Biomotor ability refers to the description of various capacities, or qualities of movement and performance required to perform any given task.
The meaning of biomotor can be broken down into “bio”, which means “life” and “motor, which means “movement” or “to move”.
The following is a list of biomotor abilities, which compose most of the ingredients of movement:
1. Strength
2. Power
3. Endurance
4. Speed
5. Coordination
6. Flexibility
7. Agility
8. Balance
Strength
The maximal force that a muscle group can generate at a specified velocity speed.
Subcategories of strength include:
– Maximal
– Absolute
– Relative
– Start
– Explosive
– Reactive
Power
Power is the ability to apply force quickly. Power is a combination of Strength and Speed at the same time.
Endurance
Endurance refers to the ability to perform work of a given intensity over a time period, and is often referred to as stamina.
Subcategories of endurance include:
– Intensive
– Anaerobic
– Strength
– Speed
– Extensive
– Glycolitic Aerobic
Speed
Speed is the capacity to travel or move very quickly. It may mean the whole body or just the limb, maximizing quickness and frequency.
Co-ordination
Coordination is the ability to perform movements of various degrees of difficulty very quickly and with efficiency and accuracy.
Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to perform joint actions through a wide range of motion. Restricted flexibility is one of the most common causes of poor technique and performance.
Agility
Agility is the ability to start, stop and change direction within short distances using a combination of Speed, Power, Co-ordination and Balance.
Balance
The maintenance of your center of gravity over your base of support without moving for a given period of time.
Co-Dependence of Biomotor Abilities
Many biomotor abilities are co-dependent upon each other. A dominance or deficiency in one biomotor ability may influence other biomotor abilities. It is important to understand this before designing a program to address the individual’s needs.
When injury or impairment occurs, one or more biomotor abilities may be affected or compromised depending on the cause, resulting in a deficit and imbalance between individual biomotor abilities. Because biomotor abilities tend to exhibit co-dependency (as demonstrated in the chart above). As a result a deficit in one can influence another.
Any biomotor ability deficits that have occurred due to an injury should be first corrected before attempting to improve other biomotor abilities. This may take assessment skills to identify where the imbalance has occurred and the underlying cause of the imbalance or injury.
During the rehabilitation or corrective phase it may be necessary to focus on isolation of individual biomotor abilities before attempting to integrate. Remember the general rule, “Isolate before you Integrate”.
Clinical perspective (Kesh Patel – Corrective Exercise – A Practical Approach 2005)
The demands placed on the kinetic chain during daily activities are numerous and often challenging. These include stabilization during static postures; premeditated dynamic and ballistic movement; unpredictable loading; and maintenance of the center of gravity over the base of support. For this reason, many therapists and trainers have been motivated to recommend exercise training on labile surfaces such as wobble-boards and stability balls. Although these devices can certainly challenge the motor system to meet the demands of particularly dynamic tasks, they may not be beneficial for some individuals in the first instance.
Regardless of injury status and training experience, all corrective exercise programs should begin on stable surfaces to establish a positive slope of improvement. When there is sufficient qualification of static and dynamic stability, labile surfaces may be introduced slowly and progressively, until the specific goal of exercise is reached. Unnecessary use of this type of training may significantly develop certain biomotor skills at the expense of more important ones.