FORCE COMPARISON OF BACKWARD LONGSWINGS ON HIGH BAR AND UNEVEN PARALLEL BAR

Abstract

This study constitutes the initial phase of ongoing research into the biomechanics of men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics. The backward longswing is a crucial element of all high bar (HB) and uneven parallel bar (UB) routines and is exploited as a means of developing the angular momentum and release parameters required for the successful completion of complex release and re-grasp skills (Witten et al., 1996). Kerwin and Hiley (2003) found that the forces applied at the bar can be estimated to within 7% by analysing the bar displacement.