The Modeling of a Gymnastics Flight Element on the Women'S Uneven Parallel Bars: 862: May 29 4:30 PM - 4:45 PM

From its inception, performance in the sport of gymnastics has relied on biomechanical principals to create movement patterns and static postures that appear almost impossible. Flight elements in gymnastics are of particular biomechanical interest because they combine both swinging and aerial skills. The Jäger flight element is performed from a front swing where the gymnast lets go of the bar near horizontal and completes a front somersault in the air before re-catching the bar and swinging in the opposite direction.

PURPOSE: To use simple modeling, motion capture, and biomechanical analysis techniques to analyze the preflight and flight phases of a Jäger release move on the women's uneven parallel bars. The goal was to determine if the swing prior to release provides sufficient angular momentum to complete the skill.

METHODS: A human figure was modeled using a series of cylinders and spheres with appropriate morphological characteristics to determine the kinetics of the flight element prior to release. The data was analyzed in conjunction with digitized video of the pre- flight phase from a pre-existing video recording. The model's kinematic and kinetic parameters were integrated over time to determine the minimum angular momentum required to complete a front somersault in the air before re-catching the bar.

RESULTS: The kinematics of the swing prior to release did not provide sufficient angular momentum to execute the skill. 28.2 kgm²/s of angular momentum was generated during the swing phase. Under optimum moment of inertia parameters a minimum angular momentum of 31.4 kgm²/s was required to complete the somersault.

CONCLUSION: The gymnast must generate a greater angular momentum about the bar during the swing phase by rapidly extending the legs about the hip joint before release. The combination of the front swing with the additional leg extension can provide sufficient angular momentum to complete the entire front somersault in the air before re-catching the bar. Gymnasts must learn to modify their swing technique prior to release to incorporate the additional leg motion to effectively complete a Jäger on the women's uneven parallel bars.