Circles with a suspended aid: reducing pommel reaction forces

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a suspended aid on the reaction forces during a basic skill on pommel horse. Twenty gymnasts performed three sets of 10 circles with and without a suspended aid on a pommel horse under which two force plates were set. The results confirmed that the suspended aid could reduce the magnitude of the pommel reaction forces during circles while maintaining the general loading pattern. On the left hand, the average and peak forces were attenuated to 0.59 body weight (BW) and 0.85 BW from 0.76 BW and 1.13 BW, respectively. The right hand experienced slightly larger forces with no-aid trials, but the asymmetry between the hands decreased with the aid. Despite a relatively large variability, all gymnasts experienced smaller impact peak forces with the aid. A suspended aid is most commonly used for a beginner gymnast as an introduction to pommel horse exercises. However, this study confirmed that it can also be useful for all levels of gymnasts who would like to practice pommel horse exercises with reduced pommel reaction forces for a purpose such as a progression for learning a new skill, control of training volume, or rehabilitation.