BIOMECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THREE DIFFERENT BLOCKING FOOTWORK TECHNIQUES IN VOLLEYBALL: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse three different blocking footwork techniques in volleyball. In particular the attention was focused on the correlation between anthropometric and kinematic parameters. Three female athletes playing in the first national league were recruited for a pilot study. Bosco tests were executed to have a morphological classification. A stereophotogrammetric system was used to acquire three blocking footwork techniques: slide step, running and jab cross over patterns. Parameters of interest included the blocking time, the jump height, the horizontal and vertical speed of the centre of mass, the frontal position of the body with respect to the net and the invasion angle of the hands over the net. A correlation between jump height and blocking time was observed only in the running step technique. The time of centre of mass maximum speed was significantly less for the jab cross-over step technique. The most effective blocking technique for every athlete was finally obtained.