To Begin
To begin with, you need to get in the middle of the trampoline, on your hands and knees, your face looking at the very center of the trampoline. Bounce a little in this position. The front somersault is also a BACKWARD motion. From hands and knees, tuck tight (particularly your head) and try to flip on to your back or bottom so you land in the very center of the trampoline. This needs a lot of practice, until you are landing on your bottom.
The next step is from standing. You need a gym mat or toddler mattress, or piece of foam about 4 inches thick.
Taking small mini-bounces... lift over on to your bottom, taking care to land your bottom exactly where your feet where - in the middle of the trampoline.
STAYING IN THE CENTER
The main problem with a front somersault is “throwing your self over with your head and shoulders, rather than lifting yourself over with your bottom and hips. So, small bounces... lift your bottom up and BACKWARDS, tuck tight and land... probably on your bottom at first... WITHOUT traveling across the trampoline at all. Where you take off is where you land. If this is not happening, do not attempt the somersault and go back to hands and knees practice.
GETTING READY TO SOMERSAULT
Before you try The Front Somersault to feet, go back to the hands and knees. Get a real high bounce in this position and tuck very, very tightly, telling your brain to land on your feet. This gives you an idea of the MOMENTUM required to complete the somersault. You may land on your feet and bottom at the same time. As long as this is on the cross... you are ready to attempt The Front Somersault.
ATTEMPTING THE FLIP
Get a couple of friends. Place them as ‘spotters’. Get your mattress or gym matt and place it on the trampoline bed, just in front of the middle. Now jump three times (controlled) and tuck keeping your arms in the air. Picture this... you are in a chimney. You are going to jump three times with your hands staying in the air. On jump 3 you are going to travel up that chimney, tuck quickly and tightly, squeezing the bottom and sending the hips back and up. Tell your brain to land on your feet. (tip: it makes a big difference if you keep talking to your brain.)
MORE TIPS
It is also worth doing a tuck jump prior to take off, like this... one.... two... three.... tuck... land.... somersault. It’s amazing how much that extra tuck WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR helps.
ARMS. For the front somersault, take off with your arms straight above you, flexed and with fists. As you tuck, bring your arms down and bent... fast.
Do your somersault at the TOP of that chimney. If this is not happening, then you are throwing your head and shoulders down which is WRONG.
The good news is this. Once you have landed a front somersault correctly, it’s like riding a bike! You’ll be able to do it right every time.
PROBLEMS
You land on your bum every time.
this is UNDER rotation. practice your tuck jump and get some momentum. Tuck fast and tight and be determined. Tell your body I am fast and strong. It’s all in the tuck! squeeze your bottom and get your legs up in to your chest faster. Keep practicing in the hands and knees position. When you tuck with enough momentum, you will land on your feet.
You land and fall forward
This is a bit dangerous. Place you spotters so they can prevent you from coming off the trampoline altogether. This is Over Rotation, caused by throwing you shoulders and head down and forward. Concentrate on getting the bottom up and back and slowing down just a little. As you turn, open out of your tuck a little earlier.