Characteristic of select kinanthropology terms
Physical fitness
An optimal reaction of the organism to a changing conditions of an internal and external environment.
Kinanthropology
A scientific discipline following up structure and function of human´s physical activities, its development and effects.
Locomotion
A movement from one place to another (by walking, running or by leaps / jumps).
Motor learning
An ability to learn new motor skills and an ability to assume new movements precisely and quickly.
Motor laterality
A motor dominance of one body side over the second one.
The most frequently we are talking about right-handed and left-handed where the laterality is the most obvious.
Motor skills
A summary of inside biological premises for a motor activity. A base for these premises are inborn dispositions and motor skills are one of the basic motor premises of a human.
Motor abilities
A summary of all the internal biological assumptions for any motor activity where inborn disposition are a basis for these assumptions, motor ability belongs to a basic motor premises of human.
Workout
Physical activities aimed at motor ability and skill´s development (use in a lot of different forms of physical education and sport in general).
Efficiency
An ability to perform steadily and successfully.
Terminology of workout / physical exercising
Terminology system (terminology): It supports a development of exact, technical, vocational thinking.
Gymnastics´ terminology is a base of a kinanthropological system of body movements and its parts.
A basic terminology is about naming / designating body positions and its parts and also about verbal expression of certain position´s changing.
The progress of Czech terminology since its first appearance (Tyrš, Základové tělocviku, Physical Education Roots, 1872) is concentrating on Czech language spelling rules. Also many slang or just one-word expressions emerge lately with sport´s world progress. It´s necessary to formulate information quickly and effectively. Some gymnastics elements are even named after an athlete who did it first.
The system arrangement of physical activities:
| Body positions | Body movements | Body parts positions & movements |
| Postures | ||
| Kneeling positions | Walking | Arms |
| Sitting positions | Leaps / Jumps | Legs |
| Lying positions | Running | Trunk |
| Supports | Turns | Head |
Postures
Body positions while foot / feet (or their parts) rest on the ground.
| Feet together / Parallel legs | Knee bend | |
| Straddle / astride | Double footed | Squat |
| Tip-toe position |
Basic ballet standing positions often used in gymnastics:
First position – the heels together, toes pointing away from each other
Second position – the same as in first position but heels are about one step apart
Third position – feet are pressed together so the heel of one foot is at the instep of the other foot, toes are turned out
Fourth position – one foot is in front of the other foot, approximately the distance of one foot, the heel of the forward foot is lined up with the toes of the rear foot
Fifth position – the same as in fourth position, only feet are pressed together
Movements into postures
Transfer – transfering the body weight from one leg to another or to both
Step – the final position is a stance
Lunge – step into the knee bend or squat, double footed afterwards
Sidestep, step forward, step backward – only one leg´s movement into a straddle pose
Swings – in a tip-toe position, calf extension, in a knee bend position or squat
A movement from the low position into a pose (the easiest way) is stand up.
The easiest movements from poses with outstretched legs:
- putting legs together (one leg is above the underlay)
- hop (both legs are above the underlay)
Body Movements
Walk, walk on a tip-toes, walk with high knees…
Chassé walk, polka walk (walk with changing legs)
Leap: take off on one foot, land on the other
Jump: two-foot take off
Hop: take off and land on the same foot
Leaps with one foot take-off, leaps with double foot take-off…
examples:
cat leap, hitch kick / scissor jump, split leap, tuck jump, two foot jump, tour jeté, sissone
double footed hop forward, hops on left / right leg, hops with a turn to the right / to the left side
Running: at a trot, at a gallop
Turns:
Turns are used to change direction and add variety and rhytm changes, the center of gravity must always be over the base of support, eye spotting will help to keep balanced and prevent dizziness.
Turns around the longitudinal axle: 180° - half turn
360° - full turn
twist - 360°
Body parts movements and positions
arms:
holding arms downward, holding arms forward, holding arms sideways, to raise one´s arm upward, to pull arms backward
circles in a frontal and lateral plane, circling, swinging
fingers: spread, extend, stretch, bend
legs:
one-footed - bend, side leg raises,
double-footed – bend, astride, legs together
circles, swings
feet: extend, turn out
trunk:
forward bend, tilt, back bend
bent, bent / curved, mild, deep
spinning/ whirling, circling
bended spine
head:
forward bend, side bend, back bend
spinning / whirling, circling