Do You Know How Trampolines Were Invented ?
Back in 1930, a young boy went to the circus with his
family. He was enthralled by the aerial acts, but more
than their in-air stunts, he was fascinated by the way they
dropped into the safety net after the act was over,
finishing off with flourishes as they bounced back into the
air.
That memory never left George Nissen of Iowa, who went on
to tumbling and diving exploits while in high school. The
sports gave him the same opportunity for artistic touches
and freedom of movement, although they ended either on a
hard floor, or in the water.
Still, when Nissen graduated at the age of 16, he took some
time off before university, to start tinkering in his
garage with the idea that had been simmering in his mind
since that visit to the circus- a bouncing "table", that
would put him back up into the air.
With the help of friends to weld the frame, and stretch
tent grade canvas on it, he soon had his first "bouncing
rig". Nissen then went off to college, but continued to
toy with the size and other aspects of design, eventually
taking one to summer camp where he worked. The rig was an
instant hit with the kids who would rather play on it, than
take a break from the sweltering heat by going swimming.
Nissen refined his athletic skills at university, and after
he earned a degree, he and two other gymnasts formed the
Three Leonardos, a tumbling and balancing act that did
small town tours. While in Mexico, they swam at the Y
where they learned that the diving board was called "el
trampolin". Nissen anglicized the word to trampoline and
patented it for his new invention.
While their performances did result in orders, by the time
WWII broke out, Nissen had bought his partners shares in
the company. Then he went on to promote the device himself,
selling around 100 to military sources for training pilots
and parachutists.
Drumming up business in the post-war years was hard work,
but as before, performance was the key, and publicity
didn't hurt. A chance photograph that Nissen had taken of
himself and a kangaroo in mid-jump on the same trampoline,
became as famous around the world, as his invention would
become in the next few years.
About the Author
Paul Johnson works as a software developer, often working
long hours under great stress. He considers exercise
crucial to his health. When purchasing his own fintess
equipment he researched all available products. Now he's
written a series of useful articles on choosing (and using)
exercise equipment.