Biomechanics in Olympic Sports

1
Biomechanics in Olympic Sports

• Wendy Guevara
• Kristy Long
• Kristy Greenhalgh
• Juan Torres

2
Overview

• Apparel
• Equipment
• Technology

3
Using Biomechanics to Improve Sports Apparel

• New developments in sport apparel are aiding
  Olympic athletes improve their winning odds in a
  wide range of events
• Such apparel can provide advantages that mean the
  difference between silver and gold in elite
  competitions
• (Schrof et al 42), (http//exploratorium 1995).
  

4
A Few Examples

• Swimming
• TYR Aqua Shift Suit, worn by Erik Vednt, U.S.
  silver medalist
• Speedo Fastskin FSII, worn by Michael Phelps in
  Sydney Olympics

5
A Few More

• Speed Skating
• SPEEDWYRE by Spyder Active Sports
• Triathlon
• Running/Swimming apparel
• Cycling apparel

6
Swimming

• SPEEDO
• Fastskin II (Speedo) uses rough and
• smooth material on different parts of
• the body
• Seams made of high-stretch thread follow in the
  direction of water flow
• Raised ridges on chest and back create
  microscopic vortices that the
• company says reduces drag
• Titanium scales on suits inner forearm area are
  designed to help the swimmer grip the water
• Los Angeles Times April 12, 2004

7
Swimming

• TYR
• Aqua Shift Suit features a series of horizontal,
  3mm tall tubes which reduces the overall drag by
  15-20, according to the company
• The tubes cause the turbulence to flare earlier
  and these allow the water to reattach itself to
  the athlete

8
Speed Skating

• SPEEDWYRE was developed during 1995 and 1996 by
  Spyder Active Sports, Inc. of Boulder, Colorado,
• SPEEDWYRE reduces the amount of wake behind a
  blunt object.
• SPEEDWYRE is a "trip wire" that is incorporated
  into the surface of a suit or garment.
• The correct placement of SPEEDWYRE on the legs,
  arms, and torso of a suit can result in
  significant reduction in aerodynamic drag,
  improved flow stability, and increased heat
  transfer.

9
Triathlon

• Swimming/Running
• Skinsuit made with triathlon-specific lycra that
  molds to your body even when wet
• The wind slides over the suit just like the water
  does during the swim leg of the triathlon
• Cycling
• Research shows that the easiest way to lighten
  the bike is to focus on the parts moving in a
  circular motion
• Edmund R. Burke, Ph.D., a well known author of
  several books on cycling physiology and training,
  has stated that 1 pound added to a wheel or
  shoe/pedal system is equivalent to nearly 2
  pounds on a bicycle frame. (Velonews Vol 28, No
  16)

10
Equipment

• Biomechanics is used to improve the efficiency of
  sport equipment

11
Javelin

• Old vs. New

12
Javelin

• Change in center of gravity

13
(No Transcript)
14
Discus

• Ang. Momentum Rotary Inertia X Ang. Velocity
• Rotary Inertia Smass X (radius)2

15
Hammer

• Ang. Momentum Rotary Inertia X Ang. Velocity
• Rotary Inertia Smass X (radius)2

16
Pole Vault

• Change in Ends of Bar

17
The New Vaulting Table
18
The Tongue

• Suggested in 1993
• First test at 2001 World Championships
• Official replacement in 2003

19
Advantages

• Safety
• More aggressive vaults
• Faster learning times
• Unisex

20
Effective Hand Contact Area

• Old 20 x 12 (50cm x 30cm)
• New 20 x 20 (50cm x 50cm)
• 40 more surface area

21
Disadvantages

• Adjustments
• Less hand support

22
Change in Types of Vaults

• More round-off entry vaults
• Less front handspring vaults

23
Speed Skating

• Technique can be compared to running
• greater leg extension more power
• Leg cant fully extend without toeing off
• Skaters train to stop push prior to flexing the
  ankle
• - Reduces stride length
• - Reduces power
• Result development of the Klapskate

24
Klapskate vs. Traditional Skate

• Back of blade disconnects from heel of skate
• Pivot point is placed under ball of foot

25
Klapskate

• Idea is 100 years old
• Developed by Gerrit Jan Van Ingen Schenau
• His research led to comparison between plantar
  flexion in speedskating running or jumping

26
Klapskate

• Upon creation, researchers needed to determine if
  full extension could be achieved if the leg
  could move faster than its max speed
• Vertical jump studied to understand the
  intermuscular coordination

27
Klapskate

• Inventors created the Jumping Jack
• Jumping off heels is like skating in conventional
  skates, while jumping normally is like skating in
  Klapskates
• 2 higher normal jump 1/100th sec/stride faster
• Elite skaters skate 50 strides/lap

28
Klapskate

• Originally named Slapskate
• English speaking nations influenced change to
  Klapskate
• 10 years after availability, the 1996-97 female
  Dutch team gave the Klapskate international
  recognition
• Now required to compete

29
Technology and Performance Improvements

• Advancing at a fast rate
• Allowing athletes to perform at higher standards
  and perform feats once considered impossible.
• Athletes arent the only ones competing head to
  head during the Olympics There are technological
  duels as well.
• Designers and engineers labor to shave
  thousandths of a second off the times of speed.

30
Technology and Performance Improvements

• Equipment Improvements
• -Designs of shoes, apparel, implements
• Technique Improvements
• Biomechanical analysis methods
• -Qualitative (correct actions to improve in
  skill)
• -Quantitative (more effective techniques)
• Training Improvements
• -modifications in training
• -analysis of technique deficiencies can I.D.
  type of training the athlete requires to improve

31
Equipment Improvements

• New developments in sport equipment are helping
  Olympic athletes improve their winning odds.
• Material substitution such as stronger lighter
  carbon for aluminum.
• New designs

32
Equipment Improvements
33
Equipment Improvements In Olympic Games

• Michael Johnsons unique 3.4 ounce, ultra light
  shoes
• Newly designed oars with hatchet shaped blades
  that move more water with each stroke
• New bats made from ultra light metal alloy, which
  propel balls further and faster.
• Smart skis equipped with sensors that measure
  vibration from the shifting terrain. These
  sensors cause the skis to stiffen and relax and
  help maintain control at extremely high speeds.

34
Technique Improvements

• New technologies are being developed to enhance
  precise data analysis from Digital Cameras and
  Video Cameras

35
Technique Improvements

• CompuTrainer by RacerMate, Inc.
• - Utilizes state of the art Interactive 3D
  graphics to simulate hills, curves, split screens
  and panoramic helicopter views.
• - Hundreds of preloaded courses and the
  capability to create any course.
• SpinScan is a graphic video biofeedback used to
  evaluate the impact of small adjustments to bike
  position to find a dynamic bike fit.

36
(No Transcript)
37
SpinScan pedal stroke analyzer of the
CompuTrainer

• The high peaks and low valleys, or flat spots,
  represent a choppy, pedal mashing style that does
  not maximize power distribution.

• The flat and even bar-graph shows a more optimal
  pedaling mechanics.

38
Wind Tunnel Technology

• Aerodynamic Analysis will improve biomechanical
  positioning to suit your flexibility, breathing
  and power output.
• Simultaneously Measure Drag and Power Output

39
Movement Analysis Software

• The SwingTrainer is a complete swing analysis
  system that monitors all aspects of sports
  movements involving golf clubs, baseball bats,
  tennis racquets and hockey sticks.
• Eight sensors precisely monitor the position and
  orientation of 36 points on the body and sports
  object at the rate of 144 times per second.   
  The data is used to render a model of you and
  provide data on such characteristics as shoulder
  rotation, club or bat speed, balance, center of
  mass, etc. 

40
The SwingTrainer
The SwingTrainer
41
Virtual Reality Bobsled Simulator

• The dynamics of the sled is calculated in real
  time. The program is fed track data and driver
  steering input, and it solves the equations of
  motion and draws a picture on the screen from the
  driver's point of view. Data is sent from the
  workstation to a motion control system which
  plays the sounds of a bobsled, rolls the cockpit,
  and provides force feedback to the driver.
• Intended to help train the United States Olympic
  Bobsled Team. The drivers can take as many
  practice runs in a day as they like, work on one
  section of a track at a time, practice different
  tracks without having to travel, compare their
  "lines" to other drivers, and get quantitative
  feedback after each run.

42
Virtual Reality Bobsled Simulator
43
Technology And Training Improvement

• A qualitative biomechanical analysis of an
  actual performance should be done to identify
  deficiencies in technique, strength, power,
  endurance, or flexibility.
• Prescribe drills and exercises that are specific
  to the aspect of the skill that is deficient, or
  that closely simulates the specific exercise used
  in the technique training.

44
Technology And Training Improvement
45
References

• Boyle, Allen. The high tech race for Olympic
  Gold. MSNBC http//www.msnbc.com/news/693675.asp?
  cp11
• CompuTrainer. http//www.computrainer.com/index.as
  p
• Do you want a lighter bike? November 12, 1999.
  www.rocket7.com,
• http//www.rocket7.com/nov1219soyou.html
• Duncan, Douglas. Klapskate. http//www.gironet.n
  l/home/cvstaave/schaatsen/article/klapskateDouglas
  duncan.htm. accessed 9/6/03.
• Elliott, Helene. New Wave of Suits. Los
  Angeles Times. 4/12/04.
• McGinnis, Peter M. Biomechanics of Sport and
  Exercise. (1999).
• New Vault for the EliteNew Vault for 2001
  http//www.girlstalksports.com/Olympic_Report/Olym
  pic_Gymnastics/olympic_gymnastics.html. accessed
  8/26/04.
• Olympic Pictures. http//www.athens2004.com/
• Rand, Tim. New Vaulting Table.
  http//www.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/techniq
  ue/2003/1/newvaulttable.html. accessed 8/26/04.

46
References

• Root, Emily, Andrea Domonkos, Miriam Granek, and
  Matthew Hustler. Has Science Improved Sport?
  http//web.media.mit.edu/intille/st/has_science_i
  mproved_sport.html
• Sands, Wm A. Ph.D., C.S.C.S. and Jeni R. McNeal,
  Ph.D., C.S.C.S. Some Guidelines on the
  Transition from the Old Horse to the New Table.
  12/14/01.
  http//www.usa-gymnastics.org/women/2
  001/vaulttablerecs.pdf. accessed 9/6/04.
• Speedo.com
• Swimming Flume. http//www.endlesspools.com/main.h
  tml
• Swing Trainer (MotionMonitorä ).
  http//www.innsport.com/
• The Klapskate Invented By Human Movement
  Scientists. http//www.fbw.vu.nl/preview/klapskat
  e.html. accessed 9/6/03.
• The New Vault The Tongue. 11/5/02.
  http//georgiadogs.collegesports.com/sports/w-gym/
  spec-rel/110502aaa.html. accessed 9/6/03.
• Training. http//www.swimcords.com/products.html
• Trump, Bob. Track Field Images.
  
  Javelin http//server1070.gisol.c
  om/bobtrump/NewJav.jpg
  Javelin Thrower http//server1070.gis
  ol.com/bobtrump/speerani2.gif
  Discus Thrower http//server1070.g
  isol.com/bobtrump/diskani99g.gif
  Pole Vaulter
  http//server1070.gisol.com/bobtrump/stablern3ran
  i.gif
• TYR.com