Common Learning Styles

Learning styles are different ways that people prefer to process information.

Kinesthetic learning is learning by doing. This style incorporates body movements, takes a hands-on approach to learning, and is the most common learning style in freestyle trampolining. All trampoline athletes will learn this way, as the body develops muscle memory each time it performs a skill.

Visual learning is learning by seeing. This style works through watching others and learning to repeat their movements. Show students the trick they need to practice and ask them to repeat it, this will work well with students who already have great physical awareness of themselves and the trampoline.

Auditory learning is learning by hearing. Students will frequently need auditory prompts to go alongside their kinesthetic and visual learning. Remember not to provide too many points to focus on – keep it simple and relevant to the skill being worked on.

You will encounter people with preferences of one or more of these learning styles when coaching freestyle sports. While some students will respond to all of them, others will struggle to respond to any. It is important to be able to identify which learning style your students have and be able to adapt to the scenario. 

For example, some students may see one visual demonstration of a trick and begin to start building the awareness to try it instantly with no further assistance needed at the start of the learning process. Others may see you demonstrate it and hear you explain what to do, yet still not have any idea what they need to do until they actually try it – these students will need a more hands-on approach and will likely need you to physically move them into the correct positions to begin understanding how to perform a trick.