimulates the lymphatic system and thereby helps protect the body from viruses and other causes of illness. It's also a super way to start getting into good physical condition and getting used to regular workouts.

When you get started, find a few simple exercises to help you condition your body. Three very good ones are the toe touch, pike, and super jacks. They're easy to learn and fun to do. The toe touch, which can be done even if others are on the trampoline with you, consists of touching your toes three times while airborne. This is great for your midsection and stretches your muscles as well.

Pikes and super jacks are more difficult so will probably take some time to learn to do them properly. These two exercises should be performed with no one else on the trampoline. In the pike, you jump and pull your legs in front of you three times before landing. This exercise requires good height and coordination as well as being quite strenuous. Super jacks consist of jumping and doing three jumping jacks in the air, again before landing and also require height and good coordination.

A couple of final thoughts. Serious injury can occur if landing on the side of the trampoline or missing the trampoline surface completely. It's recommended that your trampoline be installed with a safety net to prevent this type of injury. Another good piece of advice is to stretch before beginning your trampoline exercises. Like any other physical activity, stretching will improve your performance and lessen the chance of muscular injuries. - 16650

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