Despite playground legends, on normal playground swings it is not possible to swing so high you go up and over the bar. When you swing past 90 degrees, the swing does not descend back along the arc, but instead falls down. This is because chains / ropes are pliable.
This could be remedied by fixing the swing to the crossbar by 2x4 boards or steel pipe. The top of the board or pipe should have a loop, through which the crosspiece passes.
With such a swing it would be possible to swing up higher than the crossbar, and eventually up and around it. You would need to hold on tight.-- bungston, Mar 12 2005 You just have to go fast enough, try rockets.-- zeno, Mar 15 2005 //on normal playground swings it is not possible to swing so high you go up and over the bar// I think there may be a good reason for this.-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Mar 15 2005 There has to be at least one bendable/pliable place in the chains, or the swings won't work. My swing technique, and I assumed everyone else's, involved pulling on the chains with my hands to somehow hoist my body up or forward or something. Now that I think about it, pumping up a pendulum while on it is a rather strange thing to be able to do, and children in playgrounds are the only case of doing so that I can think of. I always liked getting up to where the chains went slack. Whee!-- baconbrain, Mar 15 2005 Sorry, baked.
Had a swing with bars instead of chains when I was a kid, always remember it 'cause it was the cause of my first nose bleed.-- scubadooper, Mar 15 2005 Baked, but not WKTE. It's simple, it's fun and I like it.-- wagster, Mar 15 2005 im also thinking about this unusual phenomenon, why can we not to a full d360 degree on a swing? the only way i can think of a swing going 360 degrees if one person sits on the swing and swings high enough, then a second person to push the one on the swing with a stick, thus defying the gravitational forces and forcing the swing to go over the 90 degree angle, however, this is not tried and tested, and may also result in a sudden drop of motion- maybe when the swing has reached about 180 degress, it may just decide to drop vertically down--- thus hitting the frame of the swing- which wont be very good for the swinger!!!-- chocolateraindrops, Aug 05 2005 I would be happy to test this with you, [Choco]. It may be necessary to poke and hit the person on the swing repeatedly, to encourage them to swing up and over the bar. We can try several different sticks. You can swing. I will be the one with the stick.-- bungston, Aug 05 2005 oh dear bungston, if we were to do a 360 degree swing it would surely break the record books!! Therefore, I insist, YOU be the swinger, and i'll propel you. hehe-- chocolateraindrops, Aug 05 2005 Install a harness for the user, and put a counter weight on the other end. New amusement park ride. You could make a stand up version.-- Antegrity, Aug 06 2005 Mythbusters (TV show) recently did this. A chain-swing 360 is possible only with rocket assistance, but circus performers can do 360s on rigid swings.-- 5th Earth, Aug 06 2005 its obviously possible to do a 360 on something with an engine or a thrust!!!!!!!!! but............. we want to live the myth, like how bungston put it----- the myth of going 360 on a regular playground swing!!!! that IS a thrill......otherwise i could just go to the fairs for anything else!! hehehe-- chocolateraindrops, Aug 06 2005 random, halfbakery