Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

How is body orientation controlled during somersaulting?

B G Bardy1, M Laurent

  • 1University of the Mediterranean, Marseille, France. bardy@laps.univ-mrs.fr

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance
|June 17, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Body orientation during somersaults is visually controlled prospectively, especially by experts. This visual feedback loop is crucial for learning and refining somersaulting technique.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Illuminating "the dark side of the HBB": Visualizing the full spectrum of Cas9 outcomes.

Molecular therapy. Nucleic acids·2026
Same author

Training in hot water immersion improved exercise performance in hot and humid conditions in recreational athletes - a randomized controlled trial.

European journal of applied physiology·2025
Same author

Gait ecological assessment in persons with Parkinson's disease engaged in a synchronized musical rehabilitation program.

NPJ Parkinson's disease·2025
Same author

Changes in rates of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery over the last 23years.

Journal francais d'ophtalmologie·2024
Same author

Prognostic value of comorbidities in older patients with cancer: the ELCAPA cohort study.

ESMO open·2023
Same author

Building composite indices in the age of big data - Application to honey bee exposure to infectious and parasitic agents.

Heliyon·2023

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Motor Control
  • Human Movement Science

Background:

  • Understanding body orientation control is key in sports requiring complex rotations.
  • Previous research explored various control strategies, but the role of vision remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate body orientation control mechanisms during somersaulting.
  • To determine if visual feedback influences the regulation of body moment of inertia.
  • To examine differences between experts and novices in visual control during somersaults.

Main Methods:

  • Kinematic analysis of 223 backward standing somersaults.
  • Testing open-loop, initial-condition, and prospective control strategies.
  • Comparing somersault performance with eyes open versus eyes closed in experts and novices.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Prospective regulation of body moment of inertia was observed, indicated by reduced variability and a negative correlation between angular velocity and time to contact (TC1).
  • Experts demonstrated prospective regulation only when their eyes were open; this visual control disappeared with eyes closed.
  • Novices did not show this visual coupling, suggesting a reliance on different learning mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Body orientation during somersaulting is prospectively controlled, with vision playing a critical role for experts.
  • The perception-action cycle is fundamental to the learning process of somersaulting.
  • Future research could explore specific visual cues utilized during somersaulting.