Biomechanics Skill

Analysis Task
By Arash
Task 1:
Filming
 Task 2: Biomechanical Checklist
Soccer Strike Checklist Cricket Cover Drive
Yes/No
POSITION
Firm grip- holding hands close Yes
Momentum/extension YES/NO to each other on the handle
Approach the ball at an angle Yes Balanced stance- feet Yes
Take small, quick steps towards the Yes shoulder width apart, knees
ball slightly bent
Look DOWN at the ball, not at the Yes Step towards your target Yes
TARGET Front shoulder facing in the Yes
Plant foot is next to the ball Yes direction of the shot
Opposite arm extends outwards to Yes THE SHOT
keep balance Grip – bottom hand looser Yes
Knee is bent and brought behind Yes grip, top hand tight
body Eyes on the ball Yes
Foot and ankle locked in position Yes Weight shifts to front foot Yes
Hips and shoulders rotate towards to Yes (front foot close to the bounce
ball of the ball)
Foot/leg moves through the ball and Yes Straight bat Yes
extends to
Stike the ball below your head Yes
target High front elbow Yes
FOLLOW THROUGH
Task 3: Analysing
Your Skills
Bending of the
knees - Soccer
Comparing the images of the elite athlete and me
passing the ball, you can find a few similarities
between the elite athlete’s and my performance.
On the left, the elite athlete has used the side of
foot to kick the instead of the laces which is used
for power and has bent his knees lower. Compared
to my photo on the right the foot positioning is
correct, but I could have bent my knees more.
When you bend your knees more it ensures
improved balance, better accuracy and shock
absorption which helps the body to stay steady.
Bending your knees improves your balance as it
lowers your centre of gravity, helping you stay
stable and balanced during the pass. Many players
bend their knees lower which allows them to better
control their body and the ball, which leads to more
accurate passes. Bending your knees also helps
your body absorb impact and stay steady,
especially when you're moving or being challenged
by another player.
The part of the foot
used to kick the ball -
Soccer
The photo on the bottom shows the elite athlete
using the side of his foot to pass while his opposite
hand has come forward to support and the left hand
has gone backwards. You can also see that his left
foot which is his non-dominant foot is next to the ball
to help with his balance, accuracy and power-control.
The photo on the top which is mine follows all these
things. I use the side of my right foot to kick the ball
as that increase the surface area which can lead to a
clean contact with the ball. Because the surface area
is flat, the ball will go exactly where I aim. As I use
the side of my foot my hips and shoulders will
naturally face the direction, I want am willing to
pass. My opposite foot is next to the ball to ensure I
balance and stability as my right leg which I use to
pass can have a back swing and will allow me to
generate more power. While I have done majority of
the thing correctly an improvement would have been
my bending my knees a bit more for better balance
and a better kick.
Looking down at
the ball - Soccer
Referring to the images on the side, its is clear that
both the elite athlete and I are in fact not looking at
our targets but looking at the ball. When you’re
passing the ball in soccer, it’s super important to
keep your eyes on the ball first. That way, you can
make sure you kick it cleanly and hit it in the right
spot on your foot. If you look up at your teammate
too early, you might miss the ball or not pass it
where you want. After you’ve made a good
connection with the ball, then you can quickly look
up to see where your teammate is and plan your
next move. Many athletes look at the ball as they
usually have a great awareness of the field, and it
leads to less miss-hitting and hitting the ball off
target or out which could possibly mean an
advantage for the opposition. While some players
may not always look at the ball while
kicking/passing the ball as they have an intent of
kicking it out or just want to kick it away from their
side.
Backswing of
the leg - Soccer
Looking at the images on the side, you can see that both
the elite athlete and I have nearly the same angle of
backswing, but the elite athlete is using his entire body
including his arms while my arms are limp and on the
side. The backswing of the leg when kicking a soccer ball
is an essential part of a powerful and accurate kick. By
swinging the leg backward before making contact, players
are able to build momentum and store energy in their
muscles, similar to pulling back a spring. This extra
movement gives the kick more force, allowing the ball to
travel further or faster depending on the type of kick. It
also helps with timing and body positioning giving the
player a chance to place their supporting foot correctly
and align their body for a cleaner strike. A good
backswing doesn't just add power, though it also
improves control. The rhythm and motion of pulling the
leg back and then swinging forward helps guide the kick
and makes it more accurate. Without a proper backswing,
kicks can feel rushed, weak, or off-target. That’s why elite
players, even under pressure, always make sure to
include a well-controlled backswing in their technique
unless they are passing and need to get rid of it quick.
Full face of the
bat
Looking at the images on the left, it’s clear
how the elite player and I are quite similar in
presenting the full face of the bat. In the elite
player’s shot the full face of the bat is shown
and the player is facing where he has hit the
ball, which shows good control and technique.
In my photo, I am also doing the same. Using
the full face of the bat is makes because it
helps you hit the ball more accurately and
allow for a cleaner and stronger connection,
helping direct the ball harder. It gives you
more control over where the ball makes it
easier to keep the ball on the ground. When
the bat is tilted, the ball can come off
awkwardly which could lead to an edge which
would have a chance of getting out, or it could
go in the wrong direction.
Elbow Positioning
- Cricket
Looking at the images on the left, it is clear that the
elite cricket player’s and my performance are
dissimilar when it comes to elbow position during the
shot. In the photo on the left, the elite player’s front
elbow is high and extended, helping guide the bat in a
straight line and keeping the shot controlled. The
photo on the right however, my elbow is low and
tucked in toward my body, which affects the path of
my swing and limits the follow-through. Having a high
front elbow is important in cricket because it helps
keep the bat straight, improves timing, and adds
accuracy to the shot. When the elbow is kept low, the
bat tends to come across the line of the ball, which
can lead to mistimed or misdirected shots. The elbow
also plays a role in balance and body shape, if it’s
leading correctly, it helps the shoulders and head stay
aligned over the ball. This one change in technique,
raising my elbow, could have a big impact on the
quality of my shots, helping me play more like an elite
performer.
Weight transfer onto
front foot - Cricket
Examining the pictures on the side, the elite athlete
has a grater front step and has gone down onto his
backfoot knee which has allowed him a greater
reach while I am on both of my feet and have half
as much of an angle as the elite athlete. Weight
transfer onto the front foot is really important when
playing a cover drive in cricket because it helps you
get closer to the ball and play the shot with
balance, power, and control. By shifting your weight
forward, you’re able to meet the ball under your
eyes, which makes it easier to time the shot and
keep it along the ground. This forward movement
also allows you to lean into the drive, making the
shot smoother and more fluid, while helping you
direct it through the covers accurately. Without
proper weight transfer, the shot can become
mistimed, lose power, or even result in an edge. It’s
a key part of good batting technique, especially for
elegant and effective front-foot strokes like the
cover drive.
Knees slightly
bent - Cricket
Looking at the images on the side, you can
clearly see a greater bend in the knees of
the elite athlete’s photo while in mine I have
not gone done and close to having my legs
straight. While waiting for a ball to be
bowled in cricket many elite athletes bent
their knees quite a lot as this allows them to
have greater access to all the possible shots
they could play. The bending of the knees
also helps you lower the centre of gravity,
which helps you stay stable. Not only do
bending your knees help with those things
but it also keeps your muscles slightly
engaged so you’re not stiff or slow to react
you would still be able to hit the ball.
Task 4: Choose 1 observation that you have
Impact on highlighted in task 3, from each of
your 2 chosen sports. Describe How
and Why you think it had an impact
performan (positive or negative) on your
performance?

ce
Soccer Skill –
Backswing of
the leg
The backswing had a great impact on my
performance as many elite athletes if not all have a
long backswing which helps them kick the ball faster
to their target power, allows you to have enough
power/energy in your kick to pass into the ball which
would mean it would go further. I think it had a
positive impact on my performance because the
backswing of my leg was pretty much the exact
same as the elite athlete’s backswing. Backswings
aren’t just used for power; they also give you better
rhythm and helps you time your kick more
accurately. If your backswing is too big or
uncontrolled, , it could slow you down and make you
lose accuracy.
Cricket Skill –
Knees
slightly bent
The bending of the knees had a major impact on
my performance as all great batsman bend their
knees while waiting for the ball as it allows them
to have full access to their surroundings for the
correct shot they need to play to achieve the
best result for that ball. I think it had a slight
negative impact on my performance due to my
technique as I wasn’t going down low enough
which is something none of the elite athlete’s
would recommend. Bending your knees also
helps with adjusting to the difficulty of the shot,
the velocity of the ball coming towards you and
the height. A greater bending of the knees
allows the player to quickly go into a backfoot
shot if the bowler bowls a short ball. While I am
playing a cover in the skill if it was a short ball, I
would have either missed the ball or would have
not had enough time to react to the ball quick
enough to play the best possible shot and would
also have a chance out getting caught behind if
it found the outside edge.
 Choose 1 observation that you have
highlighted in task 3, that requires
improvement.
With reference to specific skill
development, discuss in detail how

Extension
you could improve your skill.
Your response should include:

Task
• Research and describe an
appropriate training drill that
incorporates an activity that will
lead to some skill development
• Identify 1+ relevant fitness
component(s) and how some
specific training/exercises could
improve it/them.
Knees slightly
bent
An observation I highlighted earlier was that I don’t
bend my knees enough. To develop this skill, I could do
a useful drill such as recording myself play a few shots
while I have someone a few steps Infront of my
throwing balls at me randomly and I would have to
react accordingly and play the correct shot but also
stay low in a balanced position with my knees bent.
This drill would incorporate the bending of my knees
into games as I would develop the muscle memory.
One key fitness component that supports this skill is
muscular endurance, especially in the legs. If my leg
muscles are this, I’ll be able to hold the bent position
for longer which would let me stay balanced and react
more efficiently during a long innings.
To improve this, I could include bodyweight squats, wall
sits, and lunges in my training. These exercises would
help strengthen my quads, glutes, and calves, making
it easier to maintain the position for longer periods of
time without getting tired or losing form.