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Sports Biomechanics: Analyze & Optimize Athletic Performance

Name: Sports Biomechanics: Analyze & Optimize Athletic Performance
Rating: 4.6 (139 reviews)

Understand The Physics Of Sports: The Diagnostics Of Athleticism, The Musculoskeletal System, Motion Analysis & More

Bestseller

Created byEmil Cordes

Last updated 2/2026

English

What you'll learn

Learn which methods and diagnostics are used to measure an athlete's performance
Understand how the muscular system works
Get to know the tasks and the fields of work for sports biomechanics
Learn about the structure and functioning of the skeletal system
Understand the biomechanics that allow the best technique for sprinting
Get to know the most essential tools that are used for motion analysis in the industry
Understand how the non-contractile components of the body contribute to an increased performance
Learn how we generate force
Understand the effect of training surfaces and shoes on athletic performance
Get to know the biomechanical principles that describe the physics of all movements

Course content

10 sections • 65 lectures • 3h 31m total length

Welcome To The Course!0:33
Course Structure & Overview6:49
Definition Of Sports Biomechanics5:58
Planes & Axes2:05
Identify the three rotational axes: longitudinal, frontal, and transverse, and their corresponding planes: transverse, frontal, and sagittal, within a center-of-mass coordinate system to describe movement.
Location & Movement Terminology3:05

Structure & Function Of Bones4:22
Explore the structure and function of bones and the skeleton, including epiphysis, diaphysis, cortical and spongy bone, articular cartilage, medullary cavity, and the mechanical role in force transfer.
Bone Types3:13
Stress Shielding3:37
Anatomy & Functioning Of Joints4:04
Explore the anatomy and functioning of joints, from diarthrosis to the so-called sinatruces, and how articular cartilage and synovial fluid enable smooth, controlled movement.
Joint Types3:32
Anatomy Of The Knee Joint2:44
Structure & Function Of Tendons & Ligaments3:58
Analyze how ligaments, made of collagen, reinforce joint capsules, limit motion, and store elastic energy in the foot arch, while tendons transfer muscle forces to bones, with aponeurosis linking muscles.
Ligaments Of The Knee Joint4:37
Meniscus2:50
Explore the knee's meniscus, a c-shaped fibrocartilage that augments tibia head and the femur head contact and reduces stress by distributing pressure, while lacking a synovial membrane limits blood supply.

Muscle Types3:27
Structure Of Skeletal Muscle3:43
Muscle Contraction2:45
Quick Reminder!0:46
Ask questions directly via personal messages on Udemy to enhance learning, and leave a five star review to boost course credibility and visibility in Udemy search.
Force-Length Relationship3:32
Muscle Fiber Types3:10
Muscle Architectures2:57
Forms Of Muscle Contraction5:19
Explore isometric, concentric, and eccentric contractions, including yielding and overcoming isometrics, and see how these forms drive explosive movements, training adaptations, and soreness in sport.
Force-Velocity Relationship2:06
Understand how muscle force depends on contraction velocity and the force-velocity curve. Generate more force during eccentric movements while watching injury risk at high lengthening velocities.
Stretch Shortening Cycle5:17
Cocontraction2:22
Explain cocontraction as the activation of agonist and antagonist around a joint to stabilize movement, with on-off switching before ground contact at 50 ms for pre-activation and injury risk reduction.
Muscle Hypertrophy2:12

Goals Of Jumping Diagnostics4:57
Squat Jump Test3:07
Countermovement Jump Test4:10
Drop Jump Test3:02
Impulse Method3:16
Use the impulse method to estimate jump height from ground reaction force with force plates. Compute takeoff velocity from the force-time integrals of A1, A2, and A3 to derive height.
Integration Method3:06
Time-Of-Flight Method3:28
Use the time-of-flight method to determine jump height with a video camera. Measure air time from takeoff to landing, then compute height using g t^2 / 8.

Definition Of The Biomechanical Principles2:54
Principle Of The Optimal Acceleration Path2:52
Velocity-Time Curve2:44
Principle Of The Optimal Tendency In The Acceleration Curve3:09
Apply the principle of the optimal tendency in the acceleration curve to maximize force in the shortest possible time for sprint starts and to maximize terminal velocity in throwing disciplines.
Principle Of Initial Force4:03
Principle Of (Temporal) Coordination Of Individual Impulses2:27
Principle Of Counteraction And Rotational Recoil4:10
Principle Of Momentum Conservation2:11

Motion Tracking: Objectives5:01
Explore motion tracking and motion analysis to optimize human movement, reduce energy expenditure, and lower costs in training and rehabilitation.
Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)5:31
Force & Pressure Plates2:43
Force plates measure ground reaction forces and moments to assess power and vertical jump, while pressure plates map plantar pressure to guide personalized insoles for orthopedic care.
2D Motion Analysis2:54
3D Motion Analysis5:02
Explore three dimensional motion analysis, contrasting marker based systems—the gold standard with markers and multiple cameras—with emerging markerless methods for field analysis and training optimization.
Data Analysis5:09
Thank You!1:26

Effects Of Footwear Constructions On Performance6:38
Effects Of The Training Surface3:48
Match surface stiffness to training goals. Gradually build tolerance to harder surfaces like cement, while grass, tartan, or wood support jump and explosive training and preserve muscle tendon interaction.
Training In Sand3:46
Barefoot Training6:31
Explore barefoot training to strengthen the foot complex, improve cushioning for landings, and reduce injury risk by training with minimal heel elevation and progressive barefoot exercises.
Trampolin Training3:59

Requirements

No prior knowledge needed

Description

GET TO KNOW THE BIOMECHANICS OF SPORTS TO UNDERSTAND, ANALYZE AND OPTIMIZE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE!

In this course, we dive deep into the science of human movement to understand the biomechanics of sports. The goal is to break down movement into its physical and biological components in order to analyze and optimize athletic performance.

To achieve this, we begin with the fundamentals: the anatomy and physiology of the musculoskeletal system. From there, we apply biomechanical principles, diagnostic tests, and analytical methods to understand how different movements in sports work. Finally, we explore the most common tools and technologies used in the industry for motion analysis and performance diagnostics.

Interested in a Career in Biomechanics? This Course Is for You.

As a trained biomechanist, I study human locomotion and develop methods to analyze and optimize movement. This course combines scientifically proven concepts with practical knowledge I’ve gained over the years through studying and working in the field of biomechanics.

The course includes 60+ lectures and over 3.5 hours of content, structured to give you a solid and comprehensive foundation in sports biomechanics.

Let me share this knowledge with you!

After completing this course, you will be able to:

Understand the anatomy and the function of the skeletal system
Understand structure of the muscular system and the functioning of muscle contraction
Know how to break down movements into its physical properties
Apply different methods to different vertical jump tests to calculate the jump height
Understand the biomechanics of sprinting
Know the most common tools used for motion analysis in the industry

Course Content Overview:

Introduction Into Sports Biomechanics

How can we define sports biomechanics?
What are the tasks and what are some possible fields of work for sports biomechanics?
Which terms are used in the biomechanics to describe locations and movements?

The Skeletal System

What's the structure of bones and joints?
What does "stress shielding" mean and why is it bad?
What's the structure and function of tendons and ligaments?

The Muscular System

Which types of muscle are there and how are they built?
How do muscles contract and how does it affect force generation?
How do muscles and tendons work together to ensure optimal elasticity?

Jumping Diagnostics

What are the goals of jumping diagnostics?
Which different jump tests are there and when should they be used?
Which methods are there to calculate different performance parameters like the jump height?

Sprint Biomechanics

In which biomechanical phases can we devide a 100 m sprint?
What are the differences in the technique and the biomechanics in each phase?
What are the effects of supporting systems (shoes, prostheses etc.) on the sprint performance?

Biomechanical Principles

How can we use physics to describe movements in sports?
Why do we have the biomechanical principles and how can they help us to understand motion?
What are the characteristics of each biomechanical principle?

Motion Analysis

What are the objectives of motion tracking?
Which tools for the analysis of human movement exist in the industry?
How can we further analyze data obtained from motion tracking systems?

Training Surfaces

What are the effects of footwear constructions on athletic performance?
What are the effects of training surfaces on athletic performance?
What are the biomechanical and performance benefits of training barefoot?

Risk-Free Enrollment: Of course, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee from Udemy. Feel free to enroll now to see if this course is for you!

Who this course is for:

Anyone who is interested in the biomechanics of sports
Athletes, trainers and coaches who want to learn more about the science of movement

Sports Biomechanics: Analyze & Optimize Athletic Performance

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction Into Sports Biomechanics5 lectures • 19min

The Skeletal System: Bones, Joints, Tendons & Ligaments9 lectures • 33min

The Muscular System: Function Of Muscles, Muscle Contraction & Force Generation12 lectures • 38min

Jumping Diagnostics: Tests & Methods7 lectures • 25min

Sprint Biomechanics: Biomechanical Properties Of Each Phase6 lectures • 19min

Biomechanical Principles: Breaking Down Movements & Sports8 lectures • 25min

Motion Analysis: Tools & Strategies7 lectures • 28min

Training Surfaces5 lectures • 25min

Additional Content4 lectures • 1min

Studies, Papers, Articles & Publications2 lectures • 1min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: