Mathematical Models For Ice Skating.

 I've always loved watching ice skating.  Those athletes are so graceful and amazing with the way they make jumps look so easy.  I can sort of ice skate to the point of being able to stay up but that's about it.  I ran across an article on a mathematical model done at the University of Alberta which shows how ice skaters move across the ice.  The model could help professionals improve their skating while helping prevent injuries.

The model describes the movement of the skater so they know what part of the body needs to be moved to make the move optimal. In addition, the program will help an ice skater choose the right movements to create a specific look.

The model uses non-holonomic mechanics which is actually where they place constraints on the mechanics used in ice skating to show how the body moves in three dimensions.  The model also includes a list of movements and trajectories the skater can use on the ice.  This model can help people train better so they perform better and could lead to fewer injuries skaters get during training.  Eventually, this model could help improve the boots and skates to improve their design.  This model is more of an overall look at skating.

There are models out which look at the mathematics behind jumps done in the sport.  Let's start with the quadruple jump where the skater takes off from the ice, turns four times before landing.  In order to accomplish the jump, the skater has to build up a huge amount of momentum, strike the ice with the toe pick to propel themselves into the air, make four turns in under one second, and when they land, their body undergoes between 8 and 10 times their body weight in impact forces, stop rotating, and continue with their routine.

Back in 2010, none of the olympic competitions used quads at all in their programs but within one year, quads began appearing in skaters routines and now they are quite common.  Researches have used biomechanics which studies the movements of living organisms to determine how the quad is done and published it.  Now, trainers have a much better idea of what is needed to make a successful quad jump and what type of training the skater needs to become proficient at these.

One researcher at the University of Delaware spent ten years researching this topic.  He placed ten cameras around an ice skating rink to record skaters as they tried a variety of jumps.  He used motion capture technology to map the moves onto a computer model.  The researcher then applied a program to analyze the movements that took into account the individuals weight distribution and produced a computer model that showed how the move should be one as compared with how it was being done.  Since developing the system, over 80 skaters have used it including several olympic skaters to improve their ability to jump.

The researcher also noted the skaters could watch the computer simulation but few could actually do the movement straight off.  Often, the skater was spinning at 330 revolutions per minute (RPM) while they needed to up it to between 400 and 440 RPMs to give themselves the best chance of doing the jump properly.  So they had to show what needed to be done and explain how to do it to the skater.

These are just two ways in which mathematical modeling is used to help ice skaters improve their skating ability.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear. Have a great weekend.