Gymnastics Vault Board Design: A Comparison of Spring Configuration and Style of Spring – Preliminary Study

Abstract

The goal of this study is to analyze the gymnastics vault board spring configuration to provide insight for a follow-up study to compare a traditional compression springboard with a new leaf springboard design. Traditionally, during the vaulting apparatus, gymnasts use a compression springboard to propel themselves onto the vaulting table to perform their routine. However, a new innovative leaf spring design has been produced and little research has been done to evaluate the performance of the springboard. Video recordings were taking during a NCAA Division 1 gymnastics competition. The video captured the gymnast’s interaction with the springboard during their competition vaults. During the gymnastics competition, two vault entry styles were performed, three spring configurations were used, and the number of springs inside the board were either 7 or 8. With the current data, there is no significant evidence that correlates the spring configuration with the performance score of the athlete. However, the maximum amount of compression achieved on the vault board varies from gymnasts and the number of springs and configuration placed in the springboard. Further research should be conducted to investigate the effects of spring configuration and the amount of compression achieved during the vaulting apparatus with two different springboards: the conical springboard design and the leaf spring design.