Biomechanics Lab Assignment Task Outline
Task Information
• Weighting: 20%
Requirements: Analysed video + written report
Video guidelines: Saved Tracker project file
Written report guidelines: Use the template provided for section headings, lay-out and font style (11 pt font, Calibri, single-line spacing, “Normal” margin spacing)
Word limit: 1000 words (Technique checklist excluded) Submission:
Video – Upload saved Tracker project file (.trz file) to Udrive and then share link
Written report – TurnItIn link on StudyDesk
Referencing: APA style
Task Background
Congratulations! You’ve just secured a job at the Queensland Academy of Sports (QAS) as a sports scientist (biomechanist). It is your first week on the job and the QAS are holding Talent Identification sessions to identify talented athletes who could benefit from training on scholarship at the QAS.
Your role in the Talent Identification sessions is to analyse the techniques of the athletes who are being tested. To do this, you are required to film each athlete performing the skill, analyse their movement using biomechanical software and evaluate the results of the movement analysis.
This report will then be used along with other testing from the exercise physiology sports scientist to help the coach of this QAS program identify the most talented athletes.

Task Instructions
You are required to complete three main tasks to complete this assessment task:
1. Create a phase-specific ideal technique checklist of a sporting skill.
2. Video record an athlete performing the sporting skill according to optimal principles of video recording.
3. Analyse the performance of the sporting skill using biomechanical software (Tracker).
4. Generate a written report that demonstrates your ability to analyse this skill and evaluates the performance of the skill using biomechanical principles.
1. Create a phase-specific technique checklist of a sporting skill
Each student will be randomly allocated the following sporting skills. Skill A: Basketball jump shot
• Skill D: Sprinting
You then need to create a technique checklist that you will use later on to evaluate the video recorded performance against.
To do this, use the peer-reviewed literature to:
1) Identify the major phases of the skill and,
2) Identify some of the kinematics for each phase that skilled or well-practiced performers have been observed performing
To help you develop your technique checklist, some literature will be provided for each skill on StudyDesk.
The kinematics you list for each phase should only be relevant to those that can be viewed in the sagittal plane as all four of these skills have the majority of their movements that occur along the sagittal plane. Some examples of kinematics that you may wish to include in your technique checklist are:
- Lengths, positions, distances and displacements
- Absolute and relative angles
- Velocities
- Times
The literature might talk about other aspects of the technique that are more qualitative in nature (e.g. the head should stay lower during the downward swing phase). Don’t include this in your technique checklist, only provide items that are quantitative in nature that you can directly compare values between.
The best method of presenting this checklist is in a table, where each phase is identified and the kinematics for each phase is listed. An example checklist for the long-jump take-off is provided on StudyDesk.

2. Video record an athlete performing a sporting skill
In Prac 6 & 7, you will have time and equipment to video record a person performing the sporting skill that you were allocated.
The person that performs the skill must be someone other than yourself. As the sports scientist, you are in charge of the set-up of the video camera and the actual recording of the video thus you can’t also be in the video.
It is important that you capture the movement in an appropriate way that clearly shows the skill being performed and will allow you to make accurate measurements in the video analysis section of the project. You should follow the principles of video capture that will be covered in the course (Week 8 lecture & Prac 6).
It is up to you if you use a handheld video recorder, smartphone or tablet to capture the movement. However, please ensure that the method you choose provides a video that adheres to the principles of video capture and is of sufficient quality to view the movement clearly.
3. Analyse the performance of the sporting skill using biomechanical software (Tracker)
Once the skill has been captured, you then need to perform a biomechanical analysis of the skill using Tracker. Pracs 7 & 8 will be held in the computer lab (B366) allowing students time and access to the software to analyse their captured videos.
Your analysis should be focused on measuring the kinematics in the different phases as identified in the technique checklist. That way you can make a comparison of the performed movement to the ideal movement identified in the technique checklist. In Tracker, you’ll be able to draw annotations on the video to perform this analysis and you’ll be able to generate screenshots for the different phases to include in your report to the coach. Please note: Only provide annotations that are relevant to the kinematics identified in the technique checklist. For example, it in unnecessary to track the velocity of the thigh if thigh velocity is not a component of the technique checklist.
The analysed video including annotations should be:
- Saved as a Tracker project file in .trz file format
- Saved to your U Drive
4. Generate a written report that evaluates the performance of the skill Following the use of software to analyse the movement, you then need to write up a report of the analysis you performed and evaluate the level of performance of the athlete.
Use the template provided so that your report includes the following sections:
Ideal Movement Criteria and Results
- Provide a table that lists the checklist of the key / ideal movement kinematics of the skill for each major phase of the movement.
- Ensure you provide the references you used to construct this checklist at the end of the checklist.

- In a separate column, report the values measured during the video analysis.
Analysis of Performed Skill
- Analyse the athlete’s ability to perform the skill by comparing the observed kinematics with those listed on the technique checklist.
- Provide this analysis as sentences and paragraphs of text while referring to figures as evidence (i.e. images from Tracker) that display the different phases of the skill with the annotations drawn over the top (e.g. As shown in Figure 1, at the end of the release phase, the athlete’s shooting arm elbow angle at ball release was 130 degrees. This indicates that the elbow was less extended compared to the ideal movement technique by 29 degrees.).
- In addition to comparing the observed kinematics to that in the technique checklist, provide a biomechanical explanation for each incorrect element explaining what implication this incorrect element will have on this phase of the technique (e.g. The reduced knee flexion during the sinking phase would result in insufficient force being developed during the extension phase and thus there wouldn’t be adequate force to propel the ball).
- This section should be broken up using sub-headings to talk about the different phases of the movement e.g. Preparatory Stance, Shooting Action, Release
Summary
- Finally, provide an overall evaluation of the athlete’s ability to perform the skill (i.e. are they at a high level? Are they poor?) by briefly summarising the key data / kinematics that has led to your overall evaluation.

Requirements
and Marks Excellent Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor
Knowledge 2 A technique checklist is clearly provided that suitably identifies the major phases of the skill and lists sufficient kinematic variables to fairly represent the skill being performed. The technique checklist is derived from and referenced accordingly from a single or multiple high-quality peer- review source/s (i.e. journal article). A technique checklist is provided that suitably identifies the major phases of the skill and lists some kinematic variables that somewhat represents the skill being performed. The technique checklist is derived from and referenced accordingly from a single or multiple high-quality peer- review source/s (i.e. journal article). A technique checklist is provided that identifies some of the major phases of the skill and lists some kinematic variables that somewhat represents the skill being performed. The technique checklist is derived from and referenced accordingly from a single or multiple high-quality peer- review source/s (i.e. journal article). One of:
- No phases identified in the technique checklist
- Very few / no kinematic variables provided that result in the movement not being represented faithfully
- A technique checklist is selected and listed that has been found from a non-peer review source (i.e. textbook or website) or has not been
referenced. More than one of:
- No phases identified in the technique checklist
- Very few / no kinematic variables provided that result in the movement not being represented faithfully
- A technique checklist is selected and listed that has been found from a non-peer review source (i.e. textbook or website) or has not been
referenced.
Application – Video Capture 4 Comprehensively demonstrates the ability to capture the skill using video by adhering to all relevant video capture principles. Video is also saved in the correct style and file format from Tracker and is of suitable quality for analysis. Appropriately demonstrates the ability to capture the skill using video by adhering to most relevant video capture principles. Video is also saved in the correct style and file format from Tracker and is of suitable quality for analysis. Soundly demonstrates the ability to capture the skill using video by adhering to some video capture principles with a few errors. Video is also saved in the correct style and file format from Tracker and is of suitable quality for analysis. One of:
- Unsatisfactorily demonstrates the ability to capture the skill using video, indicated through not adhering to many video capture principles.
- Video is not saved in the correct style and file format from Tracker and/or is
not of suitable quality for analysis. Video of the skill is not submitted / not shared with the course examiner by the due date and time.
Application – Tracker
4 Comprehensively demonstrates the ability to use movement analysis software (Tracker) to analyse the skill that aligns with the technique checklist. This includes providing a sufficient (but not excessive) number and variety of accurate annotations and measurements that can clearly be seen on the video and still images, and that are relevant to the technique
checklist. Appropriately demonstrates the ability to use movement analysis software (Tracker) to analyse the skill that aligns with the technique checklist. This includes providing a sufficient number and variety of measurements that can clearly be seen on the video and still images, and that are mostly relevant to the technique checklist. Soundly demonstrates the ability to use movement analysis software (Tracker) to analyse the skill that aligns with the technique checklist. This includes providing a limited number and limited variety of measurements that can clearly be seen on the video and still images, and that are somewhat relevant to the technique checklist. Some errors in
using the annotations are present. Unsatisfactorily demonstrates the ability to use movement analysis software (Tracker) to analyse the skill. This includes annotations that are largely incorrect, irrelevant or missing. The analysis provided is not relevant to the technique checklist. Little/no relevant use of movement analysis software to analyse the skill.
Analysis 3 Comprehensive and accurate analysis of the movement that makes comparisons to the technique checklist and is accurately supported by still images taken directly from the movement analysis software. Analysis is logically set out and comparisons to technique checklist are clearly demonstrated. Appropriate analysis of the movement that makes comparisons to the technique checklist and is mostly accurately supported by the annotations, video and still images provided. Analysis is logically set out and comparisons to technique checklist are demonstrated with few errors or omissions. Sound analysis of the movement that makes comparisons to the technique checklist and is somewhat accurately supported by the annotations, video and still images provided. The set out of the analysis is a little unclear and awkward and comparisons to technique checklist are demonstrated with some errors or omissions. Unsatisfactory analysis of the movement that makes very few accurate comparisons to the technique checklist and is not accurately supported by the annotations, video and still images provided. The set out of the analysis is unclear and awkward and comparisons to technique checklist are demonstrated with many errors or
omissions. Little/no relevant analysis of the movement that makes comparisons to the technique checklist and is not supported by the annotations, video and still images provided.
Explanation 3 Biomechanical knowledge is used, correctly and perceptively, to interpret the influence of incorrect aspects of the technique. Biomechanical knowledge is used, mostly correctly and relevantly, to interpret the influence of incorrect aspects of the technique. Biomechanical knowledge is used, somewhat correctly and superficially, to interpret the influence of incorrect aspects of the technique. Some errors or omissions in the evaluation are
evident. Biomechanical knowledge is used incorrectly to inadequately interpret the influence of incorrect aspects of the technique. Many errors or omissions in the evaluation are
evident. Little/no biomechanical knowledge is used to provide no interpret the incorrect aspects of the technique.

Evaluation 2 Comprehensive evaluation of the movement analysis to determine the athlete’s ability to perform the skill using perceptive justification. Appropriate evaluation of the movement analysis to determine the athlete’s ability to perform the skill using relevant justification. Sound evaluation of the movement analysis to determine the athlete’s ability to perform the skill using superficial justification. Unsatisfactory evaluation of the movement analysis to determine the athlete’s ability to perform the skill using inadequate or incorrect
justification. Little/no relevant evaluation of the movement analysis to determine the athlete’s ability to perform the skill using little/no relevant justification.
Communication 2 All task specifications have been adhered to including template, word limit, font style, size and spacing, and APA referencing style. Use of grammar, spelling and punctuation is excellent containing very few errors. All task specifications have been adhered to including template, word count, font style, size and spacing, and APA referencing style. Use of grammar, spelling and punctuation is excellent containing few errors. Most or only minor violations of the task specifications have been adhered to including template, word count, font style, size and spacing, and APA referencing style. Use of grammar, spelling and punctuation is good containing some errors. One of:
- Large number of errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Large number of referencing errors including failing to cite or reference in APA format
- Failing to use the template provided
or going over the word limit More than one of:
- Large number of errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation.
- Large number of referencing errors including failing to cite or reference in APA format
- Failing to use the template provided
or going over the word limit