I never liked trampolines as a kid. I wasn’t that flexible and couldn’t do flips, so when a childhood friend would say, “I have a trampoline!,” I would cringe. I wanted to bounce — out of that situation.

But it’s funny, as I got older, I was more attracted to the idea of jumping up and down, maybe because the stress of adulthood cultivated the need to cut loose and release repressed energy from cubicle living.

For years, I would try to organize outings to trampoline parks like Sky Zone and Flight for my birthday, just because I thought it would be fun to do. But most of my adult friends were just not into it. “Wasn’t that something for kids?” And because it was a “kids” activity, did I really want to show up at a trampoline park alone, the creepy child-less adult hopping by herself in a corner?

As fate would have it, I received an invitation to a sneak preview of the Sky Zone opening in Canonsburg , and I naturally jumped at the opportunity. I could finally live out my trampoline dreams. 

This trampoline park is geared more toward older kids and even adults, with a free-climbing rock wall coming soon and Friday late-night hours featuring a club-like atmosphere with pop music and dim lighting.

But the pièce de résistance is the “American Ninja”-style Warrior obstacle course.

I decided to test myself against the talents of Kacy Catanzaro’s, and, no surprise, I did not pass. KDKA featured me going through the course in their evening broadcast, with the sound bite, “I need to work on my upper body strength.” Somewhere my gym teacher was nodding in judgment.

At 5’2″, I’ve never been able to dunk a basketball, but when I played on Sky Zone’s SkySlam trampoline, I was able to hit the basket with ease (three tries, as opposed to the normal 23). Why isn’t trampolining an adult thing? It should be considered a form of therapy.

Mental health aside, trampolining is also good exercise and SkyZone offers fitness classes. Here are some fun facts I learned: 

Clearly jumping on a trampoline has health perks. 

I’m still not that flexible, nor can I do tricks. But for a moment, I reverted to an adolescent state, jealous of the kids who could flip with ease (Why can’t I do that — still?). Yet adulthood brings a deeper appreciation of the activity in another sense: There’s something glorious about being able to fall and know something will catch you. 

Want to give it a try? Here’s a mini-guide to other trampoline parks in the area: