Computer Simulation of Kinetics Relationship between Gymnast and Mat

Landing mats are essential for the safe completion of landing impact in gymnastics. Shock absorption and stability during landing impact is provided by both gymnasts’ ability and mat properties. The aim is to determine the influence of different characteristics of mat on mat-ground reaction forces. A subject-specific model with 12 segments rigid body and a model about landing mat in floor exercise were developed by computer simulation. The stiffness and dampness of landing mat influenced the peak of vertical ground reaction force and time to peak, but there were significant correlations between the friction of landing mat and the peak of horizontal ground reaction force and time to peak.

Modeling a Viscoelastic Gymnastics Landing Mat during Impact

Landing mats that can undergo a large amount of area deformation are now essential for the safe completion of landings in gymnastics. The objective of this study was to develop an analytical model of a landing mat that reproduces the key characteristics of the mat-ground force during impact with minimal simulation run time. A force plate and two high-speed video cameras were used to record the mat deformation during vertical drop testing of a 24-kg impactor. Four increasingly complex point mass spring-damper models, from a single mass spring-damper system, Model 1, to a 3-layer mass spring-damper system, Model 4, were constructed using Matlab to model the mat's behavior during impact. A fifth model composed of a 3-layer mass spring-damper system was developed using visual Nastran 4D. The results showed that Models 4 and 5 were able to match the loading phase of the impact with simulation times of less than 1 second for Model 4 and 28 seconds for Model 5. Both Models 4 and 5 successfully reproduced the key force-time characteristics of the mat-ground interface, such as peak forces, time of peak forces, interpeak minima and initial rates of loading, and could be incorporated into a gymnast-mat model.

Landing Strategy Adjustments Made by Female Gymnasts in Response to Drop Height and Mat Composition

In this study, drop height and landing mat composition were hypothesized to influence the landing strategies preferred by female gymnasts. Adjustments in strategy in response to changes in drop height and mat composition were identified by comparison of mechanical variables characterizing two-foot competition-style drop landings from three heights onto two different mats varying in composition (i.e., soft vs. stiff). Force-time characteristics of the landings were quantified (1000 Hz) by a force plate fully supporting the mat. Segment kinematics were recorded simultaneously with shuttered video (60 Hz). Significant differences (ANOVA; p < .05) in peak vertical force, landing phase time, time to peak vertical force, and lower extremity kinematics were found across drop heights. Only time to vertical impact peak and minimum knee angular position produced significant differences between the soft and stiff mats. These results indicate changes in drop height and mat composition may elicit changes in landing strategies of female gymnasts.