Course Overview
What happens to our bodies when we walk, run, or play sports? How do we enhance athletic performance and prevent injuries? These are ever-important questions that clinicians and coaches must think about on a daily basis. Biomechanics is the study of how our movements work based on physical forces, and motor control is how our brain helps us plan, carry out, and coordinate those movements. This course will introduce students to the biological and mechanical principles that govern our movement, and provide them with experience in analyzing human motion from exercise, sport, and rehabilitation perspectives.
Students will explore how the principles of biomechanics and motor control influence human movement and performance through lectures and hands-on lab activities. Students will learn about how muscles, joints, and forces work together to produce efficient motion, explore how the nervous system controls and coordinates movements, and apply this knowledge to visually assess exercise and sport performance. Each class will be divided into a lecture and lab activity. During lecture, students will learn the conceptual laws of motion and the underlying motor processes that organize this motion. Students will then have the opportunity to apply their knowledge from lecture in lab, where they will complete various motor tasks and visual analyses of movement.
All students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Completion and have the opportunity to request a Syracuse University credit transcript.
Course Objectives
- Understand basic principles involved in analyzing human movement patterns.
- To gain an understanding of the mechanisms and variables governing the learning and control of motor activity.
- Evaluate performance techniques in sport and exercise, applying biomechanical concepts to suggest performance improvements and/or injury prevention.
- To gain knowledge related to experimental techniques for measurement of motor activity and biomechanics.
- To apply this knowledge to design and develop basic training programs.
Course Information
Course Prefix and Number: TBD
Format: On Campus (at Syracuse University)
Eligibility: Students must be of rising high school junior or senior status – or a 2025 high school graduate.
Credit: NC
Grading: Pass/Fail
- Residential: $4,895
- Commuter: $3,919
Program rates are subject to change and will be approved by the board of trustees. Discounts and scholarships are also available.
Program Information
Summer College – On Campus: Experience what college is really like: take a college-level course, live in a residence hall, have meals with friends in a dining hall, and participate in activities and events on campus.
Course Dates and Details
| Program | Course Dates | Class Time (Eastern Time) | Credit/Noncredit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer College – On Campus | 2-Week Session II: Sunday, July 20 – Friday, Aug. 1, 2025 | MTWThF; 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Noncredit |
To see if this course is ‘open,’ refer to the full course catalog.
Course Requirements
Computer or laptop with internet accessibility is required. Students should dress appropriately to partake in exercise (i.e., athletic clothes, close-toed shoes).
Typical Day
Tentative Schedule
A typical day will run from 10:00 AM through 02:30 PM. Each day will be split into three parts: 1) Lecture: 10 AM to 12 PM, (2) Lunch: 12 PM to 12:30 PM, and (3) Lab: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM. During the lecture portion of the class, students will learn about the basic principles of biomechanics and motor control as they relate to exercise and sport performance (example lecture topics include linear kinematics and kinetics, angular kinematics and kinetics, assessing motor learning, stages of skill acquisition, etc.). Students will then go to lunch before returning to the class for the laboratory portion. In the lab portion, students will conduct and partake in movement experiments concerning the lecture of the day, and learn how to relate each task back to the key concepts learned in lecture.
When class is over, and on weekends, students can look forward to various Summer College – On Campus activities to meet and connect with other students! Check out our On Campus Experience page for more information!
Faculty Bios
Reese Michaels
Reese Michaels is a PhD student in the Exercise Science Department of the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics studying biomechanics and motor control. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in Sport Sciences from Ithaca College before graduating with his Master’s degree in Exercise Science at Syracuse University. During his time at SU, Reese has been a teaching assistant for multiple Exercise Science courses including Introduction to Exercise Science (EXE 195), Motor Behavior Across the Lifespan (EXE 282), and most recently Analysis of Human Motion (EXE 408). As a TA, Reese has taught recitations, led lab sections, and given guest lectures each semester. Reese’s current research area is concerned with fall biomechanics in older adults, specifically investigating novel techniques for video analysis and methods to mitigate the risk of injury in this population. Outside of school, Reese enjoys weightlifting, trying new foods, and hiking around Upstate NY.