Paunović M. et al.: THE INFLUENCE OF STRENGTH ON THE GYMNASTS' SUCCESS…      Vol. 14, Issue 2: 173 - 183 
 
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THE INFLUENCE OF STRENGTH ON THE GYMNASTS’ 
SUCCESS IN PERFORMING VAULT 
 
 
Miloš Paunović, Saša Veličković, Tomislav Okičić, Stefan Jović and Dušan 
Đorđević 
 
 
Faculty of Sport and Physical education, University of Niš, Serbia 
 
 
Original article                                                                          DOI:10.52165/sgj.14.2.173-183 
Abstract 
The aim of the study was to determine the influence of absolute and relative strength of the 
muscles of the legs, upper arms and shoulder girdle on the success of performing vault with 
gymnasts aged 13 to 16 who have been training gymnastics from five to 12 years. The Japanese 
digital dynamometer IMADAZ2H-1100 with WinWedge 3.4 software was used to estimate the 
absolute strength of the leg, upper arm and shoulder girdle muscles. The values shown on the 
digital meter represented the absolute value of the maximum force, and when the absolute value 
of the force was divided by the weight of the participant, the value of the relative force was 
obtained. Regression analysis was used to determine the influence of absolute and relative 
strength of leg muscles, upper arm and shoulder girdle on the success of performing vault. The 
results showed that although there is an influence of the above muscles, it is not statistically 
significant. Specifically, for a successful performance on the vault, the muscles of the shoulder 
girdle have the greatest influence (without statistical significance). The reason for the results 
obtained in this way lies in the fact that the phase of flight and landing depends on the support 
phase and the repulsion from the vault. As there are few research studies on the subject of this 
paper, regardless of the obtained results, this research represents a good foundation and basis 
for some future research of absolute and relative strength in artistic gymnastics. 
 
Keywords: vault, gymnasts, absolute strength, relative stregnth.
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
In addition to swimming and athletics, 
artistic gymnastics is one of the basic sports 
and represents a type of sports competition 
that reaches the highest level of artistic 
achievement (Petkovic, Velickovic, 
Petkovic, Hadzi – Ilic, i Mekic, 2013). 
Under the generic name "gymnastics", FIG 
(Federation International Gymnastics) with 
regulations regulate a large part of activities 
based on training, education and activities 
that will emphasize    the    physical     and    
mental characteristics of the athlete 
regardless of race, religion, age, his or her 
social status.  
Due to the existence of several types 
of gymnastics, gymnastics today must be 
used with a prefix in order for the term to be 
clearly defined (Petkovic, 2011). "Under 
artistic gymnastics, the widest audience 
experiences sports, conceptually defined as 
a competitive discipline, with polystructural 
content (exercises are performed in all three 
planes of movement and around all three 
axes of rotation) of acyclic type and strictly 
defined rules as a convention in practice". 
These exercises are usually performed in 
anaerobic conditions, with the aim of 
showing the form of movement and making 
a visual impression (Petkovic, Velickovic, 
Petkovic, Hadzi – Ilic, i Mekic, 2013, pg. 
12). 
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The vault, present in both men and 
women gymnastics, is one of the more 
attractive apparatuses. Gymnasts start 
vaulting from a calm position, with their 
legs joined at a maximum distance of 25 
meters from the apparatus, where the first 
step or jump is counted as the beginning of 
performing a vault. It consists of two 
phases: the first phase is the flight from the 
springboard to the support on the vault, and 
the second phase includes the flight phase, 
from pushing from the vault to landing on 
both feet (FIG, 2017). The gymnast is 
obliged to perform one vault. But in 
qualifications for finals and in the finals on 
the vault, two vaults are performed from 
two different groups and with a different 
second phase of the flight. Each vault can 
have one or more rotations around both axes 
of the body, or it can be performed without 
rotation (Petkovic, Velickovic, Petkovic, 
Hadzi – Ilic, i Mekic, 2013). 
There are a number of definitions of 
motor abilities. Findak (1999) and Prskalo 
(2004) similarly defined motor abilities as 
latent motor structures responsible for an 
infinite number of manifest reactions, 
which can be measured and described. 
Milanovic (2009) defined motor abilities as 
the ability of the body to realise all types of 
movements. Malacko and Popovic (2001, 
pg. 26) state that "motor abilities are latent, 
they cannot be measured directly but 
indirectly, which means that only motor 
reactions, i.e., manifestations of different 
units of measurement, can be measured 
directly". Milanovic (2009) states that 
according to Meinel (1977), it is a complex 
structure of quantitative (strength, speed, 
endurance, flexibility) and qualitative 
(coordination, agility, balance and 
precision) motor abilities (Badric, Sporis, 
Trklja, and Petrovic, 2012). 
Most experts (Kurelic et al., 1975; 
Kukolj, Jovanovic, and Rupert, 1992; Nicin 
and Kalajdzic 1996) agree that in the latent 
space of basic motor abilities, the following 
features stand out:  
− strength, 
− coordination, 
− endurance, 
− speed, 
− flexibility, 
− balance, and 
− precision. 
Many authors have tried to define 
strength in the most adequate way by using 
different starting points. Thus, Opavski 
(1971, p. 169) identifies strength with force 
and says that "force is the ability to 
transform muscular tension in the 
composition of motor units into a kinetic or 
potential form of mechanical energy". In 
anthropomotorics, the term strength is 
defined as a human trait, i.e., its ability to 
overcome some external resistance or to 
oppose it with the help of muscular strains 
(Nicin, 2000). Strength represents the work 
of muscles in a unit of time against the force 
of gravity in overcoming the resistance 
offered by muscle contraction (Ugarkovic, 
2004). Stone (1993) and Sif (2001) defined 
muscular strength as the ability to exert 
force on an external object or resistance. 
The most common criterion for classifying 
motor ability strength is the ratio of the 
magnitude of the force exerted to the mass 
of the body. It can be isolated on this basis 
of: 
− absolute strength (maximum muscle 
strength that a person can develop with 
his/her overall muscle mass), and 
− relative strength (amount of strength 
that a person can develop per kilogram of 
his/her weight) (Stojiljkovic, 2003). 
The aim of the study was to determine 
the influence of absolute and relative 
strength of the muscles of the legs, upper 
arms and shoulder girdle on the success of 
performing vault in gymnasts aged 13 to 16 
years. 
In previous research studies related to 
vault, the authors have examined a variety 
of variables. Scharer, Lehmann, Naundorf, 
Taube & Hubner (2019) examined the 
relationships between run-up speed; the 
degree of difficulty (D-score); height and 
length of flight on the vault in artistic 
gymnastics for handspring; Tsukahara and 
Yurchenko-style vaults, and compared the 
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performances of male and female elite and 
junior athletes during the 2016 European 
Championships. The results showed that for 
females, the run-up velocity correlated 
significantly with the difficulty (D) score 
and the height of flight for all vaulting styles 
(r ≤ 0.80). In males, the run-up velocity 
correlated significantly with the D-score, 
height and length of flight of Tsukahara (r 
≤ 0.69) and Yurchenko vaults only (r ≤ 
0.65). Males reached 8–9% higher run-up 
velocity performing handspring and 
Tsukahara vaults than females, but similar 
run-up velocity performing Yurchenko 
vaults. Both male and female elite gymnasts 
achieved higher run-up speeds than junior 
gymnasts. The authors concluded that the 
knowledge of the required run-up velocity 
for each vault helps coaches to estimate 
each athlete’s potential and/or to focus the 
training on developing the required physical 
qualities. A similar group of authors 
(Scharer, Haller, Taube & Hubner 2019) 
examined “Physical determinants of vault 
performance and their age-related 
differences across male junior and elite top-
level gymnasts” with the aim to: 1) 
investigate interrelations between difficulty 
value (D-score) and run-up kinematics of 
handspring/Tsukahara and Yurchenko 
vaults as well as lower body power (25m-
sprint, explosive and reactive strength) and 
2) to explore age-related differences of 
these parameters across junior and elite 
gymnasts performing 
handspring/Tsukahara vaults. On a sample 
of 47 top-level male elite and junior 
gymnasts aged 14.3 to 28.3, results showed 
that D-scores for handspring/Tsukahara (n 
= 33) were strongly correlated with the run-
up speed. There were no significant 
relationships with the D-score for 
Yurchenko (n = 14). Looking at the age-
related differences for 
handspring/Tsukahara, D-scores increased 
significantly from the junior to the elite 
level (+11.6%; p < 0.01). The comparison 
between consecutive age groups revealed 
that the U19 group had higher run-up 
speeds, step lengths, body weights and 
heights than the U17 group, while the U21 
group achieved significantly higher speeds 
(run-up, 25m-sprint) and explosive strength 
than the U19 group. They concluded that 1) 
the optimization of important physical 
determinants may increase the potential to 
perform more difficult 
handspring/Tsukahara vaults, and 2) first 
growth and maturation and later 
improvements of lower body power led to 
higher run-up speeds for 
handspring/Tsukahara in the subsequent 
age-group. Atiković, Kazazović, 
Kamanješavić and Nožinović-Mujanović 
(2019) examined the correlation of 
biomechanical parameters and the vault 
start value in men's artistic gymnastics. Tha 
aim of their research was to determine the 
correlation between the vault start value and 
the run-up velocity, the first flight phase, 
the table support, and the second flight 
phase. In the correlation matrix, the criteria 
variables from the Code of Points FIG 
MAG (2017-2020) effected a statistically 
significant postive correlation with two 
variables: run-up velocity on springboard 
and the second flight phase, but a negative 
correlation with two other variables, i.e., the 
first flight phase and vault support. The 
authors concluded that there were no 
differences in the values in relation to the 
two cycle Code of Points. Hwang, Kim, 
Choi and Choi (2020) dealt with ”Dynamic 
modelling for the second flight phase of the 
Yurchenko layout vault based on msc. 
Adams”. They used a 3D angle-driven 
computer simulation model of a gymnast 
who performs the Yurchenko layout vault 
using ADAMS software. Their results 
showed that increasing the initial horizontal 
velocity resulted in an increased horizontal 
flight distance, but had no connection with 
the duration of the flight and the angle of 
twists. The overall angle of twists is 
concerned with initial vertical velocity and 
angular velocities about the transversal and 
longitudinal axes. Also, increasing the 
initial vertical velocity and angular velocity 
about the transverse axis leads to an 
increase in the touchdown angle between 
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the ground’s horizontal axis and the 
gymnast’s longitudinal axis. 
In previous studies related to the 
strength in artistic gymnastics, authors have 
examined a variety of variables on a sample 
of respondents of different ages. The aim of 
the research of Kochanowicz et. all (2018) 
was to demonstrate the differences between 
non-athletes and gymnasts in the 
development of peak torque (PKTQ) in the 
pre- and post-pubertal age. They also 
examined the flexion/extension ratios at the 
elbow and the glenohumeral joints, as well 
as the relevance of the above activities for 
the co-activation of selected muscles. On a 
sample of 20 gymnasts and 20 non-athletes 
aged 8-9 years, in addition to 12 gymnasts 
and 16 non-athletes aged 18-25 years, the 
results showed that in the group of older 
gymnasts the PKTQ ratio of the 
glenohumeral flexors to extensors was the 
lowest (0.72) and was significantly different 
from the other groups. This result was 
consistent with the 30% higher PKTQ 
values (P<0.01) of the glenohumeral 
extensors and a 41% reduction in their 
EMG in flexion in comparison to non-
athletes. Scharer et. all (2021) examined 
“Maximum strength benchmarks for 
difficult static elements on rings in male 
elite gymnastics”. Subjects performed a 
concentric (1RM isoinertial) and eccentric 
(isokinetic: 0.1 m/s) conditioning strength 
test for the swallow/support scale (supine 
position) and inverted cross (seated 
position) on a computer-controlled device 
and a maximum strength test maintaining 
these elements for 5s on the rings with 
counterweight or additional weight. Results 
showed high correlation coefficients 
between the conditioning maximum 
strength for the swallow/support scale (r: 
0.65 to 0.92; p < 0.05) and inverted cross (r: 
0.62 to 0.69; p > 0.05) and maximum 
strength for the elements on the rings. 
Strength benchmarks varied between 
56.66% (inverted cross concentric) and 
94.10% (swallow eccentric) of body 
weight. They concluded that differences in 
biomechanical characteristics and technical 
requirements of strength elements on rings 
may (inter alia) explain the differences 
between correlations. Dallas, Kirialanis, 
Dallas and Mellos (2017) dealt with effects 
of training maximal isometric strength on 
young gymnasts. Subjects (57 gymnasts 
and 74 non-gymnasts) were tested for 
isometric strength during force flexion and 
extension of the upper and lower limbs 
during a 5-second maximal voluntary 
isometric strength test for the right and the 
left side respectively. The results showed 
significant differences between gymnasts 
and non-gymnasts (p<.05). Further, 
significant interaction revealed: a) for the 
right side with respect to the force flexion at 
the elbow and shoulder joints; b) for the left 
side with respect to the force flexion for the 
elbow, shoulder and hip joint, c) with 
respect to the force extension of the right 
side for the elbow, shoulder, hip and knee 
joints, d) for the extension of the left side 
for elbow, shoulder, and hip joints. In 
conclusion they indicated that such results 
should be considered by trainers seeking to 
improve the strength and overall training 
level of their athletes. Čeklić and Šarabon 
(2021) conducted a research study aiming to 
determine the differences in hip, knee, and 
ankle strength between female gymnasts 
and non-gymnasts, and secondly, to 
determine the effect of strength training 
interventions.  Over the period of 8 weeks, 
the participants underwent 5 weeks of 
regular training and 3 weeks of targeted 
strength training intervention. After eight 
weeks, they were retested. It was found that 
there were significant differences between 
the two groups in the most observed hip 
strength parameters, but not in the knee and 
ankle strength. The intervention did not 
significantly affect any parameters of ILAs. 
Gymnasts and non-gymnasts differ in hip 
strength parameters. In conclusion, the 
authors stated that a longer intervention 
program might decrease the ILA 
parameters. Qomarrullah, Kristiyanto, 
Sugiharto and Hidayatullah (2018) 
examined the dominant factors of physical 
ability determining the achievement of 
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artistic gymnastic techniques on the vault. 
The aim of the study was to analyze the 
relationship between the physical ability 
factor of running speed, the strength of leg 
muscle, arm muscle, abdominal muscle, and 
balance in the vault technique. The results 
showed that the speed and the running 
factor had no significant influence; while 
the leg muscle strength, the arm muscle 
strength, and the abdominal muscle strength 
had a significant effect. The most dominant 
factor of physical ability in the vault 
technique is the leg muscle strength, while 
the influence of the running speed is the 
lowest. 
 
METHODS 
 
The sample of respondents included 29 
gymnasts (Table 1) from eight countries 
participating in the international 
tournament "Laza Krstic and Marica 
Dzelatovic" in Novi Sad, aged 13 to 16, who 
have practiced gymnastics from five to 12 
years. The research was approved by the 
Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Sports 
and Physical Education, University of Nis, 
and was conducted in accordance with the 
Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical 
Association 2013). 
The Japanese digital dynamometer 
IMADAZ2H-1100 with WinWedge 3.4 
software was used to estimate the absolute 
strength of the leg, upper arm and shoulder 
girdle muscles. The values displayed on the 
digital meter represented the absolute value 
of the maximum force. When the absolute 
value of the force was divided by the weight 
of the participants, the value of the relative 
force was obtained. A scale (Gorenje) was 
used to estimate body weight and the results 
were recorded in kilograms (kg). 
 
Table 1  
Sample of respondents. 
 Age 
Training 
internship 
Body 
weight 
MIN 13 5 31 
MAX 16 12 64 
Mean 14.62 8.14 47.25 
 
The measurement of the absolute force 
of the leg, upper arm and shoulder girdle 
muscles was performed immediately before 
the competition, so that it did not affect the 
outcome of the competition. To estimate the 
maximum force, the following features 
were measured: the maximum force of the 
leg extensors, the maximum force of the 
flexor muscles of the upper arm and the 
maximum force of the shoulder girdle 
muscles. The results (final score on vault) 
from the international tournament "Laza 
Krstic and Marica Dzelatovic" were used as 
an indicator of the success in performing 
vault. 
To measure the maximum force of the 
leg extensors, the subject holds a 
dynamometer behind and below the back, 
with the knees in slight flexion and the feet 
spaced hip-width apart (Figure 1). The 
chain connecting the stand to the digital 
force meter is fully tightened. The subject 
pulls the dynamometer from the starting 
position with evenly extended arms with the 
strength of the extensor muscles of the 
lower extremities, during which he 
performs the movement of the extension in 
the knee joint. The result is measured in 
Newtons (N). 
 
 
Figure 1.Leg extensors measurement. 
 
 
To measure the maximum force of the 
upper arm muscles, the subject holds a 
dynamometer in front of him with a flexion 
in the elbow joint of 90 degrees (Figure 2). 
The feet are hip-width apart and the chain 
connecting the stand to the digital force 
meter is fully tightened. The subject pulls 
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the dynamometer from the initial position 
evenly with both hands with the strength of 
the flexor muscles of the upper arm, during 
which he performs the movement of flexion 
in the elbow joint. The result is measured in 
Newtons (N). 
 
 
Figure 2. Upper arm muscles measurement. 
To measure the maximum force of 
the shoulder muscles, the subject holds a 
dynamometer in front of him, arms 
outstretched with an angle of 90 degrees 
between the arms and the torso (Figure 3). 
The feet are hip-width apart and the chain 
connecting the stand to the digital force 
meter is fully tightened. The subject pulls 
the dynamometer from the initial position 
evenly with both hands with the strength of 
the shoulder girdle muscles, during which 
he performs the ante-flexion movement in 
the shoulder joint. The result is measured in 
Newtons (N). The description of the test 
was taken from Dopsaj, 2010. 
 
 
Figure 3.Shoulder muscles measurement. 
 
The sample of variables consisted of: 
− final score on vault (DVAL), 
− absolute leg muscle strength 
 (ASLE), 
− relative leg muscle strength
 (RSLE), 
− absolute strength of the upper arm 
 muscles (ASBI), 
− relative strength of the upper arm 
 muscles (RSBI), 
− absolute strength of the shoulder 
 girdle muscles (ASSH), 
− relative strength of the shoulder
  girdle muscles (RSSH). 
Statistical procedures corresponding to 
the problem under investigation were used 
for data processing. First, for each variable, 
descriptive parameters were calculated as 
follows: 
− minimum value  (MIN), 
− maximum value  (MAX), 
− range    (RAN), 
− arithmetic mean  (ARM), 
− standard deviation  (STD), 
− skewness  (SKE), 
− kurtosis  (KUR), 
− Kolmogorov smirnov Z test (p). 
Regression analysis was used to 
determine the influence of absolute and 
relative strength of the leg, upper arm and 
shoulder girdle muscles on success in 
performing vault. For this purpose, the 
following were calculated: standardized 
values of the regression coefficient – Beta, 
standardized tests of the significance of the 
regression coefficient – t, the level of 
significance of the standardized regression 
coefficient – p, coefficient of determination 
– R2, adjusted coefficient of determination 
– R2 adjust, standard error estimate – Std. 
Err. Est., significance test of multiple 
regression analysis – F, significance level of 
multiple correlation – p. The statistical 
program "SPSS v20" was used for statistical 
data processing. 
 
RESULTS 
 
Based on the obtained measurement 
results, adequate statistical procedures were 
applied. 
Table 2 shows the basic statistical 
parameters of descriptive statistics and 
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Tables 3 and 4 show the regression analysis 
of absolute and relative strength, both sets 
of applied variables and for each variable 
separately. 
Examining the results of descriptive 
statistics, it can be concluded that the results 
are normally distributed, as indicated by the 
values of skewness and kurtosis. The 
normality of the distribution of results is 
also confirmed by the values of Kolmogor's 
Smirnov Z test, which are higher than 0.05 
for all applied variables. 
The results of the regression analysis 
for absolute strength indicate that although 
there is an influence, it is not statistically 
significant, either for each variable 
separately (ASLE .290, ASBI .895, ASSH 
.074) or for a set of variables (p=.239). The 
values of the Beta coefficient indicate that 
there is a very small influence of leg 
muscles (ASLE -.296), slightly larger of 
shoulder girdle muscles (ASSH -.572), and 
almost no influence of the muscles of the 
upper arm (ASBI .031); none of them have 
any statistical significance. The values of 
the coefficient of determination agree with 
these results (R2=.152) and an adjusted 
coefficient of determination (R2adjust=.051), 
which indicates a very small correlation 
with no statistical significance. 
The influence of relative strength in 
relation to the absolute is greater, but 
without statistical significance, both for 
each variable separately (RSLE .166, RSBI 
.544, RSSH .060) and for a set of variables 
(p=.258). Beta coefficient values indicate a 
very small influence of the upper arm 
muscles (-.144), small influence of leg 
muscles (-.322) while the influence of the 
shoulder girdle muscles is larger (.525) and 
amounts to 52.5%. The values of the 
coefficient of determination (R=.146) and 
the adjusted coefficient of determination 
(R2adjust =.044) also support the previously 
mentioned results, which, as with absolute 
strength, indicate a very small correlation 
without statistical significance. 
 
DISCUSSION  
 
The aim of this study was to examine 
the influence of absolute and relative 
strength of the leg, upper arm and shoulder 
girdle muscles on the success of performing 
vault with gymnasts aged 13 to 16 years. 
The results showed that although there is 
some influence of the abovementioned 
muscles, it is not statistically significant. 
 
 
Table 2  
Descriptive statistics. 
 
Variables MIN MAX RAN ARM STD SKE KUR 
КS - Z 
КS - Z p 
DVAL 10.10 13.80 3.70 11.93 0.87 0.04 -0.12 0.38 1.00 
ASLE 341.00 2232.00 1891.00 856.72 406.69 1.64 3.61 0.98 0.30 
RSLE 5.78 36.59 30.81 17.99 6.14 0.65 1.80 0.52 0.95 
ASBI 129.00 659.00 530.00 281.97 116.75 1.49 2.77 0.79 0.56 
RSBI 3.79 18.31 14.52 6.00 2.61 1.03 1.02 0.66 0.78 
ASSH 32.00 231.00 199.00 113.38 46.44 0.49 0.15 0.47 0.98 
RSSH 0.98 3.79 2.81 2.35 0.64 -0.60 0.99 0.91 0.37 
Legend: DVAL – final score on vault, ASLE – absolute leg muscle strength, RSLE – relative leg muscle strength,  
ASBI – absolute strength of the upper arm muscles, RSBI – relative strength of the upper arm muscles, ASSH – 
absolute strength of the shoulder girdle muscles, RSSH – relative strength of the shoulder girdle muscles, MIN – 
minimum value, MAX – maximum value, RAN – range, ARM – arithmetic mean, STD – standard deviation, SKE 
– skewness, KUR – kurtosis, КС-Z – Kolmogorov smirnov Z test, p – statistical significance of the KS-Z test 
 
 
 
 
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Table 3  
Regression analysis of absolute strength. 
 
Variables Beta t p R2 R2adjust 
Std. Err. 
Est. 
F p 
ASLE -.296 -1.081 .290 
.152 .051 .843 1.498 .239 ASBI .031 -.133 .895 
ASSH -.572 1.862 .074 
Legend: ASLE – absolute leg muscle strength, ASBI – absolute strength of the upper arm muscles, ASSH – absolute 
strength of the shoulder girdle muscles, Beta – standardized values of the regression coefficient, t – standardized 
tests of the significance of the regression coefficient, p – the level of significance of the standardized regression 
coefficient, R2 – coefficient of determination, R2 adjust – adjusted coefficient of determination, Std. Err. Est. – 
standard error estimate, F – significance test of multiple regression analysis, p – significance level of multiple 
correlation 
 
 
Table 4  
Regression analysis of relative strength. 
 
Variables Beta t p R2 R2adjust 
Std. Err. 
Est. 
F p 
RSLE -.322 -1.427 .166 
.146 .044 .846 1.430 .258 RSBI -.144 -.615 .544 
RSSH .525 1.969 .060 
Legend: RSLE – relative leg muscle strength, RSBI – relative strength of the upper arm muscles, RSSH – relative 
strength of the shoulder girdle muscles, Beta – standardized values of the regression coefficient, t – standardized 
tests of the significance of the regression coefficient, p – the level of significance of the standardized regression 
coefficient, R2 – coefficient of determination, R2 adjust – adjusted coefficient of determination, Std. Err. Est. – 
standard error estimate, F – significance test of multiple regression analysis, p – significance level of multiple 
correlation 
 
 
There are very few studies that deal 
specifically with this topic. In the first 
research by Paunovic et al. (2018), the 
authors examined the influence of the 
relative strength of different muscle groups 
on the results in all-around for gymnasts 
aged 14 to 16 years. It came up with results 
that are consistent with the results in this 
study. There is an influence of the relative 
strength of the leg muscles on the result in 
all-around, but it is not statistically 
significant and amounts to p=0.413, the 
upper arm muscle amounts to p=0.926 and, 
as in this study, the impact of the shoulder 
girdle muscles was the greatest 
(Beta=0.499) but still with no statistical 
significance (p=0.653). The results for the 
set of variables are also very similar to the 
results in this study (p=0.653). 
In another study, Paunovic et al. (2019) 
examined the influence of absolute and 
relative strength on the success of 
performing the floor exercise. On a sample 
of respondents aged 14 to 16 years, results 
were obtained that are similar to the results 
in this and the abovementioned study. 
Although there is an influence of absolute 
and relative strength, it is not statistically 
significant. For absolute strength, it is at the 
level of p=0.295, and for relative, at the 
level of p=0.284. 
In research by Qomarrullah, 
Kristiyanto, Sugiharto and Hidayatullah 
(2018), there were two variables as in this 
study, the leg and the arm muscle. In a 
slightly younger sample of subjects (10 to 
12 years), the obtained results indicate a 
statistically significant influence of the 
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above variables on the technique of 
performing the jump (leg muscle p <0.01, 
arm muscle p <0.01), in contrast to this 
study where, although there is an influence, 
it is not statistically significant. 
Strength in boys aged 13 and 16 can 
vary greatly due to this sensitive period of 
development. Respondents of this age were 
selected because they competed in the same 
category. The internship is related to the age 
of the respondents. But it is not uncommon 
for children with good predispositions, 
which starts with training later, to progress 
equally well or better than those who have a 
longer internship. 
 
CONCLUSION 
 
Based on the obtained results, it can be 
concluded that strength, both absolute and 
relative, is not a decisive factor for success 
in performing vaults. Although gymnasts 
work out exclusively with their own weight, 
their relative strength is not crucial for 
success. This does not mean that strength is 
not important for success in gymnastics. 
Instead, the reason for the results obtained 
in this way should be sought in the age of 
the respondents. Namely, at this age, 
gymnasts perform elements that are more 
coordination-wise and technically 
demanding and require less strength. Given 
their age, this way of training and 
competition is justified since for many 
reasons, the development of strength can 
"wait" for a few more years. 
The significance of this research is 
reflected in its determination of the 
influence of absolute and relative muscle 
strength of the muscles of the legs, upper 
arms and shoulder girdle on success in 
performing vault for gymnasts aged 13 to 
16 years. Since a performance on the vault 
starts with a run-up towards the 
springboard, followed by the take-off with 
both feet from the springboard, then a 
support phase of take-off from the vault and 
finally landing on both feet, it can be said 
that the choice of muscle groups is justified. 
Bearing in mind that gymnasts exercise 
only with their weight, without additional 
external load, it can be concluded that 
relative strength is crucial for success in 
artistic gymnastics. But other motor skills 
should not be disregarded, since artistic 
gymnastics is a very complex sport and 
does not tolerate well deficiencies in the 
development of any motor ability. 
Specifically, for a successful performance 
on the vault, the shoulder girdle muscles 
have the greatest influence (without 
statistical significance). The reason for the 
results obtained in this way lies in the fact 
that the flight phase and the landing phase 
depend on the support phase and the 
repulsion from the vault. 
As there is a small number of studies 
that research the subject of this paper, 
regardless of the results obtained, this 
research represents a good foundation and 
basis for future studies of the absolute and 
relative strength in artistic gymnastics. It 
can also be used by trainers as a guide in the 
training process, as it indicates which 
muscle groups are most active on the 
specific apparatus. 
 
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Corresponding author: 
 
Miloš Paunović  
Faculty of Sport and Physical Education 
University of Niš 
Čarnojevića 10a, Niš 
Tel.: +381654200831 
E mail: zuxxx123@gmail.com 
 
 
 
Article received: 2.9.2021 
Article accepted: 11.2.2022 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Paunović M. et al.: THE INFLUENCE OF STRENGTH ON THE GYMNASTS' SUCCESS…      Vol. 14, Issue 2: 173 - 183 
 
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