ouncing on beds is something many of us can admit to doing while children.

At the age of 35, the nearest I get to airborne mattress manoeuvres is holding my little girl’s hands from the bedside as she giddily bounces around. It’s wonderful, and inspired me to book some serious bouncing sessions with professional trampoline coach Mike Abbott.

I arrive at Dixons City Academy in Bradford reasonably psyched up for my assault on the springs – until I watch Mike bouncing in the air as straight as a stair rod. My tummy flips over.

He’s springing higher and higher, but according to wife Jackie, PE teacher and school sports co-ordinator at Dixons, this is nothing. His highest bounce is around 25ft, the equivalent of a two-storey building. Suddenly my stomach somersaults, replicating Mike’s next manoeuvre.

Jackie says that in his youth, Mike was known to bounce so high he could touch the girders in the sports hall!

Spinning and curling around in the air so neatly and precisely without a limb out of place, he makes it look so easy.

Like Mike, Jackie is a trampoline coach, so it was inevitable that their sons, Ben, eight, and 12-year-old James would follow them into the sport. Ben is currently the under-nines Yorkshire champion and James came eighth in the under-15s. “They got into it by coming along and having a go,” smiles Jackie proudly.

I’m wondering what expectations they have of me. At this stage I really can’t see beyond standing up! Mike and Jackie are so encouraging I’m determined to do it for them, but I’m hoping Mike can spin out the health and safety briefing to buy me a bit more time on terra firma.

Anything vertically-challenging, rapidly-lunging rollercoasters or any pursuit with a drop is too stomach-churning for me. I appreciate that trampolining isn’t quite the same as imagining you’re about to plunge into the sea on Blackpool’s Big One rollercoaster, but you’re bouncing in the air and you know what they say – the higher you go, the greater you fall!

All things considered, I’m not backing out now. Clambering up on to the trampoline, I gingerly stride forward, and it immediately dawns on me that there’s much more bounce to this than a bed.

Mike is keen to get going with some basic moves. I take my place in the centre of the trampoline and bounce – this gives me a feel of how springy the webbing is. I don’t realise how bouncy it is, and as I launch like a rocket into the air, I’m suddenly out of my comfort zone.

Mike teaches me how to land correctly when I fall so I don’t injure myself. Once we’ve got the important aspects out of the way, he’s keen to press on with some moves.

My next manoeuvre is bouncing up and landing in a sitting position. Sounds simple and, in all fairness, in practice it wasn’t that bad. Only we then extend the manoeuvre by standing up again from the sitting position. A bit more complex, but I do it, albeit a little wobbly and with a “woooo!” at the end.

I do some more basic landings with some link moves all with the comfort of the safety mat on the trampoline to prevent me springing sky-high.

The basic back landings are quite surreal in the sense that I have to lay on my back holding my legs bent in towards my chin. Mike explains he will bounce me around on my back without the safety mat so I can really get the sense of how springy it is. I know he is controlling my movements, so I am in no danger, but it’s a strange experience because you’re being bounced in the air beyond your control.

Our photographer suggests I do a somersault. I laugh with her then realise she isn’t joking. I appreciate they want action shots and I’m enthusiastic about my work, but not that eager to break a limb!

As usual, I end up relenting but I know I’m in safe hands as Mike tethers me round the waist with a belt. Again, this gives him control of what I’m doing so I know I’m safe.

My brief is to do a forward roll in mid-air, so I’m aiming to roll over the height of his outstretched arm. I really do try, but end up making a messy manoeuvre. My positioning goes to pot and it isn’t as precise as I would have liked, but I am a beginner.

Mike is full of encouragement and I can see why he suits his profession. He worked in banking before turning his hobby into a career teaching trampolining. He coaches schoolchildren and also runs the Bradford Olympian Trampoline Club, which originated in Leeds, but now holds three sessions at Dixons City Academy on Friday evenings, Tong School on Thursday evenings, and Thornton Grammar School on Sunday afternoons.

Mike’s expertise comes from 32 years’ experience. He was 12 when he had his first experience of trampolining. “My sister was British champion at archery many years ago, but I got bored of it and gave it up,” he says.

He saw some trampolines outside a sports centre. “It was 20p a go, and £5 later, I was hooked!” he laughs.

He progressed and began competing after joining a trampoline club in Leeds. In 1998, he brought trampolining home to Bradford, and in 2005 he changed the club’s name to Bradford Olympian Trampoline Club.

I sense a hint of expectation in the word ‘Olympian.’ Mike tells me he hopes some of his scholars will be participating in the 2016 Olympics.

The sport has certainly increased in popularity. Mike says the Australian soap, Neighbours, which has trampolines as part of the garden furniture, and performances on YouTube, have contributed to the surge in interest.

The availability of affordable trampolines has led to it becoming a popular pastime for youngsters, prompting parents to seek out professional guidance from coaches such as Mike and Jackie who equip you with the knowledge and training you need to stay safe in the sport.

The origins of trampolining are believed to stem from Eskimos using stretched-out seal skins.

The first commercial trampoline is said to have been developed by an American to help astronauts and pilots learn about weightlessness.

I found it exhilarating. Once I’d conquered my fear of springing into the air, I loved it. It isn’t like normal exercise, it’s so much fun!

“It’s an activity that can help young and old people improve many things including balance, co-ordination, spacial awareness, confidence, communication, trust, strength and leg tone.

“It’s also a very social activity, because there is a lot of opportunity to interact with others during a session in between turns, whether that’s coaching, supporting or just general chit-chat,” says Mike.

It’s great for those who don’t necessarily excel at team games. “It’s all about personal achievement and fun,” says Mike.

I can vouch for that!

For more information, contact Bradford Olympian Trampoline Club on 07789 697650; visit the website at bradfordolympian.co.uk or e-mail mikulabbott@ blueyonder.co.uk