A study on the technical factors in curve skating on a flat track among Japanese inline speed skaters

Abstract

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the technical factors in curve skating in inline speed skating on a flat track by comparing between an elite skater (n＝1) and a trained skater (n＝1) in flat track. Data on the three dimensional coordinates of the skaters who participated in the 60th East Japan Roller Speed Skating Championship were collected to calculate kinematic parameters such as the trajectory of the center of body mass, joint and segment angles of the support leg, and tilt angles of the body and shank of the support leg during the curve skating using the direct linear transformation technique. In the left leg stroke of the top skater, the forward rotation of the thigh was greater than the forward bent of the shank and the forward movement of the center of the body mass was greater than that in the left leg stroke of the trained skater. The tilt angles of the body and the shank of the support leg to the inside of the curve of the top skater were greater than those of the trained skater. The top skater tilted the body and the shank of the support leg sideward largely during the right and left leg strokes. These results suggest that high degrees of rotation of the thigh of the support leg, and tilting of the body and the shank of the support leg to the inside of the curve were good technical factors in curve skating among Japanese inline speed skaters.