Timing Rhythm in Female Lugers’ Starts

Rhythm is an important characteristic of performance in sports as it describes how a motion is designed in time. It had been thoroughly studied in many sports; the aim of this research was to investigate rhythmic parameters of lugers during the starts. Data of 4 female athletes – 2 junior-level, and 2 general class-level – were analysed in the study. The athletes performed 10 starts per day on the iced start ramp 5 times per week for 2 weeks. Time of start phases was calculated from high-speed video records (100 and 210 fps). The analysis had shown that after the 2nd paddling stroke off the ice surface all athletes have very similar rhythm of push-offs, which is around 1:1. General class-level athletes have relatively stable rhythmic characteristics throughout the whole start, whilst junior-level athletes have more stable rhythm of paddling strokes than of initial start phases (eccentric backward sliding and the start jerk). This is most probably due to the fact that junior-level athletes are still mastering the art of the important initial start phases that require a relevant physical conditioning. Overall rhythm of the paddling strokes is more similar among athletes than rhythm of the initial start phases, and largest differences between athletes are observed at the beginning of the motion