Development of Ballistic Skills Notes

Development of Ballistic Skills

• Definition: Ballistic skills are movements where a performer applies force to an object to project it. Common examples include throwing, kicking, punting, and sidearm throwing.

• Influencing Factors:

  • Task Constraints: Influences from the size of the ball and rules of the game.

  • Structural Constraints: Relate to the performer's physical characteristics.

  • Environmental Factors: The surroundings in which the skill is performed.

Throwing Skills

Types of Throws

- Most children use underhand throws when developing throwing; most adults use single overarm throwing

• Underhand (one- or two-hand)

• Sidearm

• Overarm (one- or two-hand)

Assessment of Throwing Skills

• Product Measures (outcomes):

  • Accuracy

  • Distance

  • Ball velocity

• Process Measures (movement patterns):

  • Developmental sequences observed during the throwing motion.

Early Throwing Mechanics

• Primarily involves only arm action, not alot of leg or trunk engagement.

• Forward projection of the ball happens via elbow extension or running into the throw while flexing the trunk.

Proficient Throwing Mechanics

• Key features include:

  • Weight shift to the back foot, Trunk rotation, and wind up

  • Forward step, trunk rotation, elbow positioned at 90 degrees during forward swing, elbow extends, forearm lags, follow-through.

Developmental Changes in Overarm Throwing

• Trunk Action:

  1. None and no forward or backward movements

  2. Block rotation

  3. Differentiated rotation

• Backswing Changes:

  1. None

  2. Shoulder flexion

  3. Upward backswing

  4. Downward circular backswing

• Upper Arm Action:

  1. Oblique

  2. Aligned but independent

  3. Lagging

• Forearm Action:

  1. No lag

  2. Lag

  3. Delayed lag

• Foot Action:

  1. No step

  2. Homolateral step

  3. Short contralateral step

  4. Long contralateral step

Throwing for Accuracy

• Throwers might use lower developmental steps for accurate throws than for forceful throws.

• When required to throw a greater distance, differences between/w throws are minimal.

Age-Related Changes in Throwing

• Childhood:

  • Throwers do not achieve same step for each body component at same time

  • Some step combinations are observed more frequently than others

  • Not everyone reaches highest step in each component

  • Differences are observed between the sexes in throwing skill

• Adulthood:

  • Older adults demonstrate moderately advanced steps

  • Differences are observed b/w sexes

  • Ball velocities are moderate

  • Structural constraint might influence movement patterns used

  • Change is slow, involves decline (and more variability) in performance, and is typically related to control rather than coordination

Kicking Skills

General Kicking Mechanics

• The kicker strikes the ball with their foot and projects it forward.

• Requires perceptual abilities and eye-foot coordination to make contact, Kicking a ball is challenging for children.

Early Kicking Mechanics

• No stepping with the non-kicking leg.

• Kicking leg pushes forward

• Knee is bent during ball contact;

• No trunk rotation & arm is still

Intermediate and Proficient Kicking Mechanics

• Intermediate:

  • Initiates with a run-up and windup; trunk back and joint movements occur sequentially.

• Proficient:

  • Arms are extended during the final stride; the kicking leg swings up with full range of motion followed by a follow-through.

Punting

• Defined as dropping the ball from hands and kicking it before it hits the ground

• More complex than kicking for children

Early vs. Proficient Punting

• Early Punting:

  • Involve tossing the ball upwards rather than dropping.

  • Contact is often with the toes rather than(instep).

• Proficient Punting:

  • Arms are extended to drop the ball before final stride

  • Arms then drop to the sides and move into opposition to legs

  • Leaps onto supporting leg, swings punting leg vigorously up to make contact

  • Punting leg is kept straight; toes are pointed

Sidearm Striking Skills

Mechanics of Early vs. Proficient Sidearm Striking

• Early:

  • Chopping action with minimal trunk movement; mainly involves elbow extension.

• Proficient:

  • Involves rotational movements and a follow-through with a horizontal swing.

Developmental Changes in Sidearm Striking

• Utilization of trunk rotation during swings increases from vertical to horizontal as proficiency increases.

• Grip evolves from power grip to more nuanced grips like shake-hands grip.

Overarm Striking Skills

Comparison of Early and Proficient Overarm Striking

• Early:

  • Limited rotation and often looks like an underdeveloped throw.

• Proficient:

  • Features trunk rotation, arms lagging correctly, and sequential movement.

Developmental Changes in Overarm Striking

• Variation in elbow angles during the ball contact stage can go from extreme angles to an ideal flexed position.

• Spinal and pelvic motion increases with proficiency, moving from minimal to substantial rotation.

Assessment of Ballistic Skills

• Developmental sequences serve as checklists to determine proficiency.

• Observation is critical to analyze movements from different perspectives (side views, rear views).

Summary & Synthesis

1. Developmental trends reflect a shift toward proficient mechanical performance:

   • Increased trunk rotation and forward steps become evident.

   • Sequential movements and lagging limbs are characteristic.

2. Not all individuals achieve the highest developmental steps in each skill.

3. Older adults maintain coordination in ballistic movements but may show variability and slower performance.