Gymnasts exploit the mechanical properties of their bodies to achieve remarkable feats. Divers enter a fetal position while in the air to increase the number of somersaults, but then stretch out to enter the water with a minimal splash. The divers train to exploit the law of conservation of angular momentum to maximize their performance.
Gymnasts and athletes are highly skilled, and they take far greater risk, which is why we admire them so much.
But, it turns out, that the ability and propensity to adapt the body’s mechanical properties to facilitate motion is not limited to trained sportspersons; it is a feature of the walking patterns of most adults.
Click here for our latest work demonstrating this principle in action as regular folks step over an obstacle.