Centre of Mass

The mass of a body is the amount of material with which it is made.

The centre of mass of a body is where the mass is considered to be concentrated. It is the point at which it is balanced in all directions.

In uniform objects (symmetrical) it is the geometric centre. (1/2 the mass above, below, left and right, front and back etc.)

However, it can in non-uniform shapes lie outside the actual body.

In the human form the centre of mass has no fixed point but is dependent on the position of the performer at any given time.

Due to the body composition the centre of mass of all athletes varies, as bone, fat, tissue and muscle all contribute to total mass and are in different proportions in each performer.

The range of body positions also contributes to the centre of mass.

Athletes standing still in a ‘normal position have one centre of mass (lower for women than men) but this can be altered by the raising of the arms or straddling of the legs.

It is also dependent on other factors such as balls, weights, opponents etc..

In some body shapes (high jumper, trampolinist, gymnast) the centre of mass can be outside the body.