Yeah Brah

Part B: A Jump shot in basketball

A Jump shot in basketball relies on a special chain of events - the transfer of energy from one part of the body to the next. The feet push down on the ground and in reply there is a reaction force (Newton’s third law). This energy is first transferred into the lower legs – Achilles tendon and Gastrocnemius then to the upper legs - Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings and Quadriceps femoris which then transfers the energy into the upper body containing Rectus abdominis, Obliques, Hips, Latissimus dorsi, Pectoralis major, Trapezius and finally into the arm containing Deltoid, Biceps brachii and Triceps brachii. However, execution is not the only phase of the shot that needs to be recognised. The preparatory phase also needs to be perfected to ensure a successful shot. Every bodily movement involves agonists, stabilisers, bones and joint and joint actions.

Agonists are the muscles in a movement that cause the major action. There are agonists for every movable joint and muscles can work in unification with each other to perform joint movements. The agonist contracts causing the movement of bones into a different position and the type of movements performed are alternatives of joint actions. Bones are a type of scaffolding in place to help our body in movement and structure, without them the body would not be able to function successfully. There are three main types of bones, they include flat bones, short bones and long bones. Stabilisers are muscles that have little expansion and contraction whilst a movement is being performed. They are simply there as a support of the body making sure that it stays in the correct position so as to allow for a more fluent execution. Joints – or articulations - are a junction of two or more bones. There are three main types of joints in the human body, these are fibrous joints, cartilaginous joints and synovial joints. Fibrous joints are immovable meaning that no movement is possible, cartilaginous...