Unit - 8
Fundamentals of Kinesiology
and
Biomechanics in Sports
Contents
• Definition and Importance of Kinesiology and
Biomechanics in sports
• Principles of Biomechanics
• Types of Body Movements - Flexion, Extension,
Abduction, Adduction, Rotation, Circumduction,
Supination & Pronation
• Axis and Planes – Concept and its application in body
movements
Meaning and Definition of Kinesiology
• The term ' Kinesiology' is a combination of two Greek
verbs 'KINESIS meaning MOTION, LOGOS – meaning
‘word of knowledge’ or ‘The science of’.
• Kinesiology is the SCIENCE OF MOTION.
• Investigates and analyses human motion.
Importance of Kinesiology
• Assists teachers in analysing motor performances, human
motion mechanism and various factors influencing
movement behaviour and performance.
• Competition in sports developed to such a degree that no
coach or player can afford to neglect the application of
scientific principles that can give advantage over or at
least keep him at pace with his opponent.
• Implementation of various principles of kinesiology in
coaching methods can improve the standard of
performance in sports.
• Kinesiological knowledge is the professional tool that can
be utilized effectively by a skillful coach who is master of
the basic subject matter and the fundamentals.
Kinesiology helps the coaches in the following ways:
1. To understand the basic principles of activities and
mechanical analysis of various sports events.
2. It helps to avoid unwanted movements, i.e., minimum
expenditure of energy and maximum output.
3. It helps to perfecting the performances and perfecting the
performers himself. ( To improve motor ability and motor
educability).
4. For the analysis of muscular activities and utilizing this
knowledge to improve the performance level.
5. To know about posture (Body Mechanics) ·and prescribe
suitable corrective exercises.(for diagnosis, treatment and
follow up)
6. For evaluation of activities and the performer.
7. To know the individual's need and preparing programmes
according to their needs – selecting exercises according to
the age, sex, etc.
8. To prepare a programme for physical fitness.
9. Application of Kinesiological principles in the day-to-day
activities.
• How to apply basic laws and principles to performance
and how to use new devices, such as, high speed
photography, television replay, the electro-goniometer and
electromyograph to analyze human performance more
effectively.
Meaning of Biomechanics
• The science of biomechanics is concerned with the forces
which act on a human body and the effects which these
forces produce.
• It is the mathematics of technique, which enables us to
understand the perfect technique of any sporting activity.
• It is the science of explaining how and why the human body
moves in the way it does.
Meaning and Importance of Biomechanics
• Not only the structure of bones and muscles and the
movement they can produce.
• Biomechanics helps the coach to improve the general
physical condition of the athlete through a systematic
exercise programme.
Definition of Biomechanics
• According to Donald Die biomechanics is, "The
application of mechanical laws to living structures
especially locomotor system of the human body."
• According to James G. Hay, "Biomechanics is the science
that examines the internal and external forces acting on a
human body and the effects produced by these forces."
Importance of Biomechanics
• Help the coach to determine which feature of a technique
contribute to the high quality of his performance and to
find fault limiting the performance.
• New techniques are brought by entirely different means,
which produce entirely different changes in techniques.
• New equipment also produces changed in techniques.
Importance of Biomechanics
• Assists in improving technique:
• Helps in improving Equipment:
• Facilitates performance in sports.
• Supports in preventing injury:
• Helps in promoting safety:
Importance of Biomechanics
• Works in the improvement of training:
• Facilitates in understanding of human body:
• Assists in improving teaching and learning process:
Principles of Biomechanics
• Principle 1 - It is the state when all the forces acting upon a
body are perfectly balanced and the body remains at rest.
The lower the center of gravity, the greater will be the
stability. The lower the center of man, the larges the base
of support, the closer the center of mass to the base of
support, and the greater the man the more stability
increases.
Principles of Biomechanics
• Principle 2 -The production of maximum force
requires the use of all possible joint movements that
contribute to the task’s objective.
• Principle 3 -The production of maximum velocity
requires the use of joints in order from largest to
smallest.
Principles of Biomechanics
• Principle 4 -The greater the applied impulse, the
greater the increase in velocity.
• Principle 5 -Movement usually occurs in the
direction opposite that of applied force.
Principles of Biomechanics
• Principle 6 -It is produced by the application of a
force acting at some distance from an axis that is by
torque. It is also known as the principal of the
production of angular motion.
Principles of Biomechanics
• Principle 7 - It is constant when an athlete or object is
free in the air. It is also known as the principle of
conservation of angular momentum, and its key
component is the fact that, once an athlete is air bone,
he or she will travel with constant angular momentum.
Types of Body Movements
• Movement occurs when muscles contract across the
freely movable joints.
• When a muscle contracts and its fibres shorten, the
movable bone moves towards the immovable bone.
• Type of movement depends on the construction of the
joint and the placement of the muscle relative to the joint.
Common types of movements
• Flexion
• Extension
• Abduction
• Adduction
• Rotation
• Circumduction
• Supination
• Pronation
Axis and Planes-Concept and its Application in
Body Movements
• Axis and planes are the imaginary concepts. It
describes the movement of the human body
Whatever movement takes place in our joints, it
occurs on an axis or plane.
• An axis is a straight line around which an object rotates.
• A plane is an imaginary flat surface running through the
body.
• An axis is always perpendicular to a plane and can be
moved anywhere within the plane. Each plane is
associated with one axis.
There are three types of axis:
1. Frontal axis
2. Sagittal axis
3. Vertical axis
Frontal Axis
• It is perpendicular to the ground and divides the body into
dorsal and ventral portions.
• This line runs from left to right through the centre of the body.
• It is formed by the intersection of the frontal and transverse
planes. For example, when a gymnast performs a cartwheel,
they have rotated around the frontal axis.
Sagital Axis
• This line runs from front to back through the centre of the
body. It is perpendicular to the ground and divides the
body into left and right. It is formed by the intersection of
the sagittal and transverse planes. For example when a
person performs a cartwheel, they are rotating about the
sagittal axis.
Vertical Axis
• This line runs from top to bottom through the centre of
the body.
• It is formed by the intersection of the sagittal and frontal
planes. For example, when a gymnast performs a 360
tum, they are rotating around the vertical axis .
There are three types of planes:
1. Sagittal plane
2. Frontal plane
3. Transverse plane
Sagittal Plane
• It is vertical and extends from the front of the body to the
back. It divides the body into right and left sectors.
• It allows forward and backward movements of flexion and
extension.
• Any forward and backward movement parallel to this line
occurs in the sagittal plane.
Frontal Plane
• It is perpendicular to the ground and divides the body into
back and front portions.
• Abduction and adduction movements occurs in this plane .
• Any lateral movement parallel to the line will occur in the
frontal plane.
Transverse Plane
• It passes through the middle of the body and
divides the body horizontally into an upper and
lower half. Different types of movement occur in
this plane
Plane Motion Axis Example
Sagital Flexion/ Extension Frontal Walking, squatting,
overhead press
Frontal Abduction/Adduction Sagital Star jump, lateral arm
/ Side raise, side bending
flexion/Inversion/
Eversion
Transverse Rotation, Vertical Throwing Basketball,
Flexion/External Swing, golf swing
Supination/Pronation