About Trampolining and Double Mini Tramp - DMT

Trampolining for recreation, sport or competitively is a fun, healthy pass time suitable for all ages. It became an Olympic Sport in 2000 and is growing in popularity.

Trampolining can help to develop: co ordination; muscle tone and strength; balance; patience; stamina; spatial awareness; social skills and a sense of achievement.

Trampolining in a club environment lets you develop skills at your own pace in a safe environment with proper equipment and trained instructors.

STC Trampolines

STC own two competition trampolines that were purchased with club and lotto funds, we also use three trampolines (one competition and two training) at Shrewsbury Sports Village where we are based. This allows us to use up to five trampolines during training sessions. We also have an overhead training rig with safety and twisting belts to assit bouncers learning new moves.

DMT at STC

Picture of a DMT

The DMT is like two mini tramps that have been joined in the middle. The first is at an angle and called the mount, from which skills are performed onto the second mini tramp. The second mini tramp is called the spotter, where skills can be performed back onto the mini or as a dismount onto the landing mat.

DMT is really a combination of Athletics, Trampolining and Gymnastics. Competitors sprint down a track and hurtle onto the DMT before performing double and triple somersaults with the same technical requirements as required on trampoline. The only difference is that they have to land on a bed less than a quarter the size of a trampoline before performing a dismount on to a landing mat.

In DMT competitions there are four passes, two in the preliminary round and then two in the final round. Each pass consists of one skill performed as either a mount or a spotter, followed by a dismount skill making two skills per pass. The execution is judged in exactly the same way as trampoline, however the difficulty is more akin to tumbling where a double somersault gets double the difficulty and a triple somersault gets triple the difficulty.

Glossary of trampolining terms

Click here for a printable version of the glossary

Term Definition
Back somersault A somersault with backward rotation
Back in - full out A double back somersault with a full twist performed during the second somersault
Back Landing (Back drop) Move starting on feet and rotating backwards quarter of a somersault and landing on back
Back pullover A move starting on the back,three quarter back somersault to feet (also variations to stomach, back or seat)
Ball out A move starting on the back, one and a quarter front somersault landing on feet
Barani A forward somersault with a half twist named after Italian circus acrobat and tumbler Alfonso Barani who "invented" the front salto with half twist around 1881
Barrel roll A move starting on the stomach, with one full twist, landing again on the stomach; also known as a "log roll".
Bed The part of the trampoline on which performers bounce
Bounce-roll A move starting on the back, with a front somersault, landing again on the back; less commonly known as a "porpoise" or "dolphin
Cat twist A move starting on the back, with one full twist, landing again on the back
Cody A move starting on the stomach, one and a quarter back somersault. Named after Joe Kotys of Akron Ohio, one of the few persons to compete internationally in both trampoline and gymnastics.
Compulsory Pre-designed routine that contain specific skills / moves required of the trampolinist. Also known as "set".
Cradle A move starting on the back, half front somersault with half twist to back
Crash dive Three quarter front somersault (straight)to back landing
Degree of difficulty A rating that measures the difficulty of specific moves and is factored into the total score after judges have scored the execution of the moves; also known as tariff
Double back A double back somersault without twist.
Double mini tramp [DMT] An elongated version of a "mini" trampoline that is open at either end. The 'gymnast' runs and mounts, performs a move whilst rebounding across the apparatus, landing on a foam filled pad at the other end.
End deck A large, thick mat that sits on a frame at each end of the trampoline to cushion the impact if anyone falls from the apparatus. Less frequently known as "safety platform".
Execution 1. the performance of a routine. 2. the form, style and technique used to complete the skills included in a routine
F.I.G Federation Internationale Gymnastique, the organizing body for international gymnastics competitions including the Olympics. F.I.G. makes the rules, trains and certifies judges, and determines how competitions are run
Forward turnover Three quarter front somersault, starting from feet. A specific variant in the straight position is termed a "crash dive".
Frame Metal parts of the trampoline.
Front Landing (Front drop) A move starting on feet and rotating forwards quarter of a somersault and landing on front
Front somersault A somersault with forward rotation.
Full Full twisting back somersault
Full in - full out A double back somersault, with one twist in the first somersault, and one twist in the second somersault
Full in - half out A double front somersault, with one twist in the first somersault, and half twist in the second somersault
Full twist jump A move whereby a trampolinist rotates 360 degree around the body's longitudinal axis, finishes facing the same end of the trampoline.
Gain Travel arising from excessive displacement of the hips in initiation of somersault movements; e.g. travelling forwards in a back somersault. Carries same penalties from execution judge as "travel".
Half in - half out A double back somersault with a half twist in each somersault.
Half turntable A move starting on the stomach, 180 degrees of side somersault, landing again on the stomach
Half twist jump A move whereby a trampolinist rotates 180 degrees around the body's longitudinal axis, finishes facing the opposite end of the trampoline
Kaboom Somersault from front (or back) landing, where a double contact is made. the legs hit the trampoline bed momentarily after the body, reversing the rotation generated from the body.
Kick out Extension of the legs to straight body position after the shape phase of a somersault is completed (line out)
Killer A double back somersault with four complete twists. Also known as a miller plus, and a poliarush (Dimitri Poliarush - BLR - winner, 1996 World Championships).
Lazy back Three quarter back somersault
Line out Good technique where trampolinist neatly places arms beside body on completion of shape phase, or whilst twisting
Miller A triple-twisting double back somersault, originally performed as "two and a half in - half out", nowadays usually performed as "full in - double full out", with 1 twist in the 1st somersault, and two twists in the second somersault; named after Wayne Miller (USA) - winner, 1966 and 1970 world championships. (For Miller plus see Killer)
Overhead rig Overhead apparatus with a belt, ropes, pulleys and fittings allowing the coach to provide remote support for a move whilst the performer is learning.
Pike A position where the body is bent forward at the hips to 90 degrees or more while the legs are kept straight, with the thighs close to the upper body.
Poliarush A double back somersault with four complete twists. Named after Dimitri Poliarush (blr) - winner, 1996 world championships.
Puck Semi-tucked shape allowable in competition for multi-twisting multiple somersaults. For competition, the rules require an angle between the body and thighs, and the thighs and lower legs, of 90 - 120 degrees.
Push-in mat A foam filled mat that a coach might use to reduce the rebound of a trampolinist when developing a new move. It is not a substitute for proper coaching of technique. Also known as "throw-in mat", and "crash mat"
Randy A front somersault with two and a half twists; also known as a "randolph"
Roller A move starting on the seat, full twist to seat drop
Routine A combination of movements or manoeuvres displaying a specific range of skills
Rudi A front somersault with one and a half twists, also known as a rudi. Named after Dave Rudolph who executed the one and a half twisting front somersault on a trampoline in the late 1920's in vaudeville. Randolph and adolph were "invented" names for the kindred skills they represent.
Rudi-out A double front somersault with one and a half twists in the second somersault".
Safety platform A large, thick mat that sits on a frame at each end of the trampoline to cushion the impact if anyone falls from the apparatus. Also known as "end deck"
Side somersault A 360 degree rotation around an axis passing through the navel (dorso-ventral axis).
Skill A specific move that has a recognised way of performance and technical value.
Somersault An acrobatic movement where the body makes a complete revolution, heels over head; also known as 'salto'
Straddle A position where the legs are split at least shoulder width apart and the legs are kept straight whilst the upper body is aligned forward at the hips at an angle greater than 45 degrees.
Straight A position where the body is extended in a straight line, technically defined as the upper body and the legs being positioned at an angle of more than 135 degrees.
Spotter(s) People positioned at points around a trampoline in order to ensure additional safety for performers who might otherwise fall off without their intervention
Swivel hips A move starting on the seat, a half twist in upright position, landing again on seat.
Synchronised trampolining Two people jumping on separate trampolines in time with each other. They must perform identical moves or skills simultaneously.
Three quarter Turnover Three quarter front somersault, starting from feet. Also known as 'forward turnover'. a specific variant in the straight position is termed a "crash dive.
Throw-in mat A foam filled mat that a coach might use to reduce the rebound of a trampolinist when developing a new move. it is not a substitute for proper coaching of technique. Better name is "push-in mat", often known as "crash mat".
Travel 1. movement away from the centre of the bed, with appropriate form deduction if excessive (outside the box). 2. movement along the bed in the same direction as the shoulders in somersault rotation, i.e. travelling backwards in a back somersault.
Triffis Any triple somersault combined with a component of twist.
Tuck A position where the knees are bent and drawn into the chest, with the upper body folded at the waist at angle of greater than 45 degrees from the upper legs.
Turntable A move starting on the stomach, a complete side somersault, landing again on the stomach. (Also called a Blutch". after Jim Blutch (pronounced blootsh) who "invented" the move during the 1940's and the skill carried his name until about 1955).
Twist Rotation around the body's longitudinal axis, roughly defined by the spine
Quadriffis Any quadruple somersault combined with a component of twist.