The term ‘sports biomechanics’ is a reference to the science which deals with an athlete’s movement whilst also bearing in mind the internal as well as external forces that are in effect while performing any desired movement.
Sport biomechanics analyses the effects of forces on sports performance. By using laws and principles – that are grounded in physics which apply to human movement – athletes and coaches can make sound decisions in order to develop efficient sports techniques.
When coaches understand how forces work in sports and how athletes can leverage these forces, they have an obvious advantage over those who not have these tools. Coaches with a command of both mental training tools and sports training principles can make amazing things happen on the field.
A detailed knowledge of sports biomechanics helps to minimise injury
Sports biomechanics incorporates a detailed analysis of sport movements to minimise the risk of injury and enhance sports performance. Biomechanics looks at the best technique for boosting performance as well as safety and injury avoidance.
Form plays a huge role in any exercise. If you’re performing any exercise incorrectly, you could injure yourself. It is necessary for you to train your body to move correctly. When you don’t move properly, you’re moving in a way which is unnatural for the body, which puts additional stress on your joints as well as ligaments. Furthermore, you’re not engaging the muscles which are required to be engaged in order to support the movement.
For instance, not striking right or holding your body correctly during running can not only create inefficiency, affect performance, but this can lead to pain and injuries. Biomechanics – arm swing, foot strike, even trunk leaning – will affect how someone runs.
In sports and exercise, biomechanics also considers the interaction between the performer and their equipment and environment.
Biomechanics and kinesiology, areas of study about human movement, can help coaches:
- Analyse sport movements
- Choose the best training exercises
- Reduce or prevent injuries
- Design or select the sport equipment that best matches athletes’ personal needs
- Maximise economy as well as efficiency of movements
What is kinematics?
Kinematics is the branch of biomechanics that looks at the study of movement:
- Kinesis (motion)
- Tics (the study of. Think mathematics, politics as well as pizzatics).
On a more practical level, kinematics is the study of position, velocity, and momentum. On this most practical level, kinematics is the study of what takes place when you toss a ball. Which means that if you can toss a ball, you can learn kinematics.
Kinematics looks at the position, velocity and acceleration of an object:
- ‘Position’ refers to where an object is or its location.
- ‘Velocity’ refers to how fast an object is moving as well as in what direction.
- ‘Acceleration’ refers to how the velocity of the object is changing.
Sports biomechanics is one of the important disciplines in the wider field of sports science. The area includes the detailed analysis of the fundamental movements in sport with the aim of lowering injury risk as well as improving sports performance. Researchers looking at the physical facets of performance make use of sports biomechanics analysis in order to try to understand the link between kinetics as well as physical performance.
Biomechanical analysis can have a massive impact on performance by creating models for optimal movement and load analysis. This is utilised to determine the safest or most efficient way to move or perform a skill as well as to investigate the impact a different environment could have on how the body moves or reacts.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you want to discover more about biomechanics and the way that a knowledge of this can help to improve exercise then you need to do our Personal Training Diploma. For more information, please follow this link.
