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The Staircase Effect
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Although Vaulting can be conceived of as a specialized form of tumbling, their mechanics are essentially the same. However, Vaulting is distinctive in that, for any given vault element, the performer is required to travel from a region of lower location (floor), to a region of higher one (board), to one of even higher (vault table) prior to landing. Just as a runner attempting to ascend a flight of stairs with great speed would want to contact each oncoming step while still rising from the preceding step, so too should the vaulter attempt to contact the board as well as the vault table while the body is still rising in the ascent phase of the respective trajectories, i.e., the hurdle trajectory to the board and the pre-flight trajectory to the table.
This Staircase Effect is readily observed in figure 11.2 by comparing the hurdle, pre-flight, and post-flight trajectories. Notice the performer makes foot contact with the board while her mass center is at--or at least very near-the apex of a short, flat, and fast hurdle trajectory. The earlier in the hurdle trajectory the performer impacts the board, the less unwarranted downward motion she has to contend with during take-off.
Figure 11.2. The Staircase Effect in Vaulting: adding an impulse to an already-rising body.
The same principle holds true for pre-flight. The earlier in the pre-flight trajectory the performer impacts the vault table, the less unwarranted downward motion she has to contend with during actual "repulsion." Notice the hands contact the table during the ascent of the pre-flight, so repulsion can occur while her center of mass is still rising!
So remember:
"Adding an impulse to an already-rising body
is
the hidden component to championship Vaulting."
*This article excerpted from Championship Gymnastics: Biomechanical Techniques for Shaping Winners. For additional information, see Chapter 11, "Concepts of Vaulting," page 232-233.
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