Our main question in this study is whether or not, and to what degree a spring floor gives an advantage to a gymnast. When a gymnast performs a tumbling pass (a non-stopping series of "tricks" on the floor exercise) they use certain skills to maintain and even build-up their momentum in order to do the most powerful trick at the finish of the pass. For this study we were concerned with the momentum a gymnast gets out of a "roundoff" and takes into an aerial skill we'll call a "back-tuck". We will focus particularly on the "setting" part of a back-tuck where you rebound off the ground and reach high into the air and then bring your knees up to your chest in preparation for the rotation. The reason why we feel our study is important is because the spring floor is the standard apparatus for high level gymnastic competition. This apparatus "� can be used to stimulate the ground reaction force during under-foot impact with a gymnastic surface" (Gatto and Neal, 1992). A gymnast's understanding of the mechanics aided by a spring floor may improve their performance.
Our purpose of this study is to determine whether or not a spring floor has a significant purpose for the sport of gymnastics. To answer this question we videotaped an elite male gymnast from the University of Michigan performing a round-off, back-tuck on both the spring floor and also on a matted floor. We will then measure maximal reached height and degree of joint angles during the setting phase of a back-tuck. To do this we will use the principles of biomechanics in order to determine the severity of performance advantage that a gymnast gets with a spring floor.