Now this is cool. Scroll down to see all kinds of graphics on our World Champion.
(via Chalk Bucket)
Category: biomechanics
centre of mass over base of support
“pulling in” on Flyaway
I’m at a coaching course right now. As always we spent disproportionate time on this skill
Dr. Bill Sands posted an article on the Biomechanics of Flyaway dismount on Bars. A good read for every coach.
I want to do EVERYTHING I can to prevent my gymnasts from hitting their feet on the rail. Or – worse – their head. 😦
Most dangerous, in my opinion, are tucked and double tucked flyaways. While changing position from the stretched long swing to the tucked position, there’s a chance the gymnast will “pull in” to the Bar. That is to say, redirect the path of the Centre of Mass towards the Bar.
That’s in addition to the normal problem – releasing too late.
What we WANT is a “pitch out” of the Centre of Mass. A redirection out and away just before release.
For me layout and double layout flyaways are safest. Then piked.
See it on The Advanced Study of Gymnastics – How Does a Flyaway Work? (link is now correct)
Gymnastics – 3D laser sensors?
This looks interesting.
2016 The Japan Gymnastics Association, Fujitsu Limited, and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced an agreement to conduct joint research on scoring support technology for gymnastics competitions. This research will combine Fujitsu Laboratories’ 3D laser sensors and 3D data processing technology–to discern athlete’s joint position and technique–with the Japan Gymnastics Association’s expertise in recognizing proper gymnastics techniques. …
(via GymCastic)
Kailah Delaney – Vault
Gymnastics – safest landing positions
Dr. Dave Tilley is concerned:
… the unfortunate reality is that the typical way gymnasts were taught to land growing up (me included) may not be the safest for them and most effective to stick skills. Not to mention coaches are also unfortunately very mis-informed about what the best available science suggests for proper landing mechanics. The concerning typical landing position that we need to move away from is one of
• Knees and feet together
• Glutes engage with the “hips tucked under” into hollow
• Knee dominant landing strategy
• Stiff impact with upright torso… The reality of the situation is that we need to change the way gymnasts land, starting from a very young age. The more ideal landing we should be teaching and forcing athletes to use is
• Feet hip width apart
• toes, knees, hips, and shoulders close to inline (generally)
• core engaged in relative neutral (not excessively hollowed or arched)
• proper angular displacement of the hip and knee joints
• hip angle generally 30 degrees, and trunk / tibial lines close to parallel …
With greatly increased difficulty being competed now and into the future, obviously the “best” landing positions are the ones that bring impact forces to zero with the least risk of injury, especially major injuries like ligament ruptures.
Most of the top male gymnasts in 2016 land their difficult skills in a very typical way.
Check these successful WAG landing positions. (Some are luck, of course. But many are skillful.)
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
see gravity for yourself
I’m not sure what all this means, but scientists are pretty excited right now. 🙂
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
For gymnasts, gravity still sucks.
(via Robert Scoble)
G.S. George – “Accelerating the Rotation”
Close your eyes while coaching tumbling. Can you hear the acceleration?
See this article excerpted from Championship Gymnastics and edited by Dwight Normile of International Gymnast Magazine.
G.S. George – Somersault Rotation
While rotating in the air, the more you bring body parts closer to the axis, the faster you spin.
See this article excerpted from Championship Gymnastics and edited by Dwight Normile of International Gymnast Magazine.
To decelerate, move parts of the body further from the axis.
22 G.S. George articles
An archive of newsletter articles by Dr. Gerald George can be found here.
A sample — “The Mechanics of Impact“:
… The effectiveness of the take-off sets the uppermost limits of what the gymnast can hope to obtain during the airborne phase of any skill. During this moment, the path (trajectory) followed by the performer’s center of gravity, as well as the quantity of rotary motion (angular momentum) available for skill execution, are irrevocably established. …
Once the gun has been fired, there is no turning back…for the trajectory and momentum of its bullet are irrevocably established! …
Gymnastics Coaching.com 