Evaluation of Start Techniques in Sports Swimming by Dynamics Simulation (P18)

Winning and losing times in swimming competitions sometimes differ by only a few hundredths of a second. Marginal improvements in executing the start phases may give a significant advantage. Two basic techniques are performed: grab and track start including significant parameters like reaction time, take-off velocity, flying width etc. Modern methods of modelling and simulation of human motion supply new knowledge on efficiency in execution of the start process. The model of a swimmer describes the essential anthropometrical and kinematical properties. The motion is simulated based on video capturing including the free flight phase. The differences of the techniques, advantages of high level execution and the influence of the anthropometric data are shown in a comparison of animations of the motion and the parameter based evaluation as well as time histories of joint angles.