STUDY OF XIAO JUNFENG'S FRONT HANDSPRING TO SOMERSAULT FORWARD STRETCHED WITH 900 DEGREE TWIST BY BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

It is well known that new and difficult performances occur constantly and stimulate the development of gymnastics. The focuses in performance are the connection and all kinds of somersault and twist technique. Lately, no matter whether in domestic or international competition, the front handspring to somersault with certain difficulty has been used frequently. It is worth mention that from 1993 to 1996 the international rules of gymnastics were changed, increasing the difficulty value of the front somersault. That means that the front somersault gets more points than the back somersault, even for a performance turn of the same degree. The front handspring connecting somersault forward stretched and twist performance is being concentrated on by coaches and athletics. Even some experts considered the front handspring to somersault forward stretched with twist performance as part of the future of free gymnastics. Xiao Junfeng was one of the athletes of the Chinese gymnastic team. He was the first athlete to perform the front handspring to somersault forward with a 900 degree twist. He won the title champion of the world gymnastics championships in 1997. The purpose of this study is to analyze the technique of his performance by biomechanical methods. The subject was Xiao Junfeng ( age: 17 years old, Height: 1.60 m, Weight: 50 kg). HUAHANG KS 16-mm camera and TP-301 film analysis systems and a KISTLER 3-dimensional testing force platform were use to collect the data of the front handspring to somersault forward stretched with a 900 degree twist performance.