Visuelle Probleme bei der Beurteilung azyklischer Bewegungsabläufe (Kugelstoßen)

Summary

The observation of non-repetitive, fast movement processes, e.g. as in athletic field events, places considerable demands on the functional capacity of the visual faculty of teachers and coaches. It is shown in the example of the shot-putting movement (with an average duration of about 1000 ms) that, in addition to an exact conception of the ideal technique, eye-movement behavior in particular is of decisive importance.

The precision of the judgement of 12 specially trained physical education students was checked using a standardized analysis sheet, comprising the 13 essential elements of the shot-put technique. Forty-four shot-put trials were observed, immediately assessed and simultaneously filmed. A precise post-assessment of the films showed the following results: 44% correct judgements, 10% incorrect and about 17% omitted.

The fastest and decisive phases of movement are assessed with significantly less accuracy. Observation strategies, where the subjects are provided beforehand with an observational scheme, do not essentially improve the quality of assessments but reduce the rate of omissions.

In analyzing the visual search patterns of the subjects after having recorded their ocular movements by a NAC Eye Movement Recorder, the results support the hypothesis that in addition to the visual angle of the target (the shot-putter) the different versions of eye movement — especially the number and duration of fixations, velocity and precision of saccadic and smooth pursuit movements — limit the subject’s efficiency in assessing movements.

Consequently a revised assessment model was developed containing a reduced number of elements with corresponding observation strategies.