Force and Landing of a Back Tuck
- Because balance beams have springs in them, they are able to give a little when the gymnast lands on them, thereby decreasing the force experienced by the gymnast. Read on to understand why!
- Impulse (the change in momentum) equals force times time (J=fΔt).
- By increasing the time of the action taking place, the force experienced during the action will have to decrease proportionally.
- Because the springs in the beam act as a cushion, the act of the gymnast landing the back tuck occurs over a longer period of time. Therefore, the force experienced by the gymnast during the landing is decreased, leading to less stress put on the gymnast's body (and a longer gymnastics career).
- Another important way to increase the time of the landing is for the gymnast to bend his or her knees upon landing. This further decreases the force experienced by the gymnast during the landing.