Why RunTheWall Is Adults Only -- And Why That Matters

Every trampoline facility in Australia makes most of its money from the same source: children's birthday parties and school holiday programs. When we decided to make RunTheWall adults-only, 18 and over, every business advisor we spoke with said the same thing. "You are leaving money on the table." They were right. And we did it anyway.

Here is why.

Adults Need Their Own Space

Think about the last time you tried something physically challenging in public. Now imagine doing it in a room full of ten-year-olds who are better at it than you. That is the reality for most adults who walk into a trampoline park. The environment is designed for kids: the music, the energy, the supervision ratios, the marketing. Adults are tolerated, not prioritized.

The result is predictable. Adults feel self-conscious, out of place, and unlikely to return. Research by Eather and colleagues (2023) in Systematic Reviews found that sports participation has meaningful positive effects on adult mental health and wellbeing. But those benefits only materialize if people actually keep showing up. Environment matters enormously.

At RunTheWall, every session is designed for adult bodies and adult psychology. The coaching assumes you are here to learn, progress, and challenge yourself. Nobody is dodging a children's party on the way to their training session.

Community of Like-Minded People

One of the most powerful things about adult-only sport is what happens between the sessions. When your training group is made up of people in the same stage of life, dealing with the same pressures of work, relationships, and responsibilities, the bonds form differently. You are not just exercise partners. You become friends.

Brymer and Schweitzer (2013), writing in the Journal of Health Psychology, found that participation in physically challenging activities contributes positively to psychological health. Critically, their research identified that the social context of these activities is a key factor in the health outcomes. Being surrounded by people who share your goals and understand your constraints makes the experience fundamentally different from training alone.

Martinho and colleagues (2024), in a study published in BMC Psychology, examined the psychological traits of participants in physically demanding sports. They found that these individuals tend to develop greater emotional regulation, openness to experience, and resilience. An adults-only environment allows these qualities to develop within a supportive peer group rather than being diluted by a mixed-age setting.

Quality Over Quantity

The economics of the trampoline industry are built on volume. Pack as many people onto the floor as possible, cycle them through in one-hour blocks, and repeat. That model works financially. It does not work for genuine skill development.

At RunTheWall, our sessions are capped at small numbers. Our coaches know every participant by name. We track progression across a structured system so that each session builds on the last. This is not a bounce-around-for-an-hour experience. It is training.

Hawley-Hague and colleagues (2016), publishing in BMJ Open, found that professional instruction and personalized attention are among the strongest predictors of whether adults continue with an exercise program long-term. When your coach knows your abilities, your limitations, and your goals, the quality of every session improves. That only works at a scale where individual attention is possible.

The Harder Financial Path Is the Right One

I will be honest: being adults-only is harder financially. We turned away a significant revenue stream on principle. There are months where a kids' party program would make the numbers easier.

But the adults who train with us stay. They progress. They bring friends. They become ambassadors for what we do. Our retention is built on the fact that people feel seen, challenged, and respected in our space. That does not happen when the primary customer is a seven-year-old's birthday.

The conscious decision to serve adults exclusively is not a limitation. It is the foundation of everything that makes RunTheWall work. When you walk through our door, you know this space was built for you.

What This Means for You

If you have ever wanted to try trampolining or wall running but felt like every available option was designed for children, you are not imagining it. Most of them are. RunTheWall exists specifically because that gap needed to be filled.

You will train alongside other adults. You will receive coaching designed for your body and your goals. You will be part of a community that takes this seriously while still having a good time. No birthday party noise. No dodging small children. Just focused, guided, adults-only training.

Ready to experience the difference? Book your first adults-only session at RunTheWall.

References

1. Eather, N. et al. (2023). "The Impact of Sports Participation on Mental Health and Social Outcomes in Adults: A Systematic Review." Systematic Reviews. View study
2. Brymer, E. & Schweitzer, R. (2013). "Extreme Sports Are Good for Your Health: A Phenomenological Understanding of Fear and Anxiety in Extreme Sport." Journal of Health Psychology. View study
3. Hawley-Hague, H. et al. (2016). "Review of How We Should Define (and Measure) Adherence in Studies Examining Older Adults' Participation in Exercise Classes." BMJ Open. View study
4. Martinho, D.V. et al. (2024). "Psychological Traits of Extreme Sport Participants: A Scoping Review." BMC Psychology. View study