Trampolining is a competitive Olympic sport in which gymnasts compete performing tricks, flips, somersaults, all while bouncing on a trampoline. There are a number of acrobatic moves performed while in the air, which requires the athlete to be extremely skilled, poised, and the mind and body to be very well trained and conditioned.

Trampolining was introduced into the World Championships in 1964 by Ted Blake of Nissen and was held in London. The first world Champions were Americans; Dan Millman and Judy Wills Cline. Even though Americans had won the first few trampolining events, the Europeans soon took over and dominated the sport. Competitors from USSR, Britain, France, and Germany normally took the first four standings in the World Champions Trampolining events and Olympics. Canada has also produced Olympic medalists and World Champions in trampoline jumping thanks to the help of David Ross, Canadian trampolining coach and competitor. Since trampolining became a national Olympic sport, China has made strong successful efforts to develop and promote their athletes on a professional level. China won the 2007 Men's World Championships and both men's and women's gold medals and a bronze in the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing.

Although trampoline competitors are highly trained and skilled at these high risk maneuvers, it always starts with the basics of trampoline jumping. Some start off as kids in the backyard with round trampolines. Through years of jumping as a child, you build up that certain muscle strength needed for the more advance tricks as time goes on you improve on the tricks you can do and eventually get more advanced in the flips and tricks. Trampoline jumping is much safer than the impression that most people have. All round or rectangle trampolines these days will come with a 1"-2" thick foam safety pad that covers the springs which will pad the fall in case the jumper falls along side of the trampoline. It also covers the actual hardware such as the springs, so that nothing is exposed for the jumper's leg to avoid any type of injury. Some trampolines also come with a safety net which can also be purchased together or separately which is also advised so that the jumper even though jumps outwards of the jumping area can still get rebounded back in by the safety net. However with any thoughts with a future of trampolining, the rectangle trampolines are the ideal type you would need to get your child started. Rectangle trampolines are much sturdier such as 14x16, 10x17 trampolines, and can handle more advanced higher jumping acrobats. They also have a much larger jumping surface therefore more allowance for mistakes and flips.