Jumping Stilt wholesalers, vendors and distributors tell you that if you are a beginner, you should buy a spring size in your weight category if your weight is in the bottom half of that category. If your weight is in the top half of a weight category, you should buy the next size up. If you are over 40, you should always buy your weight category.

If you have bought according to these rules, when you take the units out of the box, and try them on, you may believe you have bought in error. The springs may feel very stiff. The above purchasing guideline is based on the theory that you should buy your jumping stilts for use after your 2-4 week learning curve.

You don’t want to buy stilts that accommodate you today or tomorrow. You want springs that will launch you when you are ready. If you buy springs that are too light, then after the learning curve, when you begin to crank on the springs, you may bottom out and limit you potential for continued improvement.  If, however, you bought according to the above guidelines and find yourself bottoming out in 3 months, call the distributor of your brand and buy “upgraded springs only.”

Like any sport or extreme activity, there is a learning curve. Even though you throw flips on your trampoline or fly on your skateboard, you will utilize only 5% of what the springs have to offer the first 2-3 days. Remember your first days, weeks…..on a bike, skateboard, wakeboard, skis, surfboard…..golf tee, tennis court, lacrosse field, pole vaulting runway…….and on down the line.

They all took time to learn. Some take years to master. You know that after time, you became better at your passion and some of you have put in the time and have become very skilled. It’s the same with Jumping Stilts. Although you see videos everywhere of guys flying over cars and throwing flips at will, these are people who have put in the time to learn.

Read below and follow our guide on how to spend your first hours or days on jumping stilts. We strongly suggest you error on the side of caution and take your time. If you try to become Henry Holloway you first few days, you may get discouraged and feel that you will never become that good. You’ve probably seen videos of Henry. Remember he jumps almost every day and has been for four years. Now that’s time learning!!

So your units have arrived and you open the box and take them out. Because of packaging, wrapping and royalty fees, USA distributors have pretty strict refund and return policies, so read the packing slip that is in every box to learn about the return policy before you unwrap everything.  Some distributors state that if you open the box, they’re yours, others state that if you unwrap all the parts and run around on the grass and cement, they’re yours. So be careful if you have doubt.

Read the return policy and read the guide manual first. For some, there may be some part adjustments that need to be made due to your body size or shape. The guide manual will tell you how to adjust the units…… because you want to fit the units properly before you begin any activity. The guide also gives you tips on how to put the stilts on and how to get started.

After the initial fitting adjustments are complete, strap the stilts on near a rail, fence, wall, or stand up while holding onto someone’s arms. (Personally a rail or fence works great.) Practice hopping on the stilts. They will feel stiff - don’t worry about that. Next try to jump higher and higher while holding onto the rail.

Finally, try letting go of the rail and try to stand up by yourself. To keep yourself from falling, continually move your feet. Stay close to the rail for security if you need to grab ahold of something…because you will!

Comfortably walking around by yourself is the first activity to master. Walking should be mastered before any hopping or jumping. The trick is to keep the feet moving to catch your self. Once you are comfortable walking around by yourself go back to the rail and really try jumping high while holding onto the rail.

You should go through this type of warm up everyday for a couple of weeks, because until your legs get stronger, the stilts will feel very stiff and also, your legs will quickly feel like wet noodles. For safety and confidence, go through this routine. After a week or two, you will be amazed how much more you can bend the springs.

The final activity you should practice on the first day is falling and getting up. Yes fall on purpose. You will fall so why not practice it to become more comfortable with the idea. Maybe you can start rolling onto the knees first.

You should practice falling so when you do fall it won’t be such a surprise. Air-Trekker jumping stilts provide videos that show how to get up by yourself. It’s not simple, but can be learned in a few minutes. Learning how to get up by yourself is a great accomplishment for the first day or two!!