Computer visualization of sports exercise technique

This article discusses the logic of functioning and content of a biomechanical computer program VIEWING the authors developed. Basing on a survey of the leading trainers of the Siberian Federal District in artistic gymnastics (44 respondents, October 2013, Leninsk-Kuznetsky) the basic requirements for the computer program were defined: 1. The ability to play movements in static and dynamic modes. 2. Demonstration of complete exercises or parts of it (phase, period) on the computer screen. 3. Modelling of kinetograms of exercises that simulate the position and posture of athletes in accordance with the video picture of exercises. 4. Simplicity of running the program for trainers with no special skills in computer science and computer technologies to use it at trainings. In view of these requirements an original computer program was developed to employ the method of visualization in the training process of gymnasts. The program named "VIEWING" is designed basing on the language of object-oriented programming Visual Basic 6.0. In accordance with the pedagogical requirements to computer presentation of motions the program has two large functioning blocks: 1. Viewing sports exercises in the static, single-frame playback or in the dynamic mode of motion animation (VIEWING)). 2. Survey of exercises - reading coordinates of marker points of the musculoskeletal system of the athlete's body by exercise video materials (SURVEY). VIEWING allows visualizing the motion in the ANIMATION and STATIC modes. ANIMATION allows viewing animated sports exercise videos. With the programmed speed variator one can browse through the exercise or its fragment in the online mode or with controlled deceleration of the playback rate. The STATIC mode one can choose and watch any part of motion exercises, assess the athlete's technical action at the kinematic level, identify motor errors and identify ways to correct them. The second direction of the program allows receiving the necessary background material for further quantitative biomechanical analysis of the exercise technique based on the initial data of the exercise survey. Experimental verification of the capacity of the program VIEWING was conducted in the conditions of training sessions of young gymnasts of Children and Youth Sports School No. 3 in Tomsk. Practical operation of the program showed correctness and reliability of functioning of both its separate blocks and system on the whole.

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