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GYMNASTICS

CENTRE OF GRAVITY & STABILITY

SKILLS & TECHNIQUESSKILLS & TECHNIQUES

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Balance is important

in the activity of

gymnastics

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EQUILIBRIUMAn object or person is in a state of

equilibrium when their motion is not changing

Static equilibrium is used to describe a stationary object or

person

Physical Education Department

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SKILLS & TECHNIQUESSKILLS & TECHNIQUES

EQUILIBRIUMAn object or person is in a state of

equilibrium when their motion is not changing

Dynamic equilibrium is used to describe an

object or person travelling at a constant

speed, in the same direction

Physical Education Department

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STABILITY

STABILITY is important in many activities, it affects the control of your movements. If you are off-balance when making a hockey tackle you can stumble and fall which could make the tackle fail and hence allow the attacker through closer to his target.

Physical Education Department

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SKILLS & TECHNIQUESSKILLS & TECHNIQUES

BALANCE

This is about maintaining the equilibrium (Balanced position) of

your body.

STATIC BALANCE is a balance without movement. (for example, you may do a handstand)Here is a female gymnast doing a handstand, with a variation, on the beam

Physical Education Department

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BALANCE

This is about maintaining the equilibrium (Balanced position) of your body.

DYNAMIC BALANCE is a balance whilst moving, for example a badminton player moving across the court, playing a shot. and moving back into the ready positionHere is a badminton player reaching out to play a low return

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Being BALANCED depends upon your

CENTRE OF GRAVITY

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Gravity is the force pulling an object or a person to the

ground

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•is the point at which gravity acts upon the body.

•is the point at which your weight is evenly balanced

•is the point about which your body will rotate

THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY

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Stability depends on:

X

•The height of the centre of gravity

The point of the Centre of Gravity

•The base of support

The Base of Support

•The line of the centre of gravity falls inside the base of support

The line of the Centre of Gravity

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How to be MORE stable

The LOWER your centre of gravity

the MORE STABLE you will be

The Centre of Gravity is at a

different height

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How to be MORE stable

The LARGER the area of your Base

of Support, the MORE STABLE you

will be

The Base of Support is

larger

The Base of Support is

smaller

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How to be MORE stable

The CLOSER your centre of gravity is to the centre of

your base of support, the

MORE STABLE you are.

The Line of Gravity falls outside of the centre of the Base

of Support

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How to be MORE stable

The HEAVIER you are, the MORE

STABLE you will be. Greater force

acting down through the line

of gravity

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How to be MORE stable

The MORE YOU LEAN into an

oncoming force, the MORE STABLE

you will be.Direction of the

Force

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How does the centre of gravity play a part in this balance?

The Base of Support

The Line of Gravity

The Centre of Gravity

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Question: Which of the following gymnasts is the MOST STABLE?

Gymnast A

Gymnast B Gymnast C

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Gymnast A is the most stable because:•They have the lowest centre of gravity

•They have the largest base of support

•And like gymnast C their centre of gravity is in the centre of the base of support

SKILLS & TECHNIQUESSKILLS & TECHNIQUES

X

X X

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SummaryIn many activities balance can be very important. Gravity plays an important part in balance. Gravity is the force pulling a person or object to the ground.

The point at which gravity on the body is known as the centre of gravity. This will change depending on your height, shape or the position in which you stand.

Balance is not difficult while a person’s centre of gravity is directly above their base of support, but when it moves to one side, the force of gravity act more on that side causing the person to topple over