Determinants of optimal leg use strategy: horizontal to vertical transition in the parkour wall climb
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
The Journal of experimental biology
ISSN
1477-9145
Volume
222
Issue
Pt 1
PubMed ID
30446542
Publisher
Company of Biologists Ltd
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences / Centre of Exercise and Sports Science Research
RAS ID
31301
Abstract
This study examined the mechanics of the horizontal to vertical transition used by parkour athletes in wall climbing. We used this task as an alternative to normal running - where the functional options differ substantially - exposing the movement control priorities required to successfully complete the task. Ground reaction forces were measured in several expert parkour athletes and centre of mass trajectory was calculated from force plates embedded in the ground and the wall. Empirical measures were compared with movements predicted by a work-based control optimization model. The model captured the fundamental dynamics of the transition and therefore allowed an exploration of parameter sensitivity for success at the manoeuvre (run-up speed, foot placement, etc.). The optimal transition of both the model and the parkour athletes used a common intermediate run-up speed and appears determined largely by a trade-off between positive and negative leg work that accomplishes the task with minimum overall work.
DOI
10.1242/jeb.190983
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Croft, J. L., Schroeder, R. T., & Bertram, J. E. A. (2019). Determinants of optimal leg use strategy: Horizontal to vertical transition in the parkour wall climb. Journal of Experimental Biology, 222(1). Available here