Kinesiology, Vol. 45. No. 1., 2013.
Original scientific paper
The influence of different twists in the forward and backward somersault on increased landing asymmetries
Miha Marinšek
orcid.org/0000-0002-2018-0059
; Faculty of Education, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Ivan Čuk
; Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract
The aim of this research was to determine if additional twists in the forward and backward somersaults increase landing asymmetries. Twelve gymnasts from the Slovenian national artistic gymnastics team took part in the research. Each gymnast performed various stretched forward and backward somersaults with or without a twist. We used several dynamic and kinematic variables to assess landing asymmetry. Reaction forces and pressure values under each foot were collected with the Parotec insole pressure measurement system. The data was normalized by the gymnast’s body mass. Ariel Performance Analysis System was used to calculate the kinematic variables. Our results showed that most of the forward and backward somersaults with twists on the floor landed asymmetrically (17-50%). Somersaults with 1/2 twist landed 50-58% asymmetrically, somersaults with 1/1 twist 67-75% and somersaults with 3/2 twist 58-83%. The asymmetries on landing rose with the task complexity. The asymmetries were displayed in the time of landing, vertical hip velocity at touchdown, maximum force and pressure distribution. The landing time differences between the legs were up to -13.09±12.98ms and up to 4.08±7.61ms for the forward and backward somersaults, respectively. The hip velocity at touchdown differed between the hips up to 0.71m/s for forward and 0.54m/s for the backward somersaults. Maximal force difference between the feet normalized by body mass ranged from 0.98 to 1.03 times body weight. The forward landings showed a bigger pressure on the heels at the moment of the biggest ground reaction force in comparison to the backward landings.
Keywords
acrobatics; mistakes; somersaults; twists; leading leg
Hrčak ID:
104585
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2013.
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