BIOMECHANICS AND THE GOALKEEPER

Sports biomechanics analyses the specific mechanics of sports and their performance variables to improve performance, reduce the incidence of injury, develop training techniques and design specific devices, materials and equipment. The analyses can be quantitative or qualitative.

A quantitative biomechanical analysis involves numerical description of the movements of the body or its parts. Direct measurement is usually complicated by difficulties in the installation of devices in the field or interference with movements of the goalkeeper that often occur during play. A qualitative biomechanical analysis describes the movements in non-numerical terms and is based on the coach’s ability to recognize the critical moments in the execution of an action in sports (Ramón Suarez, 2009). In this section  we will focus mostly on qualitative biomechanical analyses of the techniques specific to the soccer goalkeeper.

In the next article we will present generalized explanations of Newtonian mechanics geared toward understanding the concepts that are contained in an equation, rather than the equation itself.