Exercise and Movement Science

An extensive update of a successful textbook on skill acquisition for sport students. Praised for its clarity of writing style and presentation the new edition will be an essential buy for those needing a practical, sport-focused introduction to the theory and application of human motor skills.

The development of an athlete from basic performance to elite level is a long and complicated process. This fully revised and updated new edition of the leading introduction to expertise in sport examines the fundamental science of skill acquisition and explores the methods by which science can be applied in the real-world context of sport performance. With insights from leading coaches in each chapter, and new material on topics such as instruction and observation and expert visual perception Developing Sport Expertise is invaluable reading for all researchers and students in the areas of expertise, skill acquisition, motor control and development, sport psychology or coaching.

Motor control is a relatively young field of research exploring how the nervous system produces purposeful, coordinated movements in its interaction with the body and the environment through conscious and unsconscious thought. Many books purporting to cover motor control have veered off course to examine biomechanics and physiology rather than actual control, leaving a gap in the literature. This book covers all the major perspectives in motor control, with a balanced approach. There are chapters explicitly dedicated to control theory, to dynamical systems, to biomechanics, to different behaviors, and to motor learning, including case studies. Reviews current research in motor control Contains balanced perspectives among neuroscience, psychology, physics and biomechanics Highlights controversies in the field Discusses neurophysiology, control theory, biomechanics, and dynamical systems under one cover Links principles of motor control to everyday behaviors Includes case studies delving into topics in more detail

Laterality in Sports: Theories and Applications summarizes recent research on the neurophysiological foundations of handedness, and how left or right lateralization (affecting primary hand use, foot use, and eye use) affects motor control, performance outcome, skill acquisition, and achievement of sports expertise--both for one-on-one sports and team sports. As laterality research has matured, greater focus has been given to applications in human endeavours and, in particular, sport. The book examines performance within individual sports, and discusses the coaching ramifications of coaching to a specific lateralization preference. Describes the neurophysiological foundations of handedness Discusses the origins and development of laterality in humans Summarizes the impact of laterality on motor control and sports performance Encompasses research on both individual and team sports Includes research on skill acquisition, coaching, and development of expertise Covers research on laterality in preferred hand, foot, and eye use in sports

After a quick survey of the famous pioneers of human movement analysis and the actual needs in different domains, this book presents the main types of systems available on the market (with the pros and cons), and then details the most widely used: the optoelectronic systems using passive markers. The theoretical background for joint kinematics calculation is explained, specifying the international standardization for parameters reports. One chapter is dedicated to measurement errors and their management, followed by several applications, mostly in the clinical field.

How can we predict the trajectory of a baseball from bat to outfield? How do the dimples in a golf ball influence its flight from tee to pin? What forces determine the path of a soccer ball steered over a defensive wall by an elite player? An understanding of the physical processes involved in throwing, hitting, firing and releasing sporting projectiles is essential for a full understanding of the science that underpins sport. This is the first book to comprehensively examine those processes and to explain the factors governing the trajectories of sporting projectiles once they are set in motion. From a serve in tennis to the flight of a 'human projectile' over a high jump bar, this book explains the universal physical and mathematical principles governing movement in sport, and then shows how those principles are applied in specific sporting contexts. Divided into two sections, addressing theory and application respectively, the book explores key concepts such as: friction, spin, drag, impact and bounce computer and mathematical modelling variable sensitivity the design of sports equipment materials science. Richly illustrated throughout, and containing a wealth of research data as well as worked equations and examples, this book is essential reading for all serious students of sports biomechanics, sports engineering, sports technology, sports equipment design and sports performance analysis.

Motor Learning in Practice explores the fundamental processes of motor learning and skill acquisition in sport, and explains how a constraints-led approach can be used to design more effective learning environments for sports practice and performance. Drawing on ecological psychology, the book examines the interaction of personal, environmental and task-specific constraints in the development of motor skills, and then demonstrates how an understanding of those constraints can be applied in a wide range of specific sports and physical activities. The first section of the book contains two chapters that offer an overview of the key theoretical concepts that underpin the constraints-led approach. These chapters also examine the development of fundamental movement skills in children, and survey the most important instructional strategies that can be used to develop motor skills in sport. The second section of the book containsnbsp;eighteen chapters that apply these principles to specific sports, including basketball, football, boxing, athletics field events and swimming. This is the first book to apply the theory of a constraints-led approach to training and learning techniques in sport. Including contributions from many of the world's leading scholars in the field of motor learning and development, this book is essential reading for any advanced student, researcher or teacher with an interest in motor skills, sport psychology, sport pedagogy, coaching or physical education.