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This lesson is an integration lesson that brings together everything you have learned about levers, mechanical advantage, planes of movement, and axes of rotation for the OCR GCSE PE specification (J587). You will practise analysing sporting movements by combining all of these concepts, which is exactly the kind of analysis required in the exam.
When analysing any sporting movement in terms of movement analysis, you should work through the following:
flowchart TD
A["Identify the sporting action"] --> B["Identify the joint(s) involved"]
B --> C["Identify the movement(s) occurring"]
C --> D["Identify the plane of movement"]
D --> E["Identify the axis of rotation"]
E --> F["Identify the lever class"]
F --> G["Describe the mechanical advantage"]
style A fill:#4a90d9,color:#fff
style D fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
style E fill:#9b59b6,color:#fff
style G fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
Exam Tip: In an extended-response question (e.g., 6 marks), covering all of these elements demonstrates comprehensive understanding and will maximise your marks. Use the framework as a checklist.
| Plane | Axis | Movements | Key Word | Sporting Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sagittal | Transverse | Flexion, extension | Forward/backward | Running, kicking, bicep curl, somersault |
| Frontal | Frontal | Abduction, adduction | Side-to-side | Star jump, cartwheel, goalkeeping save |
| Transverse | Longitudinal | Rotation | Twisting | Golf swing, discus spin, pirouette |
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sporting action | A footballer kicking a ball (striking phase) |
| Joint | Knee |
| Movement | Extension (straightening the lower leg) |
| Plane | Sagittal (the leg moves forward) |
| Axis | Transverse (the lower leg rotates around a side-to-side axis at the knee) |
| Lever class | Third class (F-E-L: fulcrum at knee, effort from quadriceps near the knee, load at the foot) |
| Mechanical advantage | Low — the effort arm is shorter than the load arm, producing high speed at the foot |
"The kicking action involves extension at the knee joint. This movement occurs in the sagittal plane around the transverse axis. The knee acts as a third class lever with the fulcrum at the knee joint, the effort provided by the quadriceps (inserting close to the knee), and the load at the foot. This lever system has a low mechanical advantage, which is beneficial because it produces high speed at the foot, resulting in a powerful kick."
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sporting action | The outward phase of a star jump |
| Joints | Shoulder and hip |
| Movement | Abduction (arms and legs move away from the midline) |
| Plane | Frontal (limbs move side to side) |
| Axis | Frontal (limbs rotate around a front-to-back axis at the shoulder and hip) |
| Lever class | Third class at the shoulder (fulcrum at shoulder, effort from deltoid, load = weight of arm) |
| Mechanical advantage | Low — produces speed and range of movement for the outward jump |
"During a star jump, the arms and legs perform abduction — moving away from the midline of the body. This occurs in the frontal plane around the frontal axis. At the shoulder, this operates as a third class lever: the fulcrum is the shoulder joint, the effort is provided by the deltoid (inserting on the humerus near the shoulder), and the load is the weight of the arm. The low mechanical advantage produces the speed needed for the explosive outward movement."
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sporting action | The trunk rotation during a golf swing |
| Joint | Hip / vertebral column |
| Movement | Rotation (trunk twists) |
| Plane | Transverse (rotational movement) |
| Axis | Longitudinal (the body rotates around a vertical axis from head to feet) |
"The golf swing involves rotation of the trunk around the spine. This occurs in the transverse plane around the longitudinal axis. The golfer twists their hips and shoulders to generate rotational force, which is transferred through the arms to the club and ultimately to the ball. The rotational movement in the transverse plane is essential for generating the club head speed needed for a long drive."
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sporting action | A forward somersault |
| Movement | The whole body rotates forward (flexion) |
| Plane | Sagittal (the body moves forward/backward) |
| Axis | Transverse (the body rotates around a side-to-side axis through the hips) |
"A forward somersault involves the whole body rotating in the sagittal plane around the transverse axis. The body tucks into a flexed position and rotates forward around a horizontal axis passing through the hips. Tucking tightly brings the body's mass closer to the axis of rotation, which increases the speed of rotation (following the principle of angular momentum), allowing the gymnast to complete the somersault more quickly."
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sporting action | Performing a cartwheel |
| Movement | The whole body rotates sideways (abduction/adduction through a full rotation) |
| Plane | Frontal (the body moves side to side) |
| Axis | Frontal (the body rotates around a front-to-back axis) |
"A cartwheel involves the body rotating sideways in the frontal plane around the frontal axis. The gymnast moves laterally, placing their hands on the ground and rotating their body over them from one side to the other. The movement stays within the frontal plane because the body moves from side to side, not forward/backward."
Many complex sporting actions involve movements in more than one plane. For example:
| Sporting Action | Planes Involved | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Tennis serve | Sagittal (arm flexion/extension), transverse (trunk rotation), frontal (arm abduction) | The arm swings upward (sagittal), the trunk rotates (transverse), and the arm reaches sideways (frontal) |
| Long jump | Sagittal (running/take-off), frontal (arms outward for balance), transverse (body rotation in flight) | Multiple planes are used across different phases |
| Swimming front crawl | Sagittal (arm pull underwater), transverse (body roll), frontal (arm recovery) | The stroke involves rotation of the body and multi-directional arm movement |
| Discus throw | Transverse (spinning), sagittal (arm extension on release) | The thrower spins in the transverse plane then extends the arm in the sagittal plane |
Exam Tip: If asked about a complex sporting action, identify the main/primary plane and axis first, then mention secondary planes if relevant. For most exam questions, focus on the primary movement — for example, the golf swing is primarily in the transverse plane, even though the arms may also move in the sagittal plane.
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