THE CONCEPT OF KINEMATIC VARIABILITY AND THE LINK TO MOTOR SKILL OUTCOME

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INTRODUCTION: There is continuing discourse in the biomechanics community relating to kinematic variability regarding whether successful athletes/performers exhibit large or small amounts of kinematic variability. A discrete motor skill, where the outcome of one performance does not affect the outcome of the second performance, may be associated with a large amount of kinematic variability; inter-trial efficiency is not important. For example, in javelin, if the performer does something outside his/her natural kinematic variability, then this may lead to a better than normal outcome.