Abstract
Purpose & Background
Back and lower limb injuries are prevalent in athletes who perform novel weight-lifting techniques with inappropriate kinematics. Visual-auditory instructions and knowledge of performance (KP) verbal instructions are utilised to help novices execute novel skills. Effectiveness of these methods on executing appropriate front-squat lifting kinematics is limited.
Aim: to investigate the effects of visual-auditory instructions compared to KP verbal instructions on front-squat kinematics at sticking point in novice lifters, with improvement determined by proximity to the kinematics of an expert lifter at sticking point when performing optimal front-squat lift.
Methods
Twenty-four novices were randomised into two groups and performed front-squat lift. The novices in visual-auditory group (n = 12, age = 24.33 ± 2.93 years) received videoaudio instructions, verbal group (n = 12, Age= 22.66 ± 2.34 years) received KP verbal instructions. MATLAB software measured kinematic lumbar angles, Kinovea software measured hip, knee, ankle angles at sticking point of front-squat. Data were collected from video recordings of novices and an expert pre-and post-instructions in one session and expert data were used as reference values of proximity for both groups.
Results
No significant differences were found between groups in lumbar, hip, knee, and ankle angles at sticking point of front-squat lift, where improvement was determined by proximity to expert lifter's angles. There was significant improvement with in lumbar angle of both groups and hip angle (verbal group).
Conclusion
Visual-auditory instructions and verbal instructions have similar effects on the front-squat kinematics (lumbar spine, hip knee and ankle) of novice lifters.
No Conflict of Interests
No funding was obtained
