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The goal of this study was to investigate the visual spotting hypothesis in 10 experts and 10 apprentices as they perform back aerial somersaults from a standing position with no preparatory jumps (short flight duration condition) and after some preparatory jumps with a flight time of 1s (long flight duration condition). Differences in gaze behavior and kinematics were expected between experts and apprentices and between experimental conditions. Gaze behavior was measured using a portable and wireless eye-tracking system in combination with a movement-analysis system. Experts exhibited a smaller landing deviation from the middle of the trampoline bed than apprentices. Experts showed higher fixation ratios during the take-off and flight phase. Experts exhibited no blinks in any of the somersaults in both conditions, whereas apprentices showed significant blink ratios in both experimental conditions. The findings suggest that gymnasts can use visual spotting during the back aerial somersault, even when the time of flight is delimited. We conclude that knowledge about gaze--movement relationships may help coaches develop specific training programs in the learning process of the back aerial somersault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background The study explored whether three different applications of an elastic tape on the forearms of healthy, active gymnasts influence their postural control performance during a handstand immediately and 48 hours after application. Material/Methods 24 gymnasts were randomly assigned to three groups: group 1 - elastic tape application at a gymnast's wrist joints, group 2 - elastic tape application at a gymnast's forearm muscles, and group 3 - a combination of groups 1 and 2. The gymnast's center of pressure was measured with a mobile balance platform, indicating postural control performance during a handstand. Results The gymnast's postural control performance during a handstand is affected depending on the elastic tape application and the time span the application is in situ. Elastic tape application on a gymnast's wrist joints reveals a performance increase immediately and 48 hours after application. Elastic tape application on a gymnast's forearm muscles increases performance when applied for 48 hours. Combined elastic tape application does not additionally affect gymnast's postural control performance. Conclusions Elastic tape applications can increase postural control performance during a handstand. Furthermore, it is supposed that mechano-sensory stimulation, improved attention and awareness due to elastic tape application and the belief in its effectiveness may be moderating mechanisms of this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aims of this study were, first, to investigate visual spotting and, second, to explore the functional relationships between movement structure and gaze behavior in gymnasts as they perform preparatory giant swings (traditional and scooped technique) and dismounts (single straight and double tucked salto) with increasing difficulty on the high bar. It was predicted that visual spotting would occur in all experimental tasks. Methods. Relationships between gaze behavior and movement kinematics were explored to provide a clearer picture of how gaze is interconnected with the kinematics of dismounts on the high bar. For this purpose, kinematic parameters were measured with an optical movement-analysis system while gaze behavior was measured by using a portable and wireless eye-tracking system. Results. The measurement of gaze behavior revealed that gymnasts use visual spotting in all three tasks showing fixations throughout the whole movement. Each task was furthermore characterized by a sequence of visual fixations that was thought to serve specific movement goals. In particular, fixations during the downswing phase of the preparatory giant swings were significantly correlated with the movement phases when beginning the hip extension and flexion in the 'kick through' as well as with the athlete's distance of flight during the dismounts. Conclusions. The findings suggest that gymnasts can use visual spotting during preparatory giant swings and dismounts on the high bar and that there are functional relationships between different fixations and specific movement goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In gymnastics, most skills incorporate rotations about one or more body axes. At present, the question remains open if factors such as lateral preference and/or vestibulo-spinal asymmetry are related to gymnast's rotational preference. Therefore, we sought to explore relationships in gymnast's rotation direction between different gymnastic skills. Furthermore, we sought to explore relationships between rotational preference, lateral preference, and vestibulospinal asymmetry. In the experiment n = 30 non-experts, n = 30 near-experts and n = 30 experts completed a rotational preference questionnaire, a lateral preference inventory, and the Unterberger-Fukuda Stepping Test. The results revealed, that near-experts and experts more often rotate rightward in the straight jump with a full turn when rotating leftward in the round-off and vice versa. The same relationship was found for experts when relating the rotation preference in the handstand with a full turn to the rotation preference in the straight jump with a full turn. Lateral preference was positively related to rotational preference in non-expert gymnasts, and vestibulo-spinal asymmetry was positively related to rotational preference in experts. We suggest, that gymnasts should explore their individual rotational preference by systematically practicing different skills with a different rotation direction, bearing in mind that a clearly developed structure in rotational preference between different skills may be appropriate to develop more complex skills in gymnastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]