BIOMECHANICS IN PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

A knowledge of mechanics is an essential tool with which to distinguish between:

important and unimportant,
correct and incorrect,
cause and e ect
possible and impossible”

Dyson (1986, p.2)

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Analysis

Qualitative
•Coaching
•Diagnostic
•Simple numerical analysis
•Subjective

Quantitative
•Detailed biomechanical analysis
•More numerical
•More objective

Optimal technique
The best way of carrying out a particular task for an outcome

Depends on the desired outcome!

“The best way of carrying out a particular task for an outcome”
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 What Is A Good Technique

Safe
E ective
E cient

Need to take into account:

Athlete’s characteristics
Task demands
Environment

How Do We Start Improving Performance?

Models of Qualitative Analysis
Develop a model of the skill
Observe performance & identify faults
Ranking the priority of faults
Instruct the performer

HAY AND REID, 1988

Developing a Model: Critical Features

•The most important aspects of the movement
•Need to be performed in a certain way to be successful
•Need to be sequenced in a speci c pattern

Hierarchical or Deterministic Modelling

Identi cation of the performance criterion i.e. the result

the measure used
Sub-division of performance criterion
take-o distance + ight: distance + landing distance
Identi cation of performance parameters
mechanical quantities such as force, velocity, etc
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Hierarchical or Deterministic Modelling

Deterministic Modelling: Javelin (Best, Bartlett &

Morriss, 1993)

Why Use Video Analysis?

Trained coaches can only accurately recall 30-50% of the information they actually see during a
game.

Bias
Subjective opinion
Lack of fundamental knowledge

 3. Evaluation & Diagnosis

•Identifying the fault is the easy part
E ecting change is the hard part.

Feedback: priorities
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