America’s Cup Sailing: Biomechanics and conditioning for performance in grinding Simon Pearson BSc & MHSc (Hons) A thesis submitted to the Auckland University of Technology in fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy November 2009 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Attestation of authorship ......................................................................................................... 10 Candidate contributions to co-authored papers ................................................................... 11 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. 12 Ethical approval .......................................................................................................... 12 Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Research publications resulting from this doctoral thesis .................................................. 14 Chapter 1 ................................................................................................................................... 17 Introduction and rationalisation (Preface) ............................................................................. 17 Background ................................................................................................................. 17 Structure ..................................................................................................................... 17 Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................................... 21 External work and peak power are reliable measures of ergometer grinding performance when tested under load, deck heel and grinding direction conditions ............................... 21 Overview ............................................................................................................................. 21 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 21 Methods .............................................................................................................................. 23 Subjects ...................................................................................................................... 23 Equipment ................................................................................................................... 23 Procedures .................................................................................................................. 24 Data Analyses ............................................................................................................. 25 Statistical analyses ..................................................................................................... 25 Results ................................................................................................................................ 26 Reliability of testing at different loads .......................................................................... 26 Reliability of testing with different heel directions ........................................................ 27 Discussion and implications ................................................................................................ 27 Reliability of performance at different loads ................................................................ 28 Reliability of performance at different heel angles ...................................................... 28 Peak power versus external work as a performance measure ................................... 29 Influence of grinding direction ..................................................................................... 29 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 29 Practical implications .......................................................................................................... 30 2 Chapter 3 ................................................................................................................................... 31 Effects of pedestal orientation on grinding performance in America’s Cup sailing .......... 31 Overview ............................................................................................................................. 31 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 31 Methods .............................................................................................................................. 33 Participants ................................................................................................................. 33 Equipment ................................................................................................................... 33 Procedures .................................................................................................................. 34 Data and statistical analyses ....................................................................................... 36 Results ................................................................................................................................ 36 Individual conditions .................................................................................................... 36 Comparing systems .................................................................................................... 38 Performance by on-board role .................................................................................... 38 Discussion .......................................................................................................................... 38 Individual conditions .................................................................................................... 39 Paired testing .............................................................................................................. 40 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 42 Chapter 4 ................................................................................................................................... 43 America’s Cup sailing: Effect of grinding direction on EMG, kinematics, and torque application ................................................................................................................................ 43 Overview ............................................................................................................................. 43 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 43 Methods .............................................................................................................................. 45 Participants ................................................................................................................. 45 Procedures: Performance testing ................................................................................ 45 Procedures: Motion analysis ....................................................................................... 46 Statistical analyses ..................................................................................................... 47 Results ................................................................................................................................ 48 Torque application ...................................................................................................... 48 Joint kinematics .......................................................................................................... 49 Muscle activation ........................................................................................................ 50 Discussion .......................................................................................................................... 51 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 53 Chapter 5 ................................................................................................................................... 54 Kinematics and kinetics of the bench press and bench pull exercises in a strength- trained sporting population ..................................................................................................... 54 Overview ............................................................................................................................. 54 3 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 54 Methods .............................................................................................................................. 55 Approach to the problem ............................................................................................. 55 Subjects ...................................................................................................................... 56 Equipment ................................................................................................................... 56 Procedures .................................................................................................................