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Muscles Involved In A Free Throw Essay

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There are many muscles involved in a free throw. The tarsals, metatarsals and phalanges are located in the feet, allowing there to be balance in an individual’s stance before the ball is released. This is important because your feet need to be aligned correctly, facing the rim, to ensure the shot will be successful. The patella is located in the front of the kneecap which contracts due to the movement of the tibia, fibula and femur. While the lower body is bent, the humerus, ulna, radius and carpals need to bend. For the individual to gain power, the patella, tibia, fibular, femur, tarsals, metatarsals and phalanges will work together to bend, then extend the lower body. As the lower body extends,

There are many major muscles involved in a free throw. When setting up the shot, you need to bend your knees, which forces the soleus, gastrocnemius, tibialis inferior, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis and vastus medialis to act on the movement. This applies strain on the achilles tendon and the soleus because the weight is put onto them, as the muscles move over it. In this …show more content…

Flexion is the movement which decreases the angle between bones at a joint. The knee must be flexed for balance and momentum. This is done by lowering the gluteus maximus as it allows the knee to create this necessary movement. The elbow and wrists also need to be flexed to act on the pressure of the ball. The movement of extension is where the angle between bones at a joint is increased. Examples of this movement in a free throw are straightening the knee as you begin to release the ball and straightening the elbow when the ball is released. This follows with pronation which is when the hand and forearm rotate, making the palm face downwards. For example, when the ball is held by the palm and then is transferred off the palm in an upwards movement. This forces the wrist to flick in a downward

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