Determinants Parameters Of Figure Skating Jump

Abstract

In figure skating, the athletes reach remarkable performances at younger ages than in the last twenty years, when senior’s skaters were the only ones who managed to do triple rotation jumps. In the present, rotation jumps are being learned starting from 12 or 13 years old. By increasing efficiency of the learning process it shorten significantly the length of time in which the athletes passes the threshold from one at two, three or four rotations, performance that requires both, special motoric abilities and a careful guidance from the coach. The initial premise from which our study started was the importance of height jumping that is considered being essential in carrying out thedifficulty technical elements in figure skating. The purpose of our study is to highlight the differences between parameters at simple vertical jumps and those with one or two rotation at figure skating. For this study we used the OptoJump device, we have identified and measured the jumping determinant parameters in skating, namely: jumping heights, the power generated at the jumping point, the time spent in air and the time spent on the ground, to a lot of 7 junior figure skaters. Doing the statistical analysis of these items, we showed the importance of the jumping height in the preparation of the figure skaters performance, the differences between simple vertical jumps and those with one or two rotation, and we compared these results with the notes obtained by sportsmen at the contests throughout competitive season.

Keywords: Detentfigure skatingvertical jumpsdeterminant parameters

Introduction

Jumps are a set of codified gestures whose aim is to traverse a certain distance, using the longest

or highest trajectory (King, 2004a). They can also represent athletic events of a highly spectacular degree,

which overtime have known several changes in regards to the technique or the procedure used to achieve

performance. In athletics, jumps represent an auto projection of the body in space, in one or several

jumps. In essence, the aim is having the longest horizontal trajectory in the air for a length jump, and

vertically for a height jump. To achieve this all internal and external forces that engage need to correlate.

(Polensky, Kaufman, Calahan, Aleshinsky, Chao, 1990). The specificity of jumps involved in figure

skating is the aspect of the trajectory and the rotation or rotations occurring in the air, around own axis.

(King, 2000). The more rotations are carried out in the air during jumps, the more spectacular and

valuable they are in terms of Code of Points. This involves the skater’s detachment in the air and him

executing fast rotations, the jumps being finalized in landing. (King, 2000).

Theoretical Framework

There are certain limitative factors that converge to successfully finalising a jump with several

rotations in the air (Aleshinsky, Smith, Jansen, and Ramirez, 1988). The main motoric actions involved in

figure skating jumps are:

•Auto propelling in space – creating oriented actions on ice, in order to realise technical actions

specific to each task. (King, Smith, Casey, 2002).

•Using the reaction of the surface of the ice to the own action of the skate’s blade, transferring

them with minimal loss, the importance of aligning the segments when beating and taking off, as well as the one of the segmentary fixation (King, Arnold, and Smith, 1994).

  • Ensuring the balance of the body on the flight trajectory (King, 2005).

  • Rationally using the real rotations during flight and due to the force and direction of detachment.

The compensation or accentuation of these sorts of rotations in order to keep the balance on

trajectory, which is achieved using segmentary compensatory rotations, done by upper and lower

limbs (King, Smith Higginson, Muncasy, Scheirman, 2004b).

•Achieving a segmentary controlled displacement in the flight phase, consistent with the

mechanical characteristics of the trajectory of flight. (Aleshinsky, 1986).

•Optimising and securing the landing according to the statutory requirements of the jump. (Albert,

and Miller, 1996).

Research Design

The Study Objectives

The main objective of our study was to identify the determining parameters of rotational jumps in figure skating done on land. The secondary objectives were:

  • Measuring the determining parameters of rotational figure skating jumps.

  • Conducting the comparative/descriptive statistical analysis

  • Highlighting the conditions of carrying out of the rotational jumps.

The Research Data

Our study has been carried out during the competition season Oct 2015 – May 2016. Measuring

the determinant parameters of rotational jumps has been performed at the end of the season, on Oct 24th

2016, outside the skating rink, with 7 ice skaters that took part in national and international competitions

for beginners. This age category represents a turning point in an ice skater’s career and links the

competitions for children and the ones for juniors. Subjects were aged 10-13, their height was 136-156

cm, their weight average was 35,3±6 Kg, and their shoe size was 35,14±2 cm.

The Research Methodology

Testing has been performed with Opto Jump (fig.1), a device used to measure and evaluate some

parameters of the detent, like: explosively, elasticity, reaction time, time spent by the sportsman in the air

and on the soil.

Figure 1: Opto Jump
Opto Jump
See Full Size >

In our research we used The 15 Second Task, in which the sportsman has to execute, within 15

seconds, as many consecutive straight vertical jumps, jumps involving one or more rotations. All

sportsmen have visualized, on the device’s display, their results in real time, and also heard the coach’s

indications, which corroborated with the image given by the device. The software of this device has

delivered data concerning the time spent on the soil, TS, time spent in the air during jump, TA, the height

of the jump, HJ, and the total jump power, JP, during vertical straight jumps, S1, jumps with one rotation

(360°), S2, and two rotations in the air (720°), S3. During the competition season sportsmen have each

had observation charts based on the results of arbitration charts from the contest, and the final test has

been carried out during a training outside the rink to highlight differences between straight vertical jumps

with one and two rotations.

Results. Analysis and Interpretation

Final results for time on the soil TS , and time in the air TA , for straight vertical jumps ( 1) , with

one rotation ( 2) , and two rotations ( 3) , are presented in table 1 .

Table 1 -
See Full Size >

We have TS1 - time on soil for the straight vertical jump, TS2 – time on soil for the one-rotation jump,

(360°), and TS3 - time on soil for the two-rotation jump (720°). TA1 is the time spent in the air during

the straight vertical jump, TA2 the time spent in the air for the one-rotation jump, (360°), and TA3 time

spent in the air for the two-rotation jump (720°).

Results regarding contact time on soil

In regards to the time spent on soil, Opto-jump has highlighted the amount of time the sportsman spent

on the ground between landing and detachment to perform the next jump, as seen in table no. 1 and graph

in fig. no. 2.

Figure 2: Time on soil between vertical jumps, one- and two turns
Time on soil between vertical jumps, one- and two turns
See Full Size >

Time on soil is different depending on the difficulty of the jump that the sportsman has to perform

and the executant’s level of training. We can see from the previous graph that the sportsman needs more

preparation time for harder jumps (in our case one-rotation and two-rotation jumps) and their frequency

within 15 seconds decreases from 15-20 simple jumps, to 2-4 two-rotation jumps. The average time spent

on soil for first jump, TS1, was 0,286 seconds, second, TS2, was 0,893 seconds, and for the third jump,

TS3, was 1,036 seconds. The difference between the contact time on soil for the straight vertical jump

and the one-rotation jump was 0,607 seconds, and this significant difference is due to the 6th contestant,

who needed a preparation time of over 2 seconds for the one-rotation jump following the straight vertical

jump. The difference between the average of the first jump, TS1 and the third, TS3 is 0,75 seconds, and

between the second, TS2 and the third, TS3 is 0,143 seconds. Therefore, the contact time on soil, the

preparation time for the jump, considerably increases when the rotation is present, and there is no

significant difference between the preparation time for the two-rotation jump compared to the one for the

one-rotation jump. Different results only occured for the first sportsman, for whom TS3 was three times

TS1, sportsman no. 3 with TS3 almost 10 times TS1, and sportsmen no. 6 and 7 with TS3 less than TS1.

Results regarding time spent in the air

In the following graph we compared times spent in the air for each jump the sportsmen have performed:

Figure 3: Time on air between vertical jumps, one- and two turns
Time on air between vertical jumps, one- and two turns
See Full Size >

As it can be seen the time spent in the air for the vertical jump TA1, (in blue) is on average 0,063

sec longer than for one-rotation jumps, TA2, (in red). The difference between the amount of time spent in

the air during straight vertical jumps, TA1 and the two-rotation jumps, TA3 is 0,061 sec. The difference

between the amount of time spent in the air during the one-rotation jumps, TA2, and two-rotation jumps,

TA3, (in green) is just 0,001 sec. According to these results, the time spent in the air for a two-rotation

jump is approximately equal to the time for a one-rotation jump and less than for the straight vertical

jump, with one exception when time on air 1 is less than time on air 2 and 3. The time average for the first

jump is 0,427 seconds, and for the one- and two-rotation jumps times are approximately equal, 0,365 and

0,366 seconds.

Results regarding the height of the jump

The straight vertical jumps have been analysed acording to their validity, as in invalid jumps were

the ones when the sportsman has gone over the surface of the sensors and they were eliminated. The

results recorded for jump height are represented in table no.2 and graph in fig. 4 , where HJ1 - vertical

jump height, HJ2 – one-rotation jump height and HJ3 – two-rotation jump height.

Table 2 -
See Full Size >
Figure 4: The height jump at the vertical jumps, one- and two turns
The height jump at the vertical jumps, one- and two turns
See Full Size >

In our research we measured the height of jumps in cm, we calculated and used the average of

statistical data. From table 2 and graph in fig. 4 , we can see that the average height of straight vertical

jumps, HJ1 is 2,92 cm greater than the average height of one-rotation jumps, HJ2, and 3,754 cm greater

than the average of jumps 3, HJ3. The aveerage of one-rotation jumps, HJ2 is 0,834 cm greater than the

average height of two-rotation jumps, HJ3, so a minimal difference. Just sportsman 4, P.B., had the height

of the second and third jump 0,207cm, and 1,06 cm higher than the first jump.

Results regarding the power of jump

In the present research power is represented by the force with which the sportsman pushes the

ground in orider to propel himself in the air. As for the time spent in the air, power is strongly correlated

with the height of the jump, therefore the results are similar to the ones regarding the height of the jump

and the ones regarding time spent in the air. We have JP1 power of straight verrtical jump, JP2 power of

one-rotation jump (360°), and JP3 power of two-rotation jump (720°). Results can be seen in table no.2

and graph in fig. no.5.

Figure 5: The jumps power at the vertical jumps, one- and two turns
The jumps power at the vertical jumps, one- and two turns
See Full Size >

In regards to the power of jumps performed, for all sportsmen involved in the measurements, the

power of the first jump, the straight vertical one, JP1, is greater than the power of the second jump, JP2,

and the third, JP3. Only one sportsman has developed greater power for the second jump, JP2, omparing

to the third, JP3, by 2,417 w/kg. The average power for straight vertical jumps, JP1, is 10,989 w/kg

greater than the one for one-rotation jumps, JP2, and 14,674 w/kg greater than the average power for two-rotation jumps, JP3. The average power of one-rotation jumps, JP2, is 3,685 greater than the average for

two-rotation jumps JP3.

Conclusion

By identifying the determinant parameters of the rotational jumps involved in figure skating, the

main objective of our study has been achieved. In our view these are: the time spent on the ground,

meaning the preparation time (TS), the time spent in the air (TA), the height of the jumps (HJ), and the

power of the jumps (JP).

Through measuring these parameters and the statistical analysis performed, we also achieved two

of our secondary objectives of our study. Hence, through the graphical analysis we reached the

conclusions that the time spent in the air (TA), the height (HJ) and power (JP), the statistical data for the

one- and two-rotation jumps is less than the statistical data for the straight vertical jumps.

As for the time spent on soil, with one exception, sportsmen spent a greater amount of time on the

ground for the third jump, TS3, than for the second TS2, - by 0,143 seconds, - and 0,75 seconds less than

for the first jump, TS1. So it takes a greater amount of preparation time on the ground for the one-rotation

jump, and for the two-rotation jump.

As for the time spent in the air, we expected that to be a greater amount of time in which regards

the one- and two-rotation jump. Our research proved that the greatest time is required for the straight

vertical jump, TA1, which is 0,062 seconds greater than the one for the one-rotation jump, TA2, and

0,061 seconds greater than the time spent in the air for the two-rotation jump, TA3.

Statistical data for the height of the jump show that the first jump, HJ1, with no rotations, is the

highest jump, 2,920 cm higher than the one-rotation HJ2, and 3,754 cm higher than the two-rotation

jump, HJ3. The one-rotation jump HJ2 is 0,834 higher than the two-rotation jump HJ3.

Also, the statistical data for the power of the jump show that the power of the first jump, JP1, is

10,990 w/kg greater than the power of the one-rotation jump, JP2, and 14,675 w/kg greater than the two-

rotation jump, JP3. The power of the one-rotation jump, JP2, is 3,685 w/kg greater than the two-rotation

jump, JP3.

As far as the determinant parameters of the jumps involved in figure skating (outside the ice rink)

are concerned, as measured with Opto-jump, analysing the results has shown that the factors considered

to be limitative traditionally speaking were not to be applied for 6 out of 7 sportsmen. The height of a

jump is not limitative criteria for performing multiple-rotation jumps, that being equal or grater for the

straight vertical jump, which is considered a low-difficulty jump, compared to the jumps involving

rotations in the air which are specific to ice skating.

After centralising the data from arbitration charts from the „Santa Claus Cup” contest in Budapest

and comparing that to the indicators for height and power of jumps measured during our research, we

reached the conclusion there is no direct link between the score in the contest and the height or power of the jumps.

Acknowledgements

The professional Opto Jump device, was acquired through the structural funds project: „RTD Institute: High-tech Products for Sustainable Development” (ID123, SMIS 2637, ctr. No. 11/2009).

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Gugu-Gramnatopol, C., Ionescu, A., Ochiotan, Ș., & Dăncescu, D. (2017). Determinants Parameters Of Figure Skating Jump. In E. Soare, & C. Langa (Eds.), Education Facing Contemporary World Issues, vol 23. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences (pp. 1748-1755). Future Academy. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2017.05.02.214