|
 |
Articles - Biomechanics in Sport Understanding Biomechanical Terminology in Sport - by Dr. Arthur Chapman, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University This small book is designed for individuals who lack a formal education in Mechanics and Biomechanics. One aim is to enable understanding of numerous technical terms which are used when describing and communicating information about sporting techniques. A further aim is to impart briefly information on how the body works as a machine and how its movement is controlled. While sport is the common factor here, we can apply this information to numerous branches of human movement. Biomechanics is a large field of study through which we attempt to explain many phenomena in the biological world. The terminology used is, by its very nature mechanical, and its definitions and their meaning are understood by all investigators of this field of study. Were this not the case there would be chaos in attempting to communicate information among the Biomechanical fraternity, and among participants in any other field of study. Human motion in general is one field where more individuals than Biomechanists have an interest. Within the broad spectrum of human motion the subset of Sports looms large as a popular interest to Sports Biomechanists, and to participants, coaches and observers of sport. It is at this stage where the problems of communication begin. Problems of communication and understanding occur when proper scientific terms describing human motion are replaced by what the communicator believes is the equivalent in common language. Unfortunately one person's common language is not necessarily that of another person. A quick search through the popular literature in almost any sport shows that a particular explanation or piece of advice can be interpreted in numerous ways. The confusion in interpretation arises partly because any two discussants might be using the same word to mean different things or different words to mean the same thing. It also is partly because each individual may have misinterpreted the definition of a scientific word. This latter phenomenon is a serious cause of confusion since it appears to be popularly held that something that sounds scientific must be correct. The worst case arises from use of words which are specific to a given sport. Consider the following explanation given to a novice golfer, 'you came out to in with an open face, blocked the shot and sliced it'. Someone, such as a beginner or non-golfer would have no idea what was done, how it was done and what result occurred. Explanations of this type abound in the older sports (in this case, golf) which have had many years to build a vocabulary. Unfortunately the vocabulary uses common words which were never designed for use in golf. Yet one can hear two or more people using these terms to explain a golfing stroke, only to find that they mean different things to each of the discussants. Another curious use of language concerns what is being done to a ball or what the ball does after being hit; namely cut, bent, sliced, swung, spun, slid, skulled, topped, blocked and squared to mention a few. To a soccer player 'squared' means the ball was moved along a line parallel to the goal line. To a golfer 'squared' has nothing to do with the ball, but is applied either to the orientation of the body or to the clubface in relation to the ball's intended direction. In this paper... To Download Full Text - Follow the Instructions Understanding Biomechanical Terminology in Sport (Full Version - 23 Page E-book),
is available as an instant download for only $9.99 USD + applicable tax |
|||||
Copyright © 2004
Performance Institute