Exploring Sport Biomechanics Book by Book

Anatomy, Mechanics, and Human Motion by James G. Hay & J. Gavin Reid. Chapter 1: Why Study Anatomy & Mechanics?

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 10: Living With Resistance

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 9: Moving Through Fluids

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 8: What Goes Up Must Come Down

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 7: Gravity

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 6: Collisions

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 5: Energy

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 4: Rotating Bodies

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 3: More About Forces

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 2: What Makes Things Move?

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Chapter 1: Man in Motion

Sportscience: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance by Peter J. Brancazio. Introduction: Science and Sports

This episode explores the work of Robert Sessions Woodworth, a pioneering psychologist who made significant contributions to our understanding of movement control. We'll delve into his research on the psychophysics of movement, focusing on his investigations into the relationship between speed and accuracy in motor tasks. Join us as we uncover Woodworth’s lasting impact on the field of motor c...

This episode delves into the groundbreaking work of Kurt Wachholder, a pioneer in the study of voluntary movement. We'll explore his innovative use of electromyography to understand muscle activation patterns during movement, highlighting his discovery of the three-phase EMG pattern in agonist and antagonist muscles. We'll also discuss his insightful research on rhythmic movements, which r...

This episode explores the life and groundbreaking work of Sir Charles S. Sherrington, a towering figure in the history of neuroscience. We'll delve into his key discoveries, including the concept of the synapse, the importance of inhibition in the nervous system, and the role of proprioceptive feedback in motor control. Join us as we celebrate Sherrington's remarkable contributions to our...

This episode explores the groundbreaking research of W.P. Lombard on the action and coordination of two-joint muscles. Challenging traditional views of muscle antagonism, Lombard’s work revealed how muscles with seemingly opposing actions could efficiently work together. We’ll delve into his concept of “pseudo-antagonism” and how two-joint muscles can leverage their mechanics to generate powerful...

This episode delves into the life and work of John Hughlings Jackson, a pioneering 19th-century neurologist. We’ll explore Jackson’s groundbreaking ideas on the organization of the motor system, specifically his concept of somatotopic organization in the brain, all deduced through keen clinical observation. Journey through the history of neuroscience as we discuss how Jackson’s initially overlooke...

This episode journeys back to the early days of research on muscle work and efficiency in humans. We’ll delve into a groundbreaking 1922 paper by A.V. Hill, a pioneer in exploring the relationship between muscular force, work, efficiency, and speed. Discover how Hill's ingenious experiments, utilizing a weighted flywheel, revealed key insights into the concepts of equivalent mass, viscous resi...

This episode dives into the Action-Perception Theory, exploring the intertwined relationship between movement and perception. We'll journey back to the 19th century to spotlight the groundbreaking work of Hermann von Helmholtz, a pioneer in understanding movement control. Discover why action without perception and perception without action are inherently flawed concepts as we examine the cruci...

This episode examines Ragnar Granit's significant contributions to our understanding of the spinal mechanisms of motor coordination. Focusing on his 1950 paper, the episode explores the role of reflexes in the self-regulation of muscle contraction and automatic inhibition. Learn how Granit’s experiments demonstrated specialized sense organs for both excitation and inhibition in muscle, and dis...

This episode explores the concept of mechanical work in human movement. We delve into the groundbreaking research of pioneers like Wallace O. Fenn and Herbert Elftman, uncovering how they measured and analyzed energy expenditure, muscle viscosity, and energy transfer in activities like sprinting and walking. Discover the fascinating interplay of muscle elasticity, energy transfer within the body,...

This episode dives into the intricacies of muscle twitches and their accompanying electrical activity through the lens of Derek Denny-Brown’s classic paper, “Fibrillation and Fasciculation in Voluntary Muscle." Published in 1938, this landmark study showcased the innovative use of electromyography to distinguish between various types of muscle contractions. Denny-Brown meticulously categorize...

This episode strides into the world of human locomotion, specifically the biomechanics of walking. Journey back to the 19th century as we uncover the groundbreaking work of Braune and Fischer, pioneers who employed cutting-edge equipment and intricate mathematical models to dissect the roles of gravity and muscle activation in gait. We’ll compare their findings to insights from modern technologies...

This episode delves into the groundbreaking work of Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bernstein and his revolutionary approach to studying movement. Challenging traditional mechanistic views, Bernstein’s research, highlighted in his 1935 paper “The Problem of the Relation Between Coordination and Localization,” emphasized the complexity of the human movement system, focusing on aspects like integration and n...

This first episode, based on Chapter 1 of Classics in Movement Science , takes us back in time to explore early attempts to understand human movement. We’ll examine how mechanical metaphors, while initially promising, posed a significant challenge to understanding coordination and control - a challenge known as “Charles’s problem.” Tune in as we delve into the history of movement science and uncov...