The Relationship Between the Perceived Movement Quality and the Kinematic Pattern of Complex Skills in Gymnastics

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the perceived movement quality of a gymnastics skill and its kinematic pattern, as well as the influence of expertise. Thirty participants with different levels of gymnastics expertise (n = 10 visual experts, n = 10 motor experts and n = 10 novices) were recruited for the study. They were instructed to compare the movement quality of eleven video sequences, showing different handstand - back handspring performances. To extract the kinematics, the performances were digitized. By means of an ongoing cluster analysis, the kinematic pattern as well as the pattern of the perceived movement quality of the skills were determined for each experimental group. The results of the cluster analysis of the different experimental groups were analyzed and compared. Expertise differences were found regarding the pattern of the perceived movement quality. There was a significant correlation between the dendrograms of the visual experts and the motor experts (p = .021), as well as between the dendrograms of the visual experts and the novices (p = .011). There was no significant correlation between the dendrograms of the motor experts and the novices (p = .173). The pattern of the perceived movement quality was not correlated with the holistic kinematic pattern of judged skills (p > .143). These results suggest perceptual and cognitive differences of the participants due to their different previous visual and motor experience.

The Relationship Between Self-Confidence and Performance of Gymnastic Elements // Povezanost samopouzdanja i uspješnosti izvođenja gimnastičkih elemenata

The aim of this research was to establish a relation between self-confidence and self-concept, on the one hand, and the performance of the apparatus elements and the floor routine, on the other. The research included 29 subjects, aged 20 to 27, with the average age of the subjects being 21 years old (M= 21.16, SD= 1.54). The following measurement instruments were used: RSES (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) and SC-6, as well as the evaluation of the performance of the floor exercises (side-to-side and front-to-back cartwheel, roundoff, front and back handspring, forward and backward flip) and a vault (squat through on the vault and straddle vault with pre-flight, front handspring on vault, roundoff vault) and with the apparatus: the high bar (uprise on bars with legs together, kip, front mill circle, back circle, underswing dismount) and the parallel bars (swing, forward roll, back roll, shoulder stand, front toss dismount, back toss dismount) by a three-member committee. The results showed that Rosenberg’s confidence scale produced statistically significant correlations with all the remaining subscales of moderate or high intensity, and the highest one with the scale of the self-concept (rs= .73), while the lowest one with the scale related to the performance of gymnastic elements on the apparatus (rs = .45) (Cohen, 1988 according to Cumming, 2012). In contrast to this scale, the scale of the self-concept is in statistically significant correlation with the gymnastic elements (rs = .61) on the floor and the vault, while the statistically significant correlation of this scale is missing with the gymnastic elements on the apparatus. It can be concluded that a high level of confidence in one’s own abilities through the entire training period enabled a better access to learning, repetition and, finally, the demonstration of the selected gymnastics elements, while the level of general satisfaction was not a decisive factor in the process.

The Relation Between Motor Skills and Performance of Gymnastic Elements on the Floor Routine and the Vault // Relacije motoričkih sposobnosti i uspjeha izvođenja gimnastičkih elemenata na parteru i preskoku

The aim of this research was to establish a relationship between motor skills and performance of gymnastic elements on the floor routine and vault. A battery of 22 motor skills tests was assessed on the sample of 36 male subjects, students of Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, all of whom took the course “Sport Gymnastics 1”. The subjects were evaluated by an expert commission in the performance of the selected elements on the floor routine (side-to-side and front-to-back cartwheel, roundoff, front and back handspring, forward and backward flip) and the vault (squat through on the vault and straddle vault with pre-flight, front handspring on vault, roundoff vault). The overall results of the canonical correlation analysis indicated to the evaluation of the applied canonical model on motor tests in relation to the performance of gymnastic elements, to the canonical correlation value of 0.998 with the Chi-Square test value of 320.11, and to statistically significant correlation of used variables on level p .00280. Through further analysis, 10 canonical roots were extracted, out of which only the first one was statistically significant (p .002). Through observation of data on the correlation between motor variables and canonical roots, it can be concluded that the standing triple jump variable and the lying medicine ball throw variable have the highest projection on the canonical factor, and thus are also most significant in conditioning the results achieved. Variables of coordination, figure eight running drill with bending under rope, lateral shuffle, agility on the floor, and agility in the air, all indicate to negative projection on the first isolated canonical factor, as do the two flexibility tests, shoulder and chest opener with rod and standing shoulder extension, pointing to the fact that the subjects with lower degree of those motor skills have also had lower performance of specific gymnastic elements. Regarding the criterion variables, the results show that the front-to-back cartwheel variable had the biggest projection, while the variables side-to-side cartwheel, back handspring, backward flip, squat through on the vault with pre-flight, and roundoff vault had almost the same projection on the first canonical root, indicating the need for greater engagement of motor skills in performing the aforementioned elements.

Comparison of Back Handspring Technique Performed by Advanced Artistic Gymnasts – A Case Study

Introduction. The aim of this case study was to compare selected kinematic parameters that characterise the back handspring technique performed by advanced artistic gymnasts. Material and methods. Three elite gymnasts with varied training experience were examined in the study. The athletes performed back handsprings video-recorded at a frequency of 120 Hz. The values of selected kinematic parameters were determined using SkillSpector v.1.3.2 computer software. Results. The most substantial differences between athletes were found in the values of the horizontal velocity of the centre of mass (CoM) at the end of the back handspring. The athlete with the longest training experience achieved values which were three times higher (1.04 m/s) than those obtained by the other two athletes with shorter experience (Gymnast 2: 0.36 m/s; Gymnast 3: 0.37 m/s). The horizontal CoM velocity at the end of the back handspring declined for all the gymnasts, with the smallest decrease observed for the athlete with the longest training experience (two-fold decrease from 1.95 to 1.04 m/s) and the biggest one found for the athlete with the shortest training experience (six-fold decrease from 2.18 to 0.37 m/s). The vertical CoM velocity increased in all the athletes in the consecutive phases of the back handspring; this increase was the biggest for the athlete with the longest training experience (five-fold increase from 0.71 to 3.42 m/s) and the lowest for the athlete with the shortest training experience (three-fold increase from 1.08 to 3.24 m/s). Conclusions. The results obtained in this study demonstrated both similarities and substantial differences in the technique of performing the back handspring in artistic gymnasts with many years of training experience. In most cases, the directions of linear CoM velocities and angular velocities were similar in the joints analysed. Very similar values of angular positions were also obtained. Furthermore, the values which turned out to be the most varied were those recorded for angular velocity.

Technique Selection ‘the Coaches Challenge’ Influencing Injury Risk During the First Contact Hand of the Round off Skill in Female Gymnastics

The importance of technique selection on elbow injury risk has been identified for the key round off skill in female gymnastics, with a focus on the second contact limb. The aim of this study was to shift the focus to the first contact limb and investigate the biomechanical injury risk during parallel and T-shape round-off (RO) techniques. Seven international-level female gymnasts performed 10 trials of the RO to back-handspring with parallel and T-shape hand positions. Synchronized kinematic (3D motion analysis system; 247 Hz) and kinetic (two force plates; 1235 Hz) data were collected for each trial. The t-test with effect size statistics determined differences between the two techniques. No significant differences were found for vertical, anterior posterior and resultant ground reaction force, elbow joint kinematics and kinetics. Specifically, the results highlighted that change in technique in RO skills did not influence first contact limb elbow joint mechanics and therefore, injury risk. The findings of the present study suggest the injury potential of this skill is focused on the second limb during the parallel technique of this fundamental gymnastic skill.

Impact Modeling of Gymnastic Back-Handsprings and Dive-Rolls in Children

This study was to determine estimates of the stiffness and damping properties of the wrist and shoulder in children by examining wrist impacts on the outstretched hand in selected gymnastic activities. The influence of age, mass, and wrist and torso impact velocity on the stiffness and damping properties were also examined. Fourteen young gymnasts (ages 8 to 15 yrs) were videotaped while performing back-handspring trials or dive-rolls. Kinematic and ground reaction analysis provided input for computer simulation of the body as a rheological model with appropriate stiffness and damping. A significant positive linear relationship was obtained between wrist damping in dive rolls and age, mass, and wrist and torso impact velocity, while shoulder damping in the back-handsprings had a significant positive linear relationship with body mass. This new information on stiffness and damping at the shoulder and the wrist in children enables realistic mathematical modeling of children's physical responses to hand impact in falls. This is significant because modeling studies can now be used as an alternative to epidemiological studies to evaluate measures aimed at reducing injuries in gymnastics and other activities involving impact to the upper extremity.