UNDERSTANDING BIOMECHANICS 4 PE and SPORTS

Movements of the human body are produced by the contraction of muscles. However, these movements are also influenced by external forces such as gravity, friction, fluid resistance and reaction forces that are evoked through ground contact or upon impact with other bodies. The study of these physical quantities lies within a branch of physics known as mechanics. Specifically in sports biomechanics, one applies the principles of mechanics in the analysis of human movement. Such an approach will benefit professionals in the health, fitness, sports and coaching industries as they will be better able to answer fundamental questions such as: which technique is best? Is a technique appropriate to the participant or is it specific to the elite athlete? What is wrong with a performance? How should one correct a technique? In most cases, a brief consideration of the anatomical and mechanical factors that contribute to the movement is sufficient to enable the practitioner to perform a valid qualitative analysis to resolve these problems and not resort to guesswork. If pursued further, there are more powerful tools of quantitative analysis that can be used to resolve problems of greater complexity or even general problems that are recurrently faced by the practitioner. Hence, the purpose of this book is to help physical education teachers, sports coaches, athletes and trainers understand physical characteristics of human motion and be better able to discuss and explain the causes of motion, based on a sound understanding of the mechanical principles underlying human movement.