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Advance knowledge effects on kinematics of one-handed catching

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Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects of advance knowledge on the kinematics of one-handed catching. Balls were launched from a distance of 8.4 m by a ball-projection machine with adjustable launching speed. Fifteen skilled ball catchers caught 160 balls with their preferred hand under blocked-order (4 blocks, each comprising 20 trials at 1 of 4 different ball speeds) or random-order (4 blocks, each comprising 20 trials of 4 different ball speeds) conditions. By projecting balls with different ball speeds from a fixed position, it was possible to modify the temporal constraints of the catching task. In both the blocked-order and random-order conditions, catching performance (number of catches, touches and misses) decreased with increasing temporal constraints. Analysis of successful trials indicated that this equal level of catching performance was achieved with different movement kinematics. Specifically, there was a change in movement time, latency, wrist velocity profile, and coefficient of straightness. Based on expectancy of previous trials, movement kinematics was scaled to ball speed in the blocked-order condition whereas in the random-order condition, participants exhibited a more default initial response. However, this latter mode of control was functional in that it increased the likelihood of success for the higher ball speeds while also providing participants with a larger temporal window to negotiate the unexpected temporal constraint on-line for the lowest ball speed.

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Notes

  1. Ball flight times, resultant ball speeds and landing locations were evaluated in a pilot study conducted prior to the experiment. High Speed Cameras (Bassler AG, Ahrensburg, Germany) registered at 100 Hz the moment the ball left the ball machine and contacted a panel that was at 8.4 m from the ball machine (participant’s frontal plane).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Pieter Tijtgat, Dirk De Clercq & Matthieu Lenoir

  2. Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, The Henry Cotton Building, 15-21 Webster St, Liverpool, L3 2ET, UK

    Simon J. Bennett

  3. Research Institute MOVE, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Geert J. P. Savelsbergh

  4. Institute for Biomedical Research into Human Movement and Health, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK

    Geert J. P. Savelsbergh

Authors
  1. Pieter Tijtgat
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  2. Simon J. Bennett
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  3. Geert J. P. Savelsbergh
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  4. Dirk De Clercq
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  5. Matthieu Lenoir
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Correspondence to Pieter Tijtgat.

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Tijtgat, P., Bennett, S.J., Savelsbergh, G.J.P. et al. Advance knowledge effects on kinematics of one-handed catching. Exp Brain Res 201, 875–884 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-2102-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-2102-0

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