Welcome to Movement Analysis: Becoming a Performance Detective!

Hey everyone! This chapter is super important because it teaches you how to look at a sports performance not just as a fan, but as a coach or an analyst. We are learning the systematic steps and rules needed to break down complex movements, find mistakes, and plan improvements.

Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! We will break down the process into simple, easy-to-follow steps. By the end of this, you will be able to analyze a movement like a professional!


Why Bother? The Main Goals of Performance Analysis

Performance analysis isn't just about spotting errors; it's about structured improvement. The main goals are:

  • To Identify Strengths: What is the performer doing correctly? (This builds confidence!)
  • To Identify Weaknesses (Errors): What is holding the performer back from achieving the best possible outcome?
  • To Plan Correction Strategies: To design training or drills that specifically target the identified weaknesses.
  • To Prevent Injury: Identifying unsafe or inefficient movement patterns before they cause physical harm.

The Systematic Steps of Performance Analysis

Analyzing performance is not just guessing; it's a careful, multi-step process. Think of this process like a scientist solving a puzzle. We often use the sequence: O-E-D-I/C (Observation, Evaluation, Diagnosis, Intervention/Correction).

Step 1: Observation (The Gathering Stage)

This is where you watch the performance and gather data. This step requires preparation—you need to know what you are looking for before you start watching!

  • Preparation: Define the skill you are analyzing (e.g., the tennis serve). Know the ideal technique model (the textbook way the skill should be performed).
  • Key Action: Use various tools—your eyes, video cameras, timing gates, or standardized checklists—to record the performance accurately.
  • Tip for struggling students: Don't try to watch everything at once! Focus on just one critical phase of the movement (e.g., the backswing, the contact point, or the follow-through).
Step 2: Evaluation (The Comparison Stage)

Now you compare the actual performance (what you observed) against the ideal technique model. You are looking for differences, or "deviations."

  • Key Question: Does the athlete’s movement match the accepted, effective technique for this skill?
  • Example: The ideal model for a long jump says the take-off leg should be straight at contact. If the athlete's leg is bent at 120 degrees, this is a deviation that needs evaluation.
Step 3: Diagnosis (The Reasoning Stage)

This is the "Why" and the most skilled part of the analysis. You need to not only pinpoint the exact error but also figure out the cause of the error.

  • Error: The observable mistake (e.g., "The golfer’s club face is open at impact").
  • Diagnosis/Cause: Why is the club face open? (e.g., "The athlete has poor grip technique," or "They lack flexibility in the wrist," or "They didn't rotate their hips properly").

Did You Know? A poor diagnosis will lead to ineffective training. If you treat the symptom (the open club face) without treating the cause (the poor grip), the error will return.

Step 4: Intervention and Correction (The Fixing Stage)

Based on your diagnosis, you provide feedback and implement training methods to fix the problem. This involves providing knowledge of results (KR) and knowledge of performance (KP).

  • Intervention Methods: Giving verbal cues, demonstrating the correct movement, setting up drills, or using specific strength/flexibility exercises.
  • Feedback Rule: Provide constructive, specific, and positive feedback. Instead of saying, "That was bad," say, "Try to keep your elbow higher during the wind-up to generate more torque."


Quick Review: Remember the O-E-D-I/C sequence: Observe, Evaluate, Diagnose, Intervene/Correct.


Essential Guidelines for Quality Performance Analysis

For your analysis to be useful and trustworthy (especially if using quantitative data like speed or force), it must follow strict scientific guidelines. If these rules are broken, your diagnosis might be wrong!

Guideline 1: Validity

Definition: Validity means the analysis method or test actually measures what it is intended to measure. Are you measuring the right thing?

Analogy: If a doctor uses a thermometer (which measures temperature) to try and measure your blood pressure, that test is not valid.

  • If you want to measure explosive power in the legs (the goal), using a Vertical Jump Test is highly valid.
  • If you use a 400m running time (which measures aerobic endurance, not explosive power), the measurement is not valid for the original goal.

Guideline 2: Reliability

Definition: Reliability refers to consistency. If the analysis is repeated under the same conditions, will the results be the same?

Analogy: A reliable stopwatch gives you the exact same time when measuring a lap if you start and stop it correctly. If your equipment is faulty or the testing procedure changes every time, the results are unreliable.

To ensure high reliability, always use:

  • Clear, written procedures.
  • Standardized equipment that is properly calibrated.
  • The same testing environment (e.g., indoor vs. outdoor track).

Guideline 3: Objectivity

Definition: Objectivity means the analysis must be free from personal bias, emotions, or subjective opinions. Two different analysts should arrive at the same conclusion.

Subjective analysis (low objectivity) is based on feelings ("I think he looks tired").
Objective analysis (high objectivity) is based on measurable facts ("His maximum heart rate reached 195 bpm," or "His foot angle was 15 degrees inward").

Using technology (like video, timing systems, or force plates) increases objectivity because numbers and clear images are much harder to argue with than a coach's memory.



Memory Trick (V.R.O.): When you think about good analysis, remember the acronym V.R.O.—A good analyst must ensure the data is Valid, Reliable, and Objective.


Practical and Ethical Considerations

Tools to Enhance Observation and Objectivity

Modern performance analysis relies heavily on technology to boost reliability and objectivity:

  • Video Analysis: Allows the analyst to review the movement in slow motion or frame-by-frame, which is impossible with the naked eye. It also allows for clear comparison to the ideal model.
  • Performance Checklists: Structured observation sheets that list critical technical points (e.g., "Elbow high," "Head neutral," "Follow-through complete"). This makes the observation process more systematic and objective.
  • Quantitative Measurement Tools: Devices like radar guns (speed), timing gates (time), or specialized software (joint angles) provide exact numerical data, maximizing objectivity.

Ethical Guidelines in Performance Analysis

Since analysis often involves detailed observation and recording, we must always follow ethical rules:

  • Informed Consent: Athletes must fully understand why they are being analyzed (especially filmed) and must give permission (consent).
  • Confidentiality: Analysis results (videos, scores, feedback) are private. They should only be shared with the athlete and the coaching team, not posted publicly without explicit permission.
  • Respect: Feedback must always be delivered constructively and respectfully. Focus criticism on the movement execution, not on the athlete as a person.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Analysis

Struggling students often make these mistakes when starting out. Avoid them!

  • Analyzing Too Much: Trying to watch the entire body and all phases of a complex skill at once. (Correction: Focus on one phase or one limb first.)
  • Subjective Bias: Letting personal feelings interfere (e.g., giving a better rating to your friend, or assuming an error happened just because the athlete always makes mistakes). (Correction: Rely on objective data and checklists.)
  • Treating Symptoms, Not Causes: Identifying the error but failing to diagnose the underlying reason (e.g., telling someone to "jump higher" without correcting their weak leg strength).

By following these steps and guidelines (V.R.O.), you are well on your way to becoming a skilled movement analyst!