THE KICKING FOOT SWING PLANE IN RUGBY PLACE KICKING

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the planarity of the kicking foot path in experienced rugby place kickers and to assess the effect of different data treatment methods on measured swing plane variables. Thirteen kickers completed a series of kicks and a least squares plane was fitted to the kicking foot CM trajectory throughout various lengths of the downswing using orthogonal regression. The foot path was typically planar for the last 1.25 m of the downswing. The swing planes were inclined at 50.0 ± 4.2° to the horizontal and the line of intersection between the swing planes and the global horizontal plane was directed 22.3 ± 3.5° right of target. It was proposed that swing planes should be fitted to data sampled at equal spatial divisions and that kicking foot swing planes could offer a useful context for understanding more about proximal technical factors in place kicking.