Axes of rotation are Imaginary lines which represent the axes about which the body should rotate during the flight phase of trampolining skills. In trampolining we can conveniently describe all trampoline skills using three axes of rotation.
It is easier to remember where each axis is if you can image yourself being skewered on a big knitting needle.
Somersault Axis – The needle goes into the hip on the left
and out the other hip on the right. Imagine a football table
with the footballers all lined up in a row spinning around the metal bar.
With this metal bar through your body you cannot rotate in any other direction other than forwards and backwards around the metal bar.
Examples of trampoline skills that use the somersaults axis are front/back somersault, front landing, back landing and seat landing.
Side Somersault Axis – The metal bar goes through the tummy button and out the small of the back. The only two skills that use this axis are the turntable (front landing half side somersault rotation to front landing) & the side somersault.
Twist Axis – The metal bar goes through the head down to the toes. Used in skills involving half and full twist. Image you are a kebab down the chippy, you can only twist to th left or right around the metal bar.
Combining Axes – Trampoline skills can be linked together to form more complex skills using one or more axis of rotation such as swivel hips, half twist into seat landing, cradle, cat twist, roller, front landing to seat landing, front landing full twist to feet, Barani (somersault with half twist Level 3 skill),