Biomechanics of Gymnastics

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Yeah, I know that term isn't probably used here a lot on these forums. I'm not sure, I'm fairly new here...

What I'm wondering is, is there a place where I can learn WHY certain body positions and timings to twist, etc work in gymnastics? I know that sounds very vague, but seriously... Instead of just watching and trying to copy people or listen to a coach exactly, I want to understand why certain skills work. *sigh* this is ending up a lot more vague than I imagined... Lol.

Have you ever tried to explain how to do a skill but the person you are teaching just can't seem to perform it even though you are explaining it the best way possible? Or do you have still have habits that you don't know why you were taught that way? I have. And I have met plenty of people at my gym with the same problems.

Everyone's height and weight aren't the same. Not everyone is as short and powerful as Shawn Johnson, so telling them to tumble on the balance beam or do standing fulls on the beam may not be as easy.

But what is the same for everyone is the biomechanics, which is why doing a backflip in tuck position and layout position are completely different. Because we all know center of gravity, etc and the more you pull in the faster the rotation.

I suppose I'm looking for a more in depth explanation online. There aren't any guides online or anything and every coach is different. I hear totally contradicting advice sometimes and it makes me confused.

If you really want a specific skill for me to give you an example of, I'm working on my back full on the trampoline so I can do it on the floor. Half twisting backflips are easy, but I have no idea how to do the extra half twist.

Even though I have correct positioning for my hands on twists, I have no idea why I should place them on in a cross on my chest. I've seen olympians with different hand positions and I can do the twists exactly the same with my hands behind my head, lol.

Sorry if this is so long, I'm just so confused. I hope someone can help me out. When asking other gymnasts new skills, I'm just tired of hearing "I don't know, you just..." and then they say the name of what you are trying to do. That's like saying, "You just do 2 somersaults with a really hard double twist." lol. Yeah, easy after you can do it.

If anyone knows a place (preferrably online, or in a book) that has explanations could you please help me =).

Thanks!

-jra64
 
I'm not sure if this is what you want, but I can tell you why you don't make the 2nd half of your twist...which has nothing to do with the twist. It has to do with the rotation of your salto and your position when leaving the floor.

I read Bill Sands' stuff now and then...and every time I read it (after my brain stops spinning) it always comes down to what you already said: we are talking about individual bodies, strength, size, porportion...so any "model" is going to have to be given room for variation.

There are just certian concepts (like GRAVITY) which we have to accept...and we work from there.

By the way, I'll see Bill Sands this weekend if you have any specific questions which are REALLY SIMPLE...because otherwise he will send me home with a 3,000 page report.
 
I'm going to read that link right now =D. Both of your posts were very helpful to me. I am going to record my position on my take off for my full twist. I never really thought about that.
 
I'm can't find where to edit my post, so I suppose I will have to make a new one =). I guess what I am looking for is something like this.

Handbook of GYMNASTICS, TUMBLING & TRAMPOLINE Gymnast - eBay (item 370078229718 end time Aug-23-08 15:12:25 PDT)

It is called, "Illustrated Handbook of Gymnastics, Tumbling, and Trampoline." It's pretty much a biomechnical approach to gymnastics.


I didn't actually see anything on the website with any biomechanics. What you are talking about might be in the members section and I'm not a member. If anyone here has a membership and trusts me using their account to view the article that would be awesome, but I definitely understand if you don't want to do that =).

Also, who is technique

Also I'm not sure if Technique still has all their stuff online, but there is alot of articles in past issue about it.

Who or where on the web is "Technique"?

Thanks for the responses =).
 
Technique is the USAG magazine for coaches. I like it, although I usually have two words for them when I read through the average issue: "copy edit." The content is well enough though.

There's a USECA video on twisting I've seen, the most interesting bit of information for me was that studies by physicists have confirmed that twisting does not increase the rotation speed for a (perfectly straight) body. The "twisting increases rotation" phenomenon we see in tumbling is generally due to the tumbler shortening the length of one side of the body more dramatically to complete more twists.
 
I'm can't find where to edit my post, so I suppose I will have to make a new one =). I guess what I am looking for is something like this.

Handbook of GYMNASTICS, TUMBLING & TRAMPOLINE Gymnast - eBay (item 370078229718 end time Aug-23-08 15:12:25 PDT)

It is called, "Illustrated Handbook of Gymnastics, Tumbling, and Trampoline." It's pretty much a biomechnical approach to gymnastics.



I didn't actually see anything on the website with any biomechanics. What you are talking about might be in the members section and I'm not a member. If anyone here has a membership and trusts me using their account to view the article that would be awesome, but I definitely understand if you don't want to do that =).

Also, who is technique



Who or where on the web is "Technique"?

Thanks for the responses =).

I probably have about 10 volumes of Technique sitting around my place as we speak. PM me and I can send them out to you, if you want them. Otherwise, you will need to get a USAG membership, which means the background check and everything else.
 
I probably have about 10 volumes of Technique sitting around my place as we speak. PM me and I can send them out to you, if you want them. Otherwise, you will need to get a USAG membership, which means the background check and everything else.

They have subscription information on the USAG website that says nothing about becoming a USAG member, so I assume anyone can subscribe who would like. Without a background check.

http://www2.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/technique/subscription.html

~Katy
 
You can just see most of the articles in the link, no? I have a subscription but I don't have to enter any info or anything. You just hit "whatever issue selected index" and then it appears you have to do some weird virtual page flipping and open it as an HTML or PDF now, but it's still there.
 

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