ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter, we considered human motion in sport and exercise as ‘patterns of movement’, and introduced key aspects of the qualitative and quantitative analysis of human movement patterns in sport. This chapter is designed to provide a contextual structure for carrying out qualitative movement analysis. The main approach to the qualitative analysis of movements in sport and exercise that I have adopted for this chapter is based on previous books on qualitative analysis of human movement (see Further Reading for more details) and many years of practical experience. This approach is very similar to that recommended by some professional agencies that represent sports biomechanists, or by agencies that hire sports biomechanists. The structured approach outlined here can be, and is, used by qualitative and quantitative movement analysts as a coherent framework for their work. It could beneficially be used even more widely. We will also look at some alternative approaches to qualitative analysis, particularly to the identification of the ‘critical features’ of various sports movements.
