ABSTRACT
Many sports involve striking and kicking manoeuvres where energy flows from proximal to more distal segments, such that the endpoint segment, for example, the foot in a kick, or the hand, racquet or stick in a hit, impact the ball at the highest possible speed (summation of speed principle). This chapter comprises a discussion of the special problems that researchers face in performing analyses of upper limb striking-based and lower limb kicking-based skills, and concurrently outlines the key mechanical considerations in these movements.
