Notice these three axial lines are always at right angles to one another and intersect at a conceptual point--the body's center of mass. It is this point (center of mass) about which all rotation of the airborne body occurs.
Certain airborne skills are characterized solely by a somersault component, whereas others are characterized solely by a twist component, as shown in Figure 6.2.
Because these examples involve rotation about a single axis (uniaxial rotation), they may appear relatively easy to understand and control.
When somersaulting and twisting are combined within the context of a single skill, the situation becomes a bit more complex. Of critical importance in this regard is to realize that a sufficient quantity of somersault rotation must be initiated first prior to any anticipated twist rotation.
Or to put it another way, the wise performer knows she can borrow a portion of the somersault rotation for twisting, but she cannot effectively borrow from the twist rotation for somersaulting. Just as in life:
The bee goes from flower to flower to flower,
But the flower cannot go from bee to bee to bee...
Excerpted from Championship Gymnastics: Biomechanical Techniques for Shaping Winners. For additional information, see Chapter 6, "The Mechanics of Rotation and Twisting," pages 113-138.
"Championship Gymnastics" -- Featuring 140 Gymnastic Illustrations
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