T&T Training
Tumble Tech
Competitive T&T Program
A competitive program was included in Tumble Tech’s vision and planning since the gym’s inception. In the years since the gym opened, Tumble Tech has consistently produced successful athletes, and today is recognized as a high quality program on the state, regional, and national levels. The sport of Trampoline and Tumbling is governed by USA Gymnastics, and all of Tumble Tech’s athletes, coaches, judges, as well as the gym itself, are members of the USAG organization.
General goals for the Competitive T&T Program include keeping the athletes safe, helping them enjoy a successful competitive experience, improving their quality of life, learning healthy lifelong exercise habits, and creating a stable, powerful, positive sense of themselves. In addition, attainment of membership positions on international competitive teams, including the World Championships and the Olympics is the ultimate goal for our athletes. Tumble Tech currently enjoys designation by the USGF as an Elite Trampoline Development Center, and the gym currently has Elite athletes competing on multiple apparatus.
Tumble Tech competitive athletes train anywhere from 4 hours per week to 15 hours per week, depending on their various competitive levels. Competitive levels are determined by the athlete age, proficiency in specific skill performance, the desire to achieve higher levels of training, and commitment to their training goals. Athletes are selected for the Team by virtue of recommendations from the Tumble Tech coaching staff, and from an athlete’s stated desire to compete. Athletes are evaluated by the Team coaching staff and recommendations are made regarding the athlete’s readiness to join the Team. During the year, Tumble Tech offers clinics, some of which are taught by the Tumble Tech competitive staff, others for which nationally rated coaches are engaged. To date, Tumble Tech has produced many State, Regional, and National champions, and our program is growing and improving each year.
T&T,
which stands for “trampoline and tumbling” includes competition on four events, trampoline, power tumbling, doublemini trampoline, and synchronized trampoline. The sport has seen exponential growth since trampoline was first introduced in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Trampoline is performed on an apparatus that consists of a 7’x14’ elastic mat, connected to a frame by powerful springs. Athletes are capable of jumping as high as thirty feet in the air and performing a ten skill routine consisting of double and triple somersaults, some including twists. Doublemini Trampoline is similar to vaulting in artistic gymnastics, as the event begins with a running start however the athlete jumps on to a trampoline-like mat that is 13’ long by 3’ wide, and two skills are performed, with the final skill dismounting to a 25’ soft landing mat. Power Tumbling is performed on a 96’ long flexible rod tumbling floor that is slightly over 6’ wide. The event begins with a 33’ run, and ends with a landing on a 25’ landing mat. Synchronized Trampoline is performed only at upper levels, and consists of two athletes performing identical routines of ten skills, and they are judged on the quality of the exercise as well as how successfully they are in synch on the bounces and skills.