Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Emma Lennon on December 22, 2012 at 9:59pm

What an incredible video! Thanks for posting that, Ruth. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous to watch that, because I've watched America's Funniest Home Videos for years, and have seen countless videos of trampolining gone wrong! ;) But this was incredible. And love it even more because I think the music is a remixed version of the score from Pirates of the Caribbean.;)

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on December 22, 2012 at 10:25pm

Thanks, Emma. I got tired of seeing people hurting themselves after the first few shows. Now I ignore America's Funniest Home Videos. It's too painful.

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on December 23, 2012 at 12:45am

That was a fun video - thank you Ruth!

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on December 23, 2012 at 7:42am

What you have here are two things:

1. A trampoline (or trampolines) with VERY FRESH SPRINGS and BED.
2. A performer who is UTTERLY at home in a free-fall environment.

The first is something I know from experience, having competed on trampoline in high school.  Trampolines live and die on the stiffness of their springs and tightness of their beds, and both can be VERY variable.  I have worked on tramps which felt like MUSH and others which I thought could send me to the moon!  My last competitive performance was on a trampoline of that second sort, so powerful and responsive that I wondered if I could keep control of myself during my routine.  As it happens, I did okay.

As to the second, though, Christophe has me beat more ways than I can count.  He and free-fall are old friends, clearly, though doing single tricks and coming to a stop is far easier than doing a 10- or 12-bounce routine where you DON'T stop.  I watched the men's trampoline competition at the Olympics this year and was not surprised to find performers still having problems staying centered on the trampoline bed 40+ years after I had my own difficulties with that same issue, though with far less difficult tricks and skills (and a LOT less height!).

No, neither the trampoline nor the performer here are violating any laws of physics - just exploiting them for our entertainment.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on December 26, 2012 at 11:58pm

Thanks for the inside information, Loren. I had to watch it again with those things in mind.