A comparison of techniques used by elite gymnasts in performing the basket-to-handstand mount

Twenty-six subjects were selected from 25 American and 28 Japanese gymnasts filmed during their respective 1990 national championships. The 13 highest (Group 1) and 13 lowest (Group 2) scored basket-to-handstand mounts on the parallel bars were compared. It was hypothesized that there would be significant differences between the kinematics demonstrated by the gymnasts from the two groups and that differences in the early preparatory phases would account for most of the differences in the resulting movements. The results revealed significant differences (P < 0.005) between the two groups, with Group 1 achieving greater vertical displacement of the centre of mass during the upward inverted swing and larger vertical velocity at bar release; greater backward horizontal motion of the centre of mass and forward body rotation in the flight phase; and a higher body centre of mass at bar regrasp with greater fluency of upward body motion into the handstand position. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the performance of the jump to end of backward swing and forward swing to maximum body pike that could be attributed to the differences in the last three phases. Based on the findings of this study, successful performance is likely when the arm pull is sustained with maximum effort until the body centre of mass and the trunk are well above the bars to enable the bar release with high body centre of mass, high body angle, large vertical velocity, backward horizontal velocity and forward angular momentum. This brings about (1) the desired direction of linear motion of centre of mass and (2) high body centre of mass and high body angle close to the handstand position at bar regrasp, which together ensure the fluency of upward body motion into the final position.