LESSON 3

BODY MECHANICS AND POSTURE

EDUCATION
Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, the students can:

 differentiate creatively the characteristics of body types
through a diagram;
 demonstrate correctly the mechanics of posture through an
infomercial; and
 execute the basic positions of the body where most
exercises begin through practical test.
 
 Introduction
The term body mechanics is defined as the static and the functional
relationship between the parts that make up the body and the body as
a whole. Body mechanics is a broad term that implies the application
of the physical laws to the human body at rest or in motion.
Body mechanics is also posture education. Proper body mechanics
and good posture help individuals keep their bodies in proper balance
with a small expenditure of energy as possible and with the minimum
amount of strain. Slight postural deviation can be corrected through
proper use of correct body mechanics and selected exercises, at the
same time, to have better understanding of how our body types. It is
through a thorough understanding of our somatotyping that we can
understand more our abilities, capabilities, and limitations in the
physical aspects.
 In this module, you will learn the different basic
movements used in daily physical activities which will help
you to become efficient, and physically fit and healthy. In
addition, posture and body mechanics are included to give
you an idea on how to improve your balance and
coordination as you perform your daily routine.
Activity

Lets Watch this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unAwziX-tsA
 Acquisition of New Knowledge
CLASSIFICATION OF BODY TYPE (SOMATOTYPE)
A classification of body types has been promulgated by Kretshmer and
Sheldon based upon physical features.

Kretshmer’s Body Types Sheldon’s Body Types Characteristics

1. Asthenic

Ectomorph Lean, slim, shallow

chested, and tall in
proportion to their weight,
Hard gainer, and fast
metabolism.
1. Asthenic (Ectomorph) – is typically long, slender, and thin.
They find it hard to gain muscle or fat mass while they can
easily get lean and hard, their lack of musculature strictly limits
their chances in sports requiring mass. Power and strength
sports are possibly not suitable as their slight build leaves them
subject to injuries, but they dominate endurance in sports and
gymnastics.
 
Sports Benefit
 Light frame makes them suited for aerobic activity like
gymnastics
 Smaller body surface area also enhances their suitability for
endurance activity
 Their body is better at thermo regulation, important
in endurance based sports
 
      
2. Athletic    
     
     
    Muscular individual
   Mesomorph with broad
  shoulder, well-
  developed chest,
  robust, and strong.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Athletic (Mesomorph) – is typically medium build and can gain or lose
weight easily. A mesomorphic individual excels in strength, agility, and
speed. Their medium structure and height, along with their tendency to
gain muscle and strength easily makes them a strong candidate for a
top athlete in any sport. They can sustain low body fat levels and find it
easy to lose and gain weight. These individuals are the ideal athlete
because they not only have a have a medium bone structure and height
but they typically excel at both cardiovascular and resistance training
activities.
Sports benefits
 Respond well to cardiovascular and resistance training
 Can sustain low body fat levels
 All muscle groups can be used to derive positive training adoption
 Dependent on the sports’ needs they can easily gain or lose weight
3. Pyknic

Endomorph Broad rounded figure,

large heavy neck, and
ruddy face.
3. Pyknic (Endomorph) – is typically a larger build. They can gain
both fat and muscle easily but struggle to loose fat.
Endomorphs typically have a larger bone structure and can
naturally carry a large amount of both muscle and fat mass on their
frame. They are often short in stature with thick limbs (legs and
arms). Their mass hampers their ability to compete in sports requiring
high levels of agility or speed and perform sustained weight
bearing aerobic activities such as running. Sports of pure strength,
like power lifting, are perfect for an endomorph. They can gain weight
easily and lose condition quickly if training stops.  They typically have
a large lung capacity which is beneficial in non-weight-bearing
aerobic activities like rowing and they can increase their muscle
mass much quicker than ectomorphs.
 Sports benefits
 Size benefits sports such as rugby where bulk is
useful, provided it can be moved powerfully
 Tend to have large lung capacity which can make
them suited to sports such as rowing
 They can increase muscle mass much more
easily than ectomorphs
 POSTURE AND BODY MECHANICS
 
Posture and body mechanics have important roles in
movement education. Posture refers to the habitual or
assumed alignment and balance of the body segments while
standing, walking, sitting, or lying.
 
In good posture, the body should show good alignment,
good balance, and ease of stance, a feeling of alertness, and
a feeling of readiness for movement and/or coordination
throughout the body segments.
COMPARISON OF BODY ALIGNMENT
 Basic Position Where Most Exercises Begin

A. Standing Position

1. Feet together or feet parallel – 2. Stride Position – the feet are apart for
the feet are about one inch about 12 or more. The weight of the
apart, toes pointing forward and body is on both sides, and both are at
arms on side. the sides or on the waist.
3. Lunge – bend on one knee, 4. Half Knee Bend – feet together
the other leg remains straight, and flat on the floor, bend both
but weight is on both feet and knees about 45 degrees angle,
hands on hips. body erect and hands on hips.
Note:The knees and toes
should be in line.
 5. Full Knees Bend– the knees are fully bent
and sit on the heels. The weight of the body is
on the balls of the feet and hands on waist.

A. Sitting Positions

1. Long Sitting – the legs and toes are

extended forward; trunk erect and
hands on waist. 2. Hook Sitting – bend both knees
close to the body; the body is
straight; hands on shin of the legs.
 1. Tuck Sitting – bend knees close to the
2. Frog or Tailor – sit on buttocks, feet
body; round the back so that forehead
touching each other, knees flat on the and knees are in contact; hold shin of
floor, hands on both knees.
the legs.

3. Stride Sitting – legs are in stride 4. Side Sitting – bend right (left) leg in front of
position; body straight; hands on thigh or the body; other leg extended sideward right
on the waist. (left); body is straight; hands on thigh or on the
waist.
 2. Long Sitting Rest position – the legs and 1. Heels Sit – from kneeling position, sit on
the toes are extended forward; place hands the heels of the feet; toes pointed
on the floor at the back and the body is backward; hands on hips.
straight.

A. Lying Positions

1. Back or Supine Lying Position – the body is well extended; back in contact
with the floor; arms overhead.

2. Front or Prone Lying – the

body is well extended; the
front part of the body in
contact with the floor, arms
forward.
 1. Side Lying – the body is well – extended; the right (left) side of the body and the
right (left) arm are in contact with the floor with the head on top of the right (left)
arm. The left (right) arm is placed in front of the across the body on the floor close
to the chest.

2. Hook Lying – from a back lying

position, bend both knees, feet flat
on the floor; arms overhead.

5. Tuck Lying – lie on yours back, pull both knees

close to the forehead, hold shin of the legs.

A. Arm Support Positions

1. Supine or Back Arm Support

– from a long rest sitting
position, lift body to straight
arm support; body, legs and
toes well – extended.
 1. Prone or Front Arms Support –
from a prone lying position, lift the
body to straight arm support;
body, legs, and toes well
extended.

2. Side Arm Support – the

body is supported with the
right or left hand to straight
–arm support.

A. Four – Base Support

1. Dog Stand Position – from a kneeling 2. Bridge Stand Position – from a hook
position, place hands on the floor with sitting rest position; lift the trunk; legs and
elbows straight, leg and arms at 90- arms at 90-degree angle with the trunk.
degree angle with the trunk.
 A. Hands Positions

1. Hands on Waist –
Place hands on waist
firmly with the thumb
pointing at the back,
the rest of the fingers
pointing front.

2. Hands on Shoulders – bend

arms at the elbows and place the
tip of the fingers on the
shoulders. The elbow and the
shoulder are in line.

3. Hands on Chest –
bend arms at the 4. Hands on Neck –
elbow and place Bend both arms from
hands on chest; the elbows, place
palms facing hand behind the
downward while the neck, fingertips
elbow and the meeting each other,
shoulder are in line. elbows in shoulder
line.
 A. Arms Positions

1. Arms Forward – raise arms

forward parallel to each other;
hands on line with shoulders;
palms facing downward or with
each other.

2. Arms Sideward – raise arms

sideward, arms well
extended; palms facing
downward.

3. Arms Oblique
Upward Sideward 4. Arms Oblique Downward
– raise arms upward Sideward – place arms
sideward to form a diagonally downward at
letter “V”. Palms sides of body; palms facing
facing outward or each other.
inward.
 6. Hands on Waist –
Stand up straight,
place hands on waist,
5. Arms Upward – raise arms fingers pointing in
upward parallel to each other; front, thumbs pointing
palms facing each other. backward.
 Assessment
Create a Video performing all the basic positions where most exercises begin.

Note:
Hold every position in 2 seconds then proceed to next position.

Rubric:
Criteria 40-30 29-20 19-10 10
  Very organized Very organized Fairly organized Fairly organized
Effective (equipment set up etc.). (equipment set up etc.). (equipment set up (equipment set up
Demonstration There is a great There is a good etc.). There is a fair etc.). There is
demonstration of the demonstration of the demonstration of the demonstration of the
exercise accompanying exercise accompanying drill/game exercise
the explanation. the explanation. accompanying the accompanying the
explanation. explanation but it is
incorrect.
(Adapted from http://www.teacherjet.com/rubrics/project/InfomercialPerformanceRubric.html and
https://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=A8AB33&sp=true