Biomechanical patterns of starting technique during training and competitive events for junior lugers

Abstract

In the winter sport of luge athletes slide at extreme speeds down the specially built iced tracks. The winner is determined by the shortest time to slide down the track. Good start is a prerequisite for a successful total run outcome, therefore athletes spend a lot of time practicing their start technique both on luge tracks and on specially built start ramps. Preparing for the start the athletes rock the luge back and forth on the start platform. Kinematics of the last phase of preparation before the start was studied during training and competitive events for three junior lugers. Body angles were measured in three positions before pushing off from the start handles - maximal forward position, maximal backward position and maximal angle in forward motion. Time information regarding the total start time and time to change body positions was collected. Angles were measured from video records done with one high-speed digital camera; the same video records were used to access timing information, except for the total start time that was measured by photocells. Analysis of gathered information had shown that despite gender and total start time differences between athletes, there is no difference between times that athletes spend to go from maximal backward position to push-off from handles. Total preparation phase time was found to be different for all athletes, for male athlete overall decrease in preparatory phase time during competition comparing to training was followed by decrease in total start time. Increase in the range of motion for male athlete was accompanied with a slight increase in time expenditure. Decrease in stability of measured variables for a female athlete was accompanied with a trend to slow down in the total start time. © 2010 International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering.