This is the minds on icon.

This is the discussion icon. Assignment 1: Think Back

Think back: remember this photo? This is the same image of Jesse Owens racing in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany, that you saw in Unit 1 when you learned about race and culture in sport. Now, let’s revisit the image and brainstorm exactly what he is doing.

Can you guess what event he is doing?

What movement is he performing?

What stage of the movement he is at this very moment in the image?

Is he just starting or finishing the skill?

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The Phases of Movement

When you look over the image of Jesse Owens, there are some clues that can help you come to an understanding as to what exactly is going on. Simple things, like what he is wearing and the surface he is on can help you come to the conclusion that he is running on a track. However, to examine if he has just started or is finishing his run, you have to have an understanding of the movement and its phases.

Every movement skill can be broken down into four main components: preparation/preliminary movement, force production, critical instant and the recovery/follow-through. These are called the phases of movement. Before even reading about the phases, see if you can complete the activity below which includes images and descriptions of the phases.

Long Description

Phases of Movement: A Recap

The image below displays the four phases.

While they include phases from four different sports, you might be able to imagine the various phases for each.

1. Preparation/Preliminary movement - "Ready Position"

The preparation phase contains all of the movements that prepare an athlete for the performance of the skill, such as the backswing during cricket batting and the run-up in long jumping or the position of a skipping rope and a person’s arms when getting ready to skip.

2. Force production - "Unleash the Power"

The force producing phase involves the synchronized movement of the skeletal and muscular systems in producing the movement and force needed to perform the task.

This phase may involve transitioning horizontal movement into vertical movement (eg. volleyball approach and jump, high jump approach and jump).

3. Critical instant - "Point of No Return"

This is the moment of either contact as seen in striking sports such as tennis and baseball or the moment where contact is lost with the surface such as in jumping sports like diving, figure skating, or volleyball.

This brief instant is the culmination of the preparation and force producing phases.

4. Recovery/Follow-through - "Finish It Off"

This phase allows for the completion of the movement and/or the recovery such as the flick of the wrist in a basketball free throw or the landing in a jump.

It may also lead into the preparation/preliminary movement in a skill that is repetitive such as swimming or running.

This phase is extremely important for accuracy of the movement and for injury prevention as muscles are used to slow the movement down in a slower, controlled manner.

This is the question/answer icon. Question

Considering this image above, place the movements in order from A to D.

Answer

C - Preparation/Preliminary movement

A - Force Producing Movement

D - Critical Instant

B - Recovery/Follow-through

This is the discussion icon. Assignment 2: Let’s Think Critically for a Moment

Answer the following questions.

You can use any of the following sentence stems to help formulate your comments:

  • "I agree with your comment because..."
  • "I disagree with your conclusion because..."
  • "Your comment/post helped me understand..."
  • "What do you mean by..."
  • "Your idea made me think of/that..."
  • "Your point connects to..."
  • "Your point/idea is important because..."
  • "I see things differently because..."
  1. Do any of the stages lead to variation? Which stages are more variable in their completion? Can you come up with an example of how variation can exist between people performing the same movement (ie. the different preparations basketball players take before a free throw or tennis players before a serve)?
  2. Which stage in a movement do you feel is the most important in completing the skill successfully? Defend your choice.

So what’s the difference? Novice vs. Expert

When a skill is "broken down" into the four phases, differences between novice movers and expert or proficient movers become more evident. When these variations come together into a complete movement, the end result can be drastically different. Watch this video on the comparison of a novice to an expert when it comes to kicking a soccer ball. This is a student project on analysing the differences between a novice and a professional athlete during the separate phases of movement. It will help you out when preparing your consolidation for this activity.

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This is the dropbox icon. Assignment 3: Time to "Break it Down"

"In a golf or field hockey swing, the backswing of the club or stick from the starting position occurs during the preparatory phase, the forward drive and moment of contact between the ball and the club or stick occur during the execution phase, and the decelerating motion of the club or stick after striking the ball occurs during the follow-through phase."

It is now your turn to choose a movement pattern and break it down into the four phases of movement.

In addition, you will apply your knowledge of laws and principles to the movement pattern. Similar to the video above of a comparison between novice and proficient soccer kicks, pick a movement in a physical activity that you are familiar with. You may take a picture of you performing the skill or you may describe the skill in your own words.

Explain what happens in each of the phases of the movement when you perform it. Explain how you are using the laws of motion and/or applying biomechanical principles while performing the skill. How might knowing the phases of movement and the laws and principles help you improve your technique in any activity?

Once you have completed your skill analysis and the reflection question save it to your Portfolio.

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