Jerry R. Thomas, Jacqueline A. Alderson, Katherine T. Thomas, Amity C. Campbell, W. Brent Edwards, Stacey Meardon and Bruce C. Elliott
The purpose of this study was to determine if a general motor program controlled some or all aspects of overhand throwing. Using a 12 camera Vicon motion analysis system to record data from body markers, a group of 30 Australian Aboriginal children 6-10 years of age threw with maximal effort into a large target area. Data were reduced and analyzed for numerous variables and correlations were calculated between dominant and non-dominant side variables that were deemed reliable. Results indicated that five variables showed significant dominant to non-dominant correlations. However, only two of the five were entered into both multiple regressions to predict horizontal ball velocity for the dominant vs. non-dominant sides. The variables entered suggested that more gross aspects of the movement (stride
distance and pelvis flexion) were both correlated from dominant to non-dominant sides and predicted horizontal ball velocity. Thus, the general motor program does not appear to control the more complex and coordinated parts of the throwing motion.
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