HSE202 - Biomechanics Basketball Assignment
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Introduction The free throw is undoubtedly a vital part of the game of basketball. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (2011) quote Findlay, Ohio player Nathan Hyde, who states “you have to be able to make a high percentage of your free throws if you want to be successful”. According to Okubo and Hubbard (2006), the free throw should be the easiest shot in basketball – there is no physical pressure on the player, and the distance and angle of the shot are relatively accommodating. Thus, the technique of the free throw is crucial in the success of a player in this particular skill. In order to analyse an individual’s free throw technique from a biomechanical perspective, we will use a deterministic model, as illustrated below. This allows us to break down the skill into its critical components, based on biomechanical principles. As can be seen above, the purpose of the basketball free throw is to get the ball in the ring (accuracy). From this, we divide the skill into three phases (before, during and after throw). The before phase relates mainly to stability and mobility, the ‘during’ phase relates to kinetics, and the after phase is concerned with a combination of plane of direction and the overall accuracy of the throw. These important biomechanical principles will be expanded upon further in this report through a qualitative comparison between a professional basketballer and an amateur. Method The initial part of this qualitative analysis of the free throw action consisted of collecting qualitative data regarding the participant’s movement patterns. A number of filming angles and techniques were used allowing for an appropriate qualitative analysis of the data to be conducted. For the data to be collected, Casio Exilim cameras were placed on the anterior (figure 1.1), the posterior (figure 1.2) and both lateral sides (figure 1.3 and 1.4) of the participant. These camera placements are shown in the diagrams below. This method was consistent with Button et al. (2003), which also qualitatively tested movement.
Transcript of HSE202 - Biomechanics Basketball Assignment
Introduction The free throw is undoubtedly a vital part of the game of basketball. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (2011) quote Findlay, Ohio player Nathan Hyde, who states “you have to be able to make a high percentage of your free throws if you want to be successful”. According to Okubo and Hubbard (2006), the free throw should be the easiest shot in basketball – there is no physical pressure on the player, and the distance and angle of the shot are relatively accommodating. Thus, the technique of the free throw is crucial in the success of a player in this particular skill. In order to analyse an individual’s free throw technique from a biomechanical perspective, we will use a deterministic model, as illustrated below. This allows us to break down the skill into its critical components, based on biomechanical principles.
As can be seen above, the purpose of the basketball free throw is to get the ball in the ring (accuracy). From this, we divide the skill into three phases (before, during and after throw). The before phase relates mainly to stability and mobility, the ‘during’ phase relates to kinetics, and the after phase is concerned with a combination of plane of direction and the overall accuracy of the throw. These important biomechanical principles will be expanded upon further in this report through a qualitative comparison between a professional basketballer and an amateur. Method
The initial part of this qualitative analysis of the free throw action consisted of collecting qualitative data regarding the participant’s movement patterns. A number of filming angles and techniques were used allowing for an appropriate qualitative analysis of the data to be conducted. For the data to be collected, Casio Exilim cameras were placed on the anterior (figure 1.1), the posterior (figure 1.2) and both lateral sides (figure 1.3 and 1.4) of the participant. These camera placements are shown in the diagrams below. This method was consistent with Button et al. (2003), which also qualitatively tested movement.
The result of the outcome was not recorded, and eight shots in total were taken by the participant from four different angles (two at each). The only instruction was to shoot the ball in the hoop from the free throw line situated 4.25 meters from the hoop. Figure - 1.1
Figure – 1.2
Figure – 1.3
Figure - 1.4
Button et al. (2003). The next stage in the method is to perform a quantitative movement analysis. The three main movement patterns/actions that will be qualitatively analysed are as follows:
Action Description Base of support This will be analysed in comparison to
elite performers to compare if jumping is beneficial or not
Upper body midline Whether the upper body is facing towards the direct target (the ring). Also analysis of whether direct force is applied to the target
Shooting arm elbow flexion Comparing the angle of elbow flexion to elite performers
Results Base of Support: The feet are the baseline of support for the entire body during the free throw. They need to be planted in a position of strength, which therefore allows more force to travel up the body (summation of force), and to be put into the actual shot (Hudson, 1982). This lack of movement of the feet by the elite player allows for a much higher degree of stability for the whole body.
Elbow Flexion: A greater angle of elbow flexion allows for more time and distance to apply force to the ball in order to make a shot (Figure 2.4). The overall summation of force is greater in the elite player, as they inadvertently pull the ball back further when preparing to take the shot, meaning the chain of summation is longer (Tran & Silverberg, 2008).
Figure 2.1: Subject shooting a free throw (right side shot).
Figure 2.2: Kevin Durant (2012/2013 season 90.5% free throw – 679/750 successful shots (NBA Media Ventures, 2013, YouTube, 2013).
Figure 2.4: Kevin Durant (2012/2013 season 90.5% free throw – 679/750 successful shots. (NBA Media Ventures (2013), YouTube (2013).
Figure 2.5: Subject shooting a free throw (behind shot).
Upper Body Midline: The straight midline of the elite player (yellow line) allows for the shoulders, hips and feet to be straight in line with the basket (Figure 2.6). This therefore permits direct force to applied to the ball, and will optimize shot accuracy and potential force (Tran & Silverberg, 2008). In comparison, due to the subject’s right shift in midline position, force will be directed to the left, and accuracy will decrease (blue arrow) (Figure 2.5).
Discussion Key areas that need to be addressed to improve performance - intervention stage: The 3 critical areas of this participant’s free throw shot that require improvement to produce a desired movement pattern are:
1. Base of support: This was deemed to need improvement, as the participant didn’t stay grounded during their free throw shot. Bressel et al. (2007) state the preferred stability to be both feet facing forward at about shoulder width apart.
2. Elbow flexion: More elbow flexion was needed during the participant’s free throw shot. This allows for more time and distance to apply force to ball to make a more accurate shot (Tran & Silverberg, 2008).
3. Upper body midline: The participant’s shoulders, hips and feet need to be straight while performing a free throw shot, not angled away from the basket
Figure 2.5: Subject shooting a free throw (behind shot).
Figure 2.6: NBA player free throw shot (The Sports Fan Journal, 2013).
which was evident in the participant’s trials. This Allows direct force to applied to the ball, and maximizes shot accuracy and potential force (Tran & Silverberg, 2008) .
Training drills or interventions that could be implemented to improve performance:
1. Base of support: To eliminate jumping while performing a free throw shot, a training drill could be strapping the participant’s feet to the ground while they perform a free throw shot.
2. Elbow flexion: Shooting arm elbow flexion can be increased by implementing a drill that gets the participant to draw their shooting arm back to their head so it touches and thus increasing elbow flexion.
3. Upper body midline: A drill that can be implemented to straighten the midline could be getting someone to hold the participants hips straight while shooting then holding their shoulders and continually doing this and testing to see if any midline straightening has occurred.
Limitations to data collection: - Cannot be generalized to a population because the analysis was specific to the
participant. - Participant motivation was an issue as no results were taken of the shot and
thus no real pressure to perform optimally. - Lighting was a limitation as some of our footage was not useful due to poor
lighting from the gym roof. - The height of the side mat didn’t cover the entire background of our footage
and therefore couldn’t block out unwanted light. - The markers on key joints of the participant’s body were difficult to identify
during the footage and a brighter colour or larger markers were needed.
References Bressel, E, Yonker, J, Kras, J & Heath, M 2007, ‘Comparison of Static and Dynamic Balance in Female Collegiate Soccer, Basketball, and Gymnastics Athletes’, Journal of Athletic Training, vol. 42 Issue 1, pp. 42.
Button, C, MacLeod, M, Sanders, R & Coleman, S (2003), ‘Examining movement variability in the basketball free-throw action at different skill levels’, Research Quarterly For Exercise & Sport, vol. 74, no. 3, pp. 257-269.
Hudson, J 1982, ‘A biomechanical analysis by skill level of free throw shooting in basketball’, Research Centre for Sports United States, pp. 95-102. M Trible 2013, ‘Why does everyone forget the 1989 Michigan Wolverines?’, The Sports Fan Journal, <http://www.thesportsfanjournal.com/sports/basketball/why-does-everyone-forget-the-1989-michigan-wolverines/>. National Collegiate Athletics Association 2011, Free throw shooting not so easy, NCAA, retrieved 17 September 2013, <http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/2011-02-24/free-throw-shooting-not-so-easy>. NBA Media Ventures 2013, ‘Official League Leaders’, retrieved 2 October 2013, <http://stats.nba.com/leadersGrid.html#PerMode=Totals&sortField=RANK&Season=2012-13&SeasonType=Regular>. Okubo, H & Hubbard, M 2006, The Engineering of Sport, date retrieved 17 September 2013, <http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-0-387-45951-6_44>. Tran, C & Silverberg, L 2008, ‘Optimal release conditions for the free throw in men's basketball’, Journal Of Sports Sciences vol. 26, no. 11, pp. 1147-1155. YouTube 2013, ‘OKC Thunder Kevin Durant Shooting Free Throw 2010’, retrieved 2 October 2013, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t90d3mbOHog>.
