Physics and Gymnastics

Gymnastics is by far my favorite sport to watch. This week, I've probably watched at least 10 youtube videos from different meets. Simone Biles - the most decorated gymnast of all time and the breaker of many records - is my favorite gymnast. The other day, as I watched her do the Biles on vault, floor, and beam, I started to think about how she is able to fit so many skills into one move. Just for some perspective, the Biles on floor is a double backflip with 3 twists - she is the only person who can do this. Looking into this has shown me that it's a little complicated and involves things we haven't learned. However, there are a lot of other places in gymnastics we can apply simple physics concepts. 1. It takes a lot of momentum to get up in the air to a velocity that allows for all the turns and twists to happen. 2. The normal force is greater than mg when a gymnast is going up. 3. THERE'S A LOT OF PROJECTILE MOTION INVOLVED (take a peek at the images down below!).
3. At the very top of motion on the uneven bars, potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.
4. When the gymnast dismounts and lands, the feet exert a lot of force on the mat - but the mat exerts it back - which is why the gymnast is able to stop moving. Watching Simone Biles, it's hard to believe that what she's dong isn't magic, but through the power of physics, we can actually see that it's all just science.