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Purpose: Visual information is utilized in gymnastics vaulting. The question remains as to which informational sources are used to regulate handspring performance. The purpose of this study was to examine springboard and vaulting table position as informational sources in gymnastics vaulting. The hypothesis tested was that the approach-run and handspring kinematics change as a function of the position of the springboard and the position of the vaulting table. Method: Kinematic parameters of 14 female expert gymnasts' approach runs and handsprings on vault were examined, while manipulating the position of the springboard, the position of the vaulting table, or both. Results: The results revealed that feet positioning during the approach run and takeoff varied predominantly as a function of the position of the springboard. The positioning of the hands on the vaulting table varied as a function of the position of the vaulting table. Furthermore, a combined manipulation of both the position of the springboard and the position of the vaulting table led to differences in feet positioning during the approach run and during takeoff, as well as to differences in hand positioning during the repulsion phase and differences in the duration of the second flight phase. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the positions of the springboard and the vaulting table are relevant informational sources in gymnastics vaulting, whereas the effect of both informational sources unfolds on different kinematic parameters. Training programs aiming to enhance gymnasts' ability to use visual information during vaulting may be fruitful in motor skill acquisition in gymnastics. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

Background: The Mass Participation Sporting Events (MPSE) have multiplied throughout the 20th century, consolidating themselves as an important socio-cultural phenomenon in the contemporary society. In this sense, the gymnastics festivals have been an integral part of the gymnastics community since the last two decades of the 19th century and even currently represent a prominent venue for promoting sports participation. Purpose: This study analyses participants' motivation to join the XVI World Gymnaestrada (WG) held in Dornbirn (Austria) in 2019, one of the most important international non-competitive gymnastics festivals. Materials and methods: Using a quantitative approach, the Goal Content for Exercise Questionnaire (GCEQ) was applied to 1024 participants (813 females and 211 males), aged 18 to 85 years, and statistically analysed using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Gender, age group, and amount of WG participation were treated as between-subject factors, while the GCEQ factors (Social Affiliation, Image, Health Management, Social Recognition, and Skill Development) were used as dependent variables. Results: Social Affiliation is the most important motivational factor, followed by Skill Development and Health Management. Motivational factors varied according to the age group and the number of participations in the WG. Conclusions: The most relevant motivational factors for participating in this event are intrinsic factors, which corroborates WG's non-competitive nature and reveals different interests to join this gymnastics festival. In addition, more frequent WG participation increases the importance of Social Affiliation. These data reveal the importance of non-competitive sporting events and long-term participation, especially for fostering social relationships between participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A team's cognitions of interpersonally coordinated actions are a crucial component for successful team performance. Here, we present an approach to practice team action by way of imagery and examine its impact on team cognitions in long-term memory. We investigated the impact of a 4-week team action imagery intervention on futsal players' mental representations of team-level tactics. Skilled futsal players were assigned to either an imagery training group or a no imagery training control group. Participants in the imagery training group practiced four team-level tactics by imagining team actions in specific game situations for three times a week. Results revealed that the imagery training group's representations were more similar to that of an expert representation after the intervention compared with the control group. This study indicates that team action imagery training can have a significant impact on players' tactical skill representations and thus order formation in long-term memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An observer's perception of motion aesthetics strongly relies on the interplay between aspects of the motion stimuli, the sensory and motor expertise of the observer, and the context in which the stimuli are perceived. However, whether a fit in observers' and performers' sensory and motor expertise can boost aesthetic motion perception when observing complex motor skills, is still to be investigated. Thus, it was hypothesized that a fit between observers' and performers' sensory and motor expertise could boost aesthetic motion perception of complex motor skills. Expert and intermediate freerunners performed three different freerunning skills. Observers with varying levels of expertise were asked to indicate their perception of motion aesthetics when observing video sequences of expert and intermediate freerunning skill performances. Results indicate that a fit between observers' and performers' sensory and motor expertise levels does not boost aesthetic motion perception. In contrast, motor skill performances of expert freerunners are perceived as more aesthetically than intermediate freerunning performances from all three observer groups: expert freerunning observers, intermediate freerunning observers, and laypeople. Instead of a fit between the performer's and the observer's sensory and motor expertise, it is argued that object-driven parameters of a complex motor skill performance seem to be related to a rather universal embodied aesthetic motion perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Sport participation might have very different goals, especially for non-competitive events. This study analyses the motivation of participants to join in the XV World Gymnaestrada in Helsinki in 2015, which is considered one of the largest international non-competitive gymnastics festival worldwide. Methods: The Goal Content for Exercise Questionnaire (GCEQ) was applied to 86 adults (56 female/30 male) and analyzed statistically. In addition, 24 short interviews were conducted and the data were analyzed by a Content Analysis. Results: "Social Affiliation" and "Skill Development" seem to be the principal motivations. Both are more important for women than for men. "Social Recognition" was also of particular relevance for the participants. Finally, the number of WG participations shows the same tendency in motivation for beginners and very experienced participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]