Structure and evolution trends of the external load in uneven bars. Analysis of...

• Author(s): Ferreirinha, José ; Silva, António ; Marques, António
• Date: 2011
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10348/1443
• Origin: Repositório da UTAD
• Subject(s): Artistic Gymnastics; External Load; Fligth Elements
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: English

Description

Introduction Specific literature in Artistic Gymnastics is rich in considerations about evolution trends of flight elements in uneven bars routines. Based on the analyses of total participants in world championships and Olympic Games we can observe that gymnasts performed more flight elements in last Olympic cycle compared with preceding cycles. In this way, the purpose of the present study was to analyse the trends in number, difficulty and direct combinations of flight elements in uneven bars routines in elite gymnasts. Methods Through the observational methodology, we constructed and validated an observation category comprising seven variables considered as indicators of the external load concerning flight elements in uneven bars. We observed 83 uneven bars routines from world championships and Olympic Games finals between 1989 and 2004. 12 competitions were framed in 4 Olympic cycles with 2 world championships and 1 Olympic Games each one. It was observed the total number of flight elements, direct combination of 2 and 3 flight elements, dificulty, number of preparation elements and body position in this kind of elements. Data was analysed with descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation). Kruskal Wallis test was used to compare general significant differences in all cycles and Mann-Whitney teste with Bonferroni correction to analyse differences between each cycle. The level of significance was established in 5% or 1.25% depending of the tests used. Results As main results we observed significant decrease in number of preparation elements from 0.15 in first cycle to 0.00 in last one. Concerning all other variables observed, we find no statistical significant differences. Elite gymnasts allways perform between 1 and 2 flight elements, is rare the combination of 2 and null the direct execution of 3 of this kind of elements. Dificulty of flight elements ranged from 0.68 and 0.76 between all cycles meaning the constant execution of 1 or 2 elements of D value. Results showed also a regular execution of flight elements in closed body position with values from 1.19 to 1.55 beside the execution in straight body position ranged from 0.20 to 0.37. Conclusion Through the observation of obtained results of elite gymnasts we may conclude that the number, direct combinations, dificulty and body position in flight elements execution contradicted the trends for a evolution on this indicators of external load in uneven bars routines.