Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick Difficulties
Snowboard Big Air (SBA), recognized as an Olympic discipline since 2018, emphasizes maneuver difficulty as a key scoring criterion, requiring athletes to integrate technical skill with adaptive responses to dynamic environments in order to perform complex aerial rotations. The takeoff phase is criti...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6618 |
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| author | Liang Jiang Xue Chen Xianzhi Gao Yanfeng Li Teng Gao Qing Sun Bo Huo |
| author_facet | Liang Jiang Xue Chen Xianzhi Gao Yanfeng Li Teng Gao Qing Sun Bo Huo |
| author_sort | Liang Jiang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Snowboard Big Air (SBA), recognized as an Olympic discipline since 2018, emphasizes maneuver difficulty as a key scoring criterion, requiring athletes to integrate technical skill with adaptive responses to dynamic environments in order to perform complex aerial rotations. The takeoff phase is critical, determining both flight trajectory and rotational performance through coordinated lower limb extension and upper body movements. Despite advances in motion analysis technology, quantitative assessment of key takeoff parameters remains limited. This study investigates parameters related to performance, joint kinematics, and rotational kinetics during the SBA takeoff phase to identify key factors for success and provide practical guidance to athletes and coaches. Eleven athletes from the Chinese national snowboard team performed multiple backside tricks (720°, 1080°, 1440°, and 1800°) at an outdoor dry slope with airbag landings. Three-dimensional motion capture with synchronized cameras was used to collect data on performance, joint motion, and rotational kinetics during takeoff. The results showed significant increases in most measured metrics with rising trick difficulty from 720° to 1800°. The findings reveal that elite SBA athletes optimize performance in high-difficulty maneuvers by increasing the moment of inertia, maximizing propulsion, and refining joint kinematics to enhance rotational energy and speed. These results suggest that training should emphasize lower limb power, core and shoulder strength, flexibility, and coordination to maximize performance in advanced maneuvers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-25bc0faeada0432fb6681bbe172355a5 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-25bc0faeada0432fb6681bbe172355a52025-08-20T02:24:39ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-06-011512661810.3390/app15126618Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick DifficultiesLiang Jiang0Xue Chen1Xianzhi Gao2Yanfeng Li3Teng Gao4Qing Sun5Bo Huo6Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaBiomechanics Laboratory, School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaBiomechanics Laboratory, School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaSport Biomechanics Center, Institute of Artificial Intelligence in Sports, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing 100091, ChinaSport Biomechanics Center, Institute of Artificial Intelligence in Sports, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing 100091, ChinaSport Biomechanics Center, Institute of Artificial Intelligence in Sports, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing 100091, ChinaSport Biomechanics Center, Institute of Artificial Intelligence in Sports, Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing 100091, ChinaSnowboard Big Air (SBA), recognized as an Olympic discipline since 2018, emphasizes maneuver difficulty as a key scoring criterion, requiring athletes to integrate technical skill with adaptive responses to dynamic environments in order to perform complex aerial rotations. The takeoff phase is critical, determining both flight trajectory and rotational performance through coordinated lower limb extension and upper body movements. Despite advances in motion analysis technology, quantitative assessment of key takeoff parameters remains limited. This study investigates parameters related to performance, joint kinematics, and rotational kinetics during the SBA takeoff phase to identify key factors for success and provide practical guidance to athletes and coaches. Eleven athletes from the Chinese national snowboard team performed multiple backside tricks (720°, 1080°, 1440°, and 1800°) at an outdoor dry slope with airbag landings. Three-dimensional motion capture with synchronized cameras was used to collect data on performance, joint motion, and rotational kinetics during takeoff. The results showed significant increases in most measured metrics with rising trick difficulty from 720° to 1800°. The findings reveal that elite SBA athletes optimize performance in high-difficulty maneuvers by increasing the moment of inertia, maximizing propulsion, and refining joint kinematics to enhance rotational energy and speed. These results suggest that training should emphasize lower limb power, core and shoulder strength, flexibility, and coordination to maximize performance in advanced maneuvers.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6618snowboard big airperformancekinematicsmoment of inertiarotational kinetic energy |
| spellingShingle | Liang Jiang Xue Chen Xianzhi Gao Yanfeng Li Teng Gao Qing Sun Bo Huo Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick Difficulties Applied Sciences snowboard big air performance kinematics moment of inertia rotational kinetic energy |
| title | Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick Difficulties |
| title_full | Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick Difficulties |
| title_fullStr | Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick Difficulties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick Difficulties |
| title_short | Biomechanical Factors for Enhanced Performance in Snowboard Big Air: Takeoff Phase Analysis Across Trick Difficulties |
| title_sort | biomechanical factors for enhanced performance in snowboard big air takeoff phase analysis across trick difficulties |
| topic | snowboard big air performance kinematics moment of inertia rotational kinetic energy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/12/6618 |
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