What's inside different tumble tracks?

[Stephy]

Hi I need some help with my A-level PE coursework. Does anyone know of any websites which tell you what's inside some tumble tracks and the benefits of it (ie effects of different tumble tracks on a gymnasts performance)

Would be grateful for any help

stephy

[Jen]

Have you tried contacting Gymnova or other equipment suppliers?

[Stephy]

yeh but I haven't had any luck from then and have to hand my coursework in on monday!:(

[Gingerheid]

It's seems it's difficult to find out and very few people know... are you aware of any reason why your teacher would know more than you can make up? ;) :D

[Sue]

The tumble track at our gym has a wooden frame with fibreglass rods laid crossways all along it. These are then covered with something that looks like polystyrene and then the carpet is laid over the top. I think it is from Continental. This is of the standard that national level tumblers use - it is very effective for tumblers and they can do FIG level tumble runs along it - though with hard use from the larger tumblers bits start to shift around and you end up with sagging bits! We then have to lift the carpet and re-position everything.

I have also seen a very old one that was made out of sections of wood in layers with springs between the layers - the sections were then placed end to end to make up the track.

Hope that gives you a bit of info anyway!

[Lucy]

As far as I know Fastrak is like a long trampoline and there is an inflatable one (can't remember the name). Do you know any gyms you could phone and ask?

[Sue]

yes, a Fastrak is like a long trampoline, with a bed held to a surrounding frame (sunk in the floor) by springs. The bed is a fine weave canvas and the track is not as springy as a trampoline but is springier than the tumble track.

[Stephy]

thanx everyone

Gingerheid, I've made some stuff up and mentioned a random website "I got it from". Hopefully my teacher won't notice!!!

Also wrote some stuff about the airtrack - my clubs getting one (once we've raised the money!) so knew some info on it. It's really hard though to find out what's inside and how it actual helps gymnasts. I'll rpobably get sent lots of onfo on it from companies once I've handed it in!!!

[tony]

Inside the tumble track are a series of carbon fibre rods. Various tracks have differing rod shapes - square, circle and triangular - each of these shapes has a different characteristic of rebound, speed etc. I can try and get a bit more info if you want - no guarantees though.

[Sue]

probably too late for your project now but the new Janssen and Fritsen catalogue has cut-away pictures of a couple of different types of tumble tracks.