KINEMATICS OF THE JERK FROM THE CHEST: CLUSTER ANALYSIS OF OLYMPIC-STYLE LIFTERS

Abstract

Cluster analysis (or numerical classification) is an objective data reduction technique particularly useful in identifying patterns in large, multivariate data sets (Boesch,1977). The end result is the formation of heirarchical groups based upon the degree of inter-entity resemblance. In sport biomechanics, this approach has been applied to evaluate movement patterns in a swimming start (Wilson and HOIvard, 1981). An alternative to clustering the movement patterns would have been to cluster the athletes according to the sequence of movement patterns.