HOW SAFE ARE THE CODE OF POINTS LANDING TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS IN ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS? PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Abstract

To examine the effect of the code of points landing technical requirements in artistic gymnastics, eight female artistic gymnasts performed backward somersault dismounts off a 90 cm vaulting box. Three dimensional motion as well as upper back accelerations were measured for three landing techniques: current competition landing with feet together (FT); competition landing with a step back (SB); landing with feet shoulder width apart (FA). Group average impact forces were lowest for the FA technique; individual analyses showed SB or FA techniques were safer for 75% of gymnasts. Upper back accelerations indicating how well they could control the impact shock did not differ between the three landing techniques. The landing rule in gymnastics does have an effect on the initial and werall impact loads for backward somersault dismounts.