The modern trampoline was first developed in 1934 at the University of Iowa. Originally, it served as a training tool for astronauts, divers, gymnasts, and skiers—athletes who required acrobatic skills and body control in their disciplines. However, it wasn’t long before trampolining evolved into a sport in its own right, with participants discovering the vast array of tricks and stunts that could be performed on the trampoline.
The sport quickly gained popularity and was introduced into school programs across the United States. However, inadequate training and safety precautions led to injuries, prompting a decline in its popularity as a competitive sport. While its growth slowed in the U.S., countries like the Soviet Union and China continued to develop and expand their trampolining programs, greatly increasing participation and raising the standard of competition.
By the 1950s, the sport became more regulated to ensure safety, leading to the introduction of the 10-bounce routine, which standardized performance across competitions. This routine was first tested at the inaugural World Championships in London in 1964, where trampolining began to emerge on the global stage. Initially dominated by American athletes, trampolining soon saw European nations and Chinese athletes rise to the top of the world rankings.
Trampolining made its Olympic debut at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, featuring two events: the Individual Men’s and Individual Women’s competitions. Since then, the sport has continued to expand under the umbrella of Trampolining, which now includes events like synchronized trampoline, double mini-trampoline (DMT), and tumbling, alongside the individual trampoline events.
Today, trampoline gymnastics continues to thrive as a dynamic, high-flying sport that showcases incredible acrobatic skills, athleticism, and precision.