Id1890 Vladimir Potop 27 07 2017 Isbn Final [631668]

http://dx.doi.org/
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Analysis of the Influence of Sensorimotor
Coordination Development on Floor Acrobatic
Training in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
Vladimir POTOP1*, Ion CARP2
Abstract
This paper aims to highlight the influence of sensorimotor coordination development on
biomechanical characteristics in double back somersault executed on the floor by junior gymnasts
aged 12 to 15 years. The following methods were used to achieve the goal and objectives of the
research: analysis of specialized literature; method of pedagogical observation; method of pedagogical
experiment; method of tests; video computerized method of biomechanical analysis; statistical –
mathematical method and method of graphical representation. A number of 3 tests of evaluation of
sensorimotor coordination were used during this study: test 1 –”Briuk” test, static balance; test 2
– static-kinematic stability and test 3 – stuck landing. The biomechanical analysis was made by
means of Physics ToolKit program, monitoring the key elements of sports technique used in double
back somersault on floor. The study findings show the level of sensorimotor coordination
development in terms of spatial -temporal orientation, vestibular coordination and balance,
kinematic and dynamic analysis of sports technique key elements regarding body segments
trajectories, angular speeds and force momentum during double back somersault on floor. Also, the
evaluation of sensorimotor coordination consistent with the biomechanical analysis of sports
technique of floor acrobatic elements in the case of junior gymnasts aged 12 to 15 highlights their
influence on the technical training and performances achieved in competitions.
Keywords: Gymnastics , biomechanics, sensorimotor coordination, performance.

1 Doctor of science in Physical Training and Sport, Ecological University of Bucharest,
Romania, [anonimizat] .
2 Doctor in pedagogical sciences, State University of Physical Education and Sport, Chisinau,
Republic of Moldova, [anonimizat] .

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1. Introduction
The coordinative skills of athletes are quite different and specific to
each sports branch. However they can be distinguished in conformity with
the particularities of manifestation, criteria of evaluation and conditioning
factors. In training and competi tion real practice, all coordinative abilities are
not manifested separately but in a complex interaction [13].
Thus , the coordin ative abilities designate a complex of
predominantly psycho -motor skills including the ability to teach fast new
movements, to adapt quickly and efficiently to various conditions, specific to
different types of activities, by the reconfiguration of the motor background
[7]. According to Blume (1981), quoted by Manno , the coordinative abilities
are organized under the form of a system, taking into consideration the
inter-conditioning of components and their purposes [8]. The manifestation
forms of the coordinative abilities can be defined as follows [9]: general
coordinative abilities, specific coordinative abilities and coordinative abilities
under the conditions of other motor skills.
According to Berstein (1991), the optim al operation of the s ensitive
vestibular system has a great importance for achieving high results in
different branches of sport, primarily in those sports in which the athlete
must have a very good sensory -motor coordination. The increas ing sports
mastery and c ompetitive prog rams difficulty require a specialized analysis to
reveal the influence of different factors upon the vestibular analyzer and also
the influence of the mechanical forces resulted from the inertial forces in
linear and angular accelerations [2].
In terms of physiolog y, the coordination capacity can be defined as a
complex psycho -motor quality based on the correlation between the central
nervous system and the skeletal muscles during the perform ance of a
movement [5].
The regulation of body posture – aspirati on of the body to
functional order, to the updating and coordination of human body units in
balance – is an effective solution to define the motor tasks [3].
Because coordination is a natural inherited capacity , the specific
methods to develop it are quite few in compar ison with other bio -motor
capacities. During the coordination development stages , the coach must try
to use exercises of progressive increasing complexity. The difficulty and
complexity of a skill can be increased by using situations, differe nt sport s
equipment and facilities [4].
According to the compositional requirements and the specific of the
apparatus (floor), women’s artistic gymnastics uses different walkovers and
somersaults belonging to different groups, forwards, backwards, sideways ;

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the double somersault is a mandatory compositional requirement. Knowing
the correlative connections between the sensorimotor coordination
indicators, biomechanical ones and the performance of junior female
gymnasts aged 12 to 15 years and also the signif icance of these connections
can contribute to the more efficient development of the modern didactical
programs of learning.
2. Problem Statement
With regard to the manifestation forms of the coordinat ion capacity
(skill) in artistic gymnastics, it includes a series of ”senses” or psychomotor
skills, namely [11]: sense of balance; sense of orientation in space; sense of
coordination of the movements made by the moving segments; sense of
coordination of large muscle groups; sense of decomposition and analysis of
movements; sense of rhythm; sense of assessment of distance, direction,
velocity, amplitude and degree of strain. The coordinative capacity is largely
dependent on the efficiency of the analyzers that influence directly the
process of movement guidance and control. These analyzers cooperate and
complement each other as follows [5, 12]: static -dynamic (vestibular)
analyzer ; kinesthetic analyzer ; touch analyzer ; sound analyzer ; optical
analyzer .
Thanks to its rich and diverse content, the floor is the longest event
(in terms of length of time) of high dynamism and spectacularity. The floor
exercises include a great variety of predominantly acrobatic movements –
dynamic and static –that require mobility, balance and strength (boys) and
choreographic elements (girls)[10, 17].
Biomechanics research in artistic gymnastics can be made both by
methods of biomechanic s and methods taken from other fields of
knowledge (pedagogical, mechanical, physiological, psychological, medical
etc.) with the main target to point out the main features of the movement [1,
6, 10].
3. Research Questions /Aims of the research
This paper aims to highlight the influence of sensorimotor
coordination development on biomechanical characteristics in double back
somersault executed on the floor by junior gymnasts aged 12 to 15 years .
Hypothesis of the paper . We believe that the assessment of sensorimotor
coordination is consistent with the biomechanical analysis of sports
technique of the double back somersaults on floor executed by junior

Vladimit POTOP , et. al. | LUMEN Proceedings 1/2017 xx – xx

gymnasts of 12 – 15 years old and we shall show its influence on the
acrobatic training and the performances achieved in competition.
4. Research Methods
The following methods have been used to achiev e the tasks of the
research: theoretical analysis and generalization of specialty literature data,
pedagogical observation, pedagogical experiment, method of tests (testing of
sensorimotor coordination) [2], video computerized me thod of
biomechanical analys is, by "Kinovea" and "Physics ToolKit" programs ;
method of movement postural orientation [3]; statistical -mathematical and
graphical methods by means of KyPlot programs.
3 tests of assessment of the sensorimotor coordination were used in
this study:
1. Tes t 1 – Briuk” test, static balance , test for maintaining body
balance on tiptoe with eyes closed and arms along the body (keeping at least
15-20 sec.).
2. Test 2 – static -kinematic stability – 5 forward rolls in 5 sec. with
10 in -place jumps with eyes closed, in the centr e of the graduated circle
(maximum deviation 35 cm).
3. Test 3 – stuck landing, in -depth salto from the higher bar (uneven
bars), assessed by penalties for the execution mistakes 0.1 -1.0 points, 3
attempts were granted .
This scientific approach involved the organization of an
experimental study, as part of a postdoctoral research , conducted from 2012
to 2014, with a group of 7 gymnasts of 12 to 15 years old, members of the
Olympic Team of Izvorani.
5. Findings
Table 1 shows the results of the sensorimotor development of junior
female gymnastsof 12-15 years old in terms of static balance , static -kinematic
stability and st uck landing.
In table 2 are presented the results of the angular characteristics of
sports technique key elements speci fic to double back somersaults executed
on the floor by junior female gymnasts aged 12 to 15 years concerning the
preparatory movement – launching posture, the basic movement –
multiplication of body posture in the maximum height of GCG flight and
the fina l movement phase – concluding posture – the landing.

Vladimit POTOP , et. al. | LUMEN Proceedings 1/2017 xx – xx

Table 1. Results of sensorimotor coordination development of junior gymnasts
aged 12 to 15, (n=7)
Statistics
indicators Test 1 (s) Test 2 (cm) Test 3 (points)
Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final
15.94 19.77 24.14 21.43 9.33 9.49
SD 2.22 0.72 3.76 1.98 0.08 0.07
t -4.004 2.244 -7.778
р <0.01 >0.05 <0.001
Table 2 .Results of the angular characteristics of sports technique key elements in
double back somersaults executed on the floor by junior female gymnasts aged 12
to 15 years
Acrobatic
elements Statistics
indicators LP (degrees) MP (degrees) CP (degrees)
Initial Final Initial Final Initial Final
TDS
2012, n=4
2014, n=6 90.75 85.00 68.00 57.33 71.75 94.33
SD 2.5 3.58 5.88 6.95 12.34 25.17
PDS
2012, n=3
2014, n=6 90.33 84.5 76.67 50.83 72.00 100.17
SD 1.53 2.26 2.52 4.99 9.54 28.22
2012, n=7
2014, n=12 t 3.439 3.301 2.157
р <0.001 <0.001 <0.05
Note: TDS – tucked back somersault, PDS –piked back somersault , LP – launching
posture; MP – multiplication of body posture; CP – concluding posture (final) – landing.

Fig. 1. Graphof GCG trajectory during execution of double back somersault piked ,
gymnast P.A. (13 -15 years old )
x
x
x

Vladimit POTOP , et. al. | LUMEN Proceedings 1/2017 xx – xx

Figure 1 shows the graph of GCG trajectory in the doub le back
somersault piked executed by the gymnast P.A. (13 -15 years old) during the
Romanian National Championships of Women’s Artistic Gymnastics 2012 –
2014, in terms of dynamics of the key elements of sports technique. In table
3 are presented the results of linear correlation of the sensorimotor
coordination, biomechanical indicators and performances achieved in the
floor events.

a)Angular velocity b) Re sultant of GCG force

Fig. 2. Kinematic and dynamic characteristics of double back somersault piked,
gymnast P.A. (13 -15 years old )
Table 3. Results of linear correlation of the sensorimotor coord ination,
biomechanical indicators and performan ces (n=12)
Note: SMC –sensory motor coordination, BI – biomechanical indicators, Perf. –
performances, AR – all around, IR – inertia of rotation, RM – radius movement, should. –
shoulders, KE – key elements, CP – concluding position , df= N -2, p<0.05 , r=0.576;
p<0.01, r=708 .
No. Indicator s* SMC BI AR
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1
SMC Test 1, (sec) – .083 .109 .029 – – .115 –
2 Test 2, (cm) -.682 – – – – .489 – –
3 Test 3, (points) -.598 .175 .289 – – .235 .620
4
Biomechanics indicators IR(kg·m2) -.499 – .516 .413 .004 .026 .026
5
RM, (m) toes -.511 – – .340 .006 .161 –
6 should -.336 -.020 -.015 – – .496 .205 .198
7 arms -.803 – -.263 – – -.126 – .061
8 KE,
(degrees ) CP – -.137 – – – – – .281
9
Perf.
AR
FS -.227 -.132 –

-.155 – – – –

Vladimit POTOP , et. al. | LUMEN Proceedings 1/2017 xx – xx

6. Discussions
The assessment of the sensorimotor coordination development of
junior female gymnasts aged 12 to 15 yearswas made using three tests for
static balance , static -kinematic stability and st uck landing [14], [15] . The
results of the comparative analysis reveal the following matters (table 1, ;
±SD):in test 1 an average of 15.94; ±2.22 cm in initial testing and an increase
of the balance keeping duration by 3.83 sec in final testing with significant
differences between averages at p<0.01; in test 2 an average of 24.14; ±3.76
cm in initial testing and improvement of static -kinematic stabilit y by 2.71 c m
(diminution of deviation ) in final testing with insignificant differences at
p>0.05; in test 3 an average of 9.33; 0.08 points in initial testing and an
increase by 0.16 points of landing stability in final testing and significant
differences at p<0.001.
The results of the comparative a nalysis of the angular characteristics
of the key elements of sports technique specific to double back somersault
executed on the floor by junior gymnasts aged 12 to 15 years highlight (table
2, ; ±SD): the la unching posture (LP), atTDS, n=6 (angle between toes-
shoulders) an average of 90.75; 2.5 degrees in initial testingand an
improvement of the posture by 5.75 degrees in final testing and at PDS, n=6
an average of posture angle of 90.33; 1.53 degrees in initial testing and an
improvement of the posture by 5.83 degrees in final testing . The comparison
of the averages between tests reveal significant differences at p<0.001;
multiplica tion of body posture (MP) at maximum flight of the GCG , at
TDS( angle be tween thigh and torso ) the average is 68.00; 5.88 degrees in
initial testing and an improvement of the posture (decrease of tucked angle )
by 10.67 degrees in final testing while at PDS the average of posture angle is
of 766.67; 2.52 degrees in initial testing and an improvement of posture angle
by 25.84 ( piked position ) in final testing . The differences of somersault
averages between test ing significant at p<0.001; in concluding posture (CP)
– landing (; ±SD) at TDS ( thigh -torso angle ) the average is of 71.75; 13.34
degrees in initial testingand an improvement of posture angle by 22.58
degrees in final testing while at PDS the average of posture angle is 72.00;
9.54 degreesin initial testingand an improvement by 28.17 degrees in final
testing . The differenc es of the averages between tests are significantat
p<0.05.
These significant differences highlight the improvement of sports
technique key elementsof the double back somersault as a result of the
implementation of the macro -methods of learning throughout j unior female
gymnasts’ training [16].
x
x
x

Vladimit POTOP , et. al. | LUMEN Proceedings 1/2017 xx – xx

The results of the comparative a nalysis of the individual
biomechanical indicator s of double back somersault executed by the
gymnast P.A. (13 -15 years old ) show the following (fig. 1): increase of the
height of GCG flight from 1.741 m related to the floor by 0.221 m in final
testing (1.962 m) ;at the same time the length of the somersault decreased
leading to a higher and narrower trajectory (closer to technical
requirements ).
Concerning the kinematic characteristics of the double somersault
piked execut ed by the gymnast P.A. (13 -15 years ) in terms of angular
velocity of body segments around GCG we notice (fig. 2a): in launching
posture (LP) there is a higher valueof arms angular velocity, namely 13.356
rad/s that ensures the optimum angle for flying off; during multiplication of
body posture (MP) at the maximum height of GCG flight there is a higher
value of the angular velocityof 32.926 rad/s at arms level , 30.197 rad/s at
shoulders and 17.993 rad/s at toes ; in concludin g posture (CP) – landing, we
observe a higher value at arms level of 15.532 rad/s, 10.835 rad/s at
shoulders and 2.638 rad/s at toes . All these values of angular velocity within
the phasic description of sports technique key elements of double back
somersaul t piked ensure the correct execution of these ones in compliance
with the technical requirements of the international Code of Points .
Regarding the values of the comparative force resultant of GCG
displacement during the double back somersault piked executed by the
gymnast P.A. (13 -15 years ) we notice (table 2b): at LP there is a value of
3250 N in initial testing (2012) and an increase by 580 N in final testing ; at
MP – 3540 N in initial testing and an increase by 1950 N in final testing
while at CP – 5130 N in initial testing and an increase by 360 N in final
testing .
The results of thelinear correlative analysis between sensorimotor
coordination indicator s, biomechanical ones and the performance of junior
female gymnasts aged 12 to 15 years reveal s trong connections at p<0.01
between test 1 and performan ce, namely the balance keeping and the final
score in the floor event ; at p<0.05 between test 1 and 2; test 2 and 3;test 3
and performan ce. The other indicator s highlight moderate and poor
connections between these ones .
7. Conclusions
The results of the study emphasize the improvement of the
sensorimotor coordination by increasing the duration of static balance

Vladimit POTOP , et. al. | LUMEN Proceedings 1/2017 xx – xx

maintaining , diminution of deviation of the static -kinematic stability and
improvement of the stuck landing .
The video -computerized biomec hanical analysis according to the
method of movement postural orienta tion highlights the improvement of
the sports technique key elements of the double back somersault on floor
executed by junior gymnasts of 12-15 years old based on the indicators of
the kinematic and dynamic characteristics and the performances obtained in
competition.
The results of the linear correlative analysis point out strong
connections between the indicators of the sensorimotor coord ination and
the performances achieved in the floor events and moderate connections
between some biomechanical indicator s.
Also, the evaluation of sensorimotor coordination consistent with
the biomechanical analysis of sports technique the back double somer saults
of floor in the case of junior gymnasts aged 12 to 15 highlights their
influence on the technical training and performances achieved in
competitions.
8. Acknowledgments
This case study is an advanced stage of the pedagogical experiment
of the post -doctoral thesis; it is included in the research plan in the field of
National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine, with the
subject matters: 2.11 (Dynamic static stability as a basis for technical training
of those involved in spo rts gymnastics views), 2.32 (Technical training of
qualified athlete based on competitive exercises technique rationalization)
and in the p lan of research for 2016 -2017 of the Faculty of Physical
Education and Sport, Ecological University of Bucharest. We express our
gratitude to the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and especially to Missis
Anca Grigoraș Mihailescu – federal coach and to the coaches of the
Olympic Team of Izvorani who helped us to conduct this research . I hereby
declare under my own responsib ility that the subjects participating in the
research have been informed of the voluntary nature of participation in the
research, of the understanding of the information received and of the
understanding that withdrawal can be done at any time, without an y negative
consequences on the participant.
The research respected the ethical standards of the research, the
participants / the next of kin of the participants gave their consent to take
part in the research.

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