History of the Pogo Stick

Answer 1

The wildly popular toy known as the pogo stick was developed in the year, 1919 by an inventor named George Hansburg. In addition, the earliest pogo stick was made from wood, and a duo known as Pohlmann and Goppel were the first to manufacture the product. The pogo stick was exported to the US and the UK where Gimble's, the notable department store sold them. After discovering that the pogo sticks manufactured from wood tended to rot or warp, the developer decided to use metal instead of wood for future designs.

Using a pogo stick takes balance, skill and timing. The user must make sure that his feet are firmly planted on the foot rests and that he is holding on to the handle grips. Although it is not too challenging to be successful at one, solitary jump on the pogo stick, it can take a considerable amount of skill to achieve smooth, repetitive jumps. In addition to using the pogo stick for entertainment, some people use it as a form of exercise. The jumping movements provide the user with a great workout, and it can even help improve one's muscle tone. Though pogo sticks are made to be safe, wearing a helmet is prudent, especially when using one of the new pogos which allow the user to bounce very high.

Pogo stick activities are very popular among those vying for Guinness records. In 1997, an entrant stayed on a pogo stick for over twelve hours, and jumped a total of more than twenty-three miles. With today's newer designed pogo models, users can bounce in excess of several feet into the air, instead of only inches with the older models. In addition to keeping safe by wearing a helmet when using the pogo stick, elbow pads and knee guards are also available to further promote safety. In addition, rubber soled shoes should also be worn when bouncing on the pogo stick to ensure that the user's feet won't slip off, even though the foot rests are typically made from a non-skid material.