ABSTRACT
Angular kinetics is one of the features of gymnastics that best defines the sport. This chapter talks about the forces and torques, moments of force and inertia, conservation laws, and Newton's angular analogues to linear kinetics. In order to produce angular motion Gymnasts need a force, but not just any force. A force that rotates something has to be applied eccentrically. Gymnasts often use the angular version of action–reaction in order to correct body position while in flight. Qualitative analysis of motion should include knowledge of angular action–reaction because the gymnasts who must make large body position changes while airborne usually has serious technique problems. Gymnasts often experience the "action–reaction" torque problem when they try to change positions in the air. For example, when a gymnast is free in space in a layout position and then pikes, the upper body and lower body will move toward each other.
