it almost seems to me that McGill views the flight not as a parabolic flight with symmetrical rising and descending slopes – but one that’s a asymmetrical – with a steep vertical rise on the rising side
I am way late but…I am a bit confused by this quote…the way I am reading it, you are viewing the air time hurdling as a parabolic flight?
Apologies if that is not what you are saying but based on other replies, it seems as though the discussion is about parabolic flight. And this confuses me, since by quick definition, a parabola is a mirror-symetrical curve and I was never taught that it was such a curve.
My understanding is the path is more 1/2 “tear drop” shape, with the “point” of the drop the incoming side and, very roughly, the incoming being 50% longer, in terms of ground distance, than the outgoing side, with the maximum “thickness” being, supposedly, directly over the hurdle (studies I have seen from worlds seem to indicate, regardless of what the pure science would dictate, actual is that max height from ground occurs just on the incoming side of the board male or female). This would mean a slower vertical rate of rise incoming compared to the rate of fall/drop on the outgoing.
Not that it matters, because it is not really on topic, but the first thing that struck me regarding the two videos is the position of the trial knee relative to the position of the trail foot…the foot, just prior to clearance, is actually, vertically, above the height of the knee…I was taught/under impression, the knee needs (ha, ha) to remain “above” the foot from take off until the board is cleared [the collapsed body positions IMO are them trying to self correct to maintain balance from that “flicking” action]