Abstract

Many people involved in sport science research have a desire to enhance the performance of elite athletes, whether through an improvement of technique or a modification in equipment design. However, superior knowledge in only one sport science area is often insufficient when applying research to a performer. There are actually many aspects of the sport sciences that must be considered when working with an elite athlete or coach. The most common areas of applied study within the sport sciences are biomechanics, exercise physiology, motor learning and sport psychology. It is often difficult to apply any one of these specific areas to an athlete without some understanding of the other three. Each plays an extremely important role in the achievement of optimal performance. This paper will deal specifically with biomechanical research and its application to the performer, always bearing in mind the integration of other sport science disciplines during the application. Verf.-Referat