BIOMECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WHOLE-BODY FAST REACHING MOVEMENTS

Abstract

Executing a whole-body fast reaching movement is an essential skill in many competitive sports. The present study investigated this kind of movement by biomechanical analyses. Five male university athletes and five fencing team members volunteered as subjects in this study. Each subject was asked to perform whole-body fast reaching movements and end at a stable posture. A motion capture system was used to record the kinematic data. The results demonstrate that the fencers moved the upper extremities earlier than the lower extremities, and the proximal segments started slightly before the distal segments. In conclusion, in executing whole-body fast reaching movements, upper and lower extremities work together as one functional unit, and there may be slightly different strategies adopted by each individual according to their exercise habits.