ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate angular momentum about a breaststroker’s center of mass. Breaststrokers (n=8) were filmed using a four camera system at the 1992 Olympic Games during the men’s 200m preliminary and final races. Two cameras in underwater housings were placed on the floor of the pool underneath each laneline defining lane four. Two cameras were placed 5m above the water (attached to the 50m wall) on both sides of lane 4. These cameras were focused downward toward the center of lane four at the 45m mark of the pool. All four cameras had the same view of the swimmer during the competition. The videotapes were digitized to construct a three- dimensional (DLT method) 14 segment rigid model. The center of mass was calculated and displacement data were differentiated. Local angular momentum of the segments and their remote angular momentum about the body’s center of mass was calculated (Dapena, 1978). Angular momentum data were not significantly correlated with swimming velocity, but elite level breaststrokers were more symmetrical than less elite athletes.
