Graphing Breathing Technique with a Spirometer

Breathing is essential for life, and proper breathing technique is essential for success in gymnastics. The following graph, excerpted from The Science of Gymnastics: Volume 2 from Schottenbauer Publishing, illustrates one of the most common breathing problems in gymnastics:

Discussion Questions

1. Describe the set of maximum values. 
2. Describe the set of minimum values.
3. What is the average maximum value?
4. What is the average minimum value?
5. Describe the set of times for the breathing cycle, beginning with inhale and ending with exhale.
6. What is the average length of the cycle in time?
7. What is the average length of time the breath is held?
8. Describe the breathing cycle in words, using a few sentences.

Additional graphs of breathing techniques, plus other biophysics variables, are available in the same volume, The Science of Gymnastics: Volume 2 from Schottenbauer Publishing. Similar biophysics data is also available in Volume 2 of several other lab manual series, including The Science of Athletic Training, The Science of Exercise Equipment, The Science of Yoga, Pilates, & Ballet, and more.

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Science of Gymnastics: Volume 4

A new volume of The Science of Gymnastics: Data & Graphs for Science Lab has arrived! Volume 4 features 24 brightly colored graphs depicting a variety of moves on pommel horse, parallel bars, and rings, plus handstands. Many of the moves are available for viewing in a series of free videos on the publisher's YouTube site under the playlist Gymnastics.

The graph below is excerpted from the Volume 4:

Discussion Questions

1. Describe the minimum and the maximum value for each variable.
2. How high do the feet travel? Are the feet ever higher than the hips? Than the head?
3. During this sequence of moves, are the legs straight? Is the body straight? 
4. Describe the initial and final positions of the legs.
5. Can the height of the parallel bars be determined from this graph? If so, what is it?
6. If this graph shows the swings slowed by 2x, what is the timing of the actual swings?

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

How to Make Homemade Gymnastics Equipment: Parallel Bars, Pommel Pod, and Pommel Horse

Gymnastics is a fantastic sport with a high price tag. Many people cannot participate in formal gymnastics due to the time and distance required to travel to a gymnasium, or the cost of purchasing equipment for home practice. Fortunately, some gymnastics equipment can be easily made from common construction equipment, allowing self-taught students to practice some simple, basic moves. A new YouTube video, How to Make Homemade Gymnastics Equipment: Parallel Bars, Pommel Pod, and Pommel Horse, shows viewers how to make gymnastics equipment out of saw horses, fence rails, parachute rope, and a few other common items. The video provides basic guidelines for construction, plus pictures (such as those shown below) and reminders to practice reasonable safety precautions.

Update: A new YouTube video by the same author demonstrates basic gymnastics exercises on these pieces of homemade equipment.

CAUTION! Gymnastics is dangerous. Homemade equipment must be made appropriately, or else additional risk of injury or death may result.

Sample Photos

Additional information on the science of gymnastics is available on the Schottenbauer Publishing website. Books include the following:

Geometry Series

• The Geometry of Gymnastics
• The Geometry of Summer Olympic Sports

Graphs & Data for Science Lab (Book Series)

• The Science of Gymnastics
• The Science of Athletic Training
• The Science of Exercise Equipment

Anthologies of 28 Graphs

• The Science of Gymnastics
• The Science of Summer Olympic Sports
• The Science of Athletic Training

The Schottenbauer Publishing website also offers Free Samples, information on additional athletics books, and links to webpages on sport science.

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

The Science of Gymnastics: Exploring the Possibilities!

The science and math of gymnastics are topics of new books from Schottenbauer Publishing. Presenting data from real moves collected by the science writer and publisher M. Schottenbauer, Ph.D., these books bring the "high tech" end of gymnastics to audiences everywhere!

In these books, students can enjoy learning about common moves from gymnastics, including floor, vault, high bar, rings, parallel bars, and pommel horse. One series of books, written for elementary school students, focuses on geometry. Two series of science books feature graphs and data; these illustrate common mathematical functions, plus a variety of concepts from physics and biophysics. The science books can be integrated into classes such as math, physical science, physics, physical education, and health, anywhere from 7th grade through high school, as well as some introductory college and university classes. 

The books which include gymnastics include the following:

Geometry Workbooks

• The Geometry of Gymnastics
• The Geometry of Summer Olympic Sports 

Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series

• The Science of Gymnastics
• Volume 1: Force & Acceleration
• Volume 2: Biophysics
• Volume 3: Video Analysis

Anthologies of 28 Graphs

• The Science of Gymnastics
• The Science of Summer Olympic Sports

These books are complemented by a series of science books on other popular sports topics, including Olympic sports, athletic training, exercise equipment, yoga, and more. Topics related to gymnastics include:

Geometry Workbooks

• The Geometry of Yoga
• The Geometry of Ballet

Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series

• The Science of Athletic Training 
• Volume 1: Force & Acceleration
• Volume 2: Biophysics
• Volume 3: Video Analysis
• The Science of Exercise Equipment 
• Volume 1: Force & Acceleration
• Volume 2: Biophysics
• Volume 3: Video Analysis
• The Science of Yoga, Pilates, & Ballet 
• Volume 1: Force & Acceleration
• Volume 2: Biophysics
• Volume 3: Video Analysis

Anthologies of 28 Graphs

• The Science of Physical Fitness
• The Science of Dance & Ballet
• The Science of Yoga

Most of the books above are available in both English and German translation. The books pertaining to the geometry of Olympic sports are also available in 15 world languages. 

The same publisher offers similar books on additional popular topics, including sports, transportation, construction, environment, music, entertainment, and general physics. All of these book series are available in several formats and languages, including the following:

Geometry Workbooks

• Print & E-Book Editions
• Available in English & German
• Olympics Books Available in 15 Languages

Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series

• Print Editions
• Available in English & German

Anthologies of 28 Graphs

• Print Editions
• English Only

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Vendors

Amazon & Worldwide Affiliates

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Books-a-Million

CreateSpace

CreateSpace Wholesale

MusicaNeo Digial Sheet Music

Zazzle Art, Posters, & Memorabilia

Unbeatable Specials

With Kindle Unlimited ($9.99/month) at Amazon.com, you can read all e-books from Schottenbauer Publishing for no extra charge! Amazon offers Free 30 Day Trials of Kindle Unlimited. With this deal, trial members can read all Schottenbauer Publishing e-books free! This includes all the geometry workbooks, plus "The World in a Graph," "Alphabets of the World," textbooks on the science of music, all the e-book puzzles, and the educational novels by M. Schottenbauer, Ph.D.