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Biomechanics terms.
Levers, moment arms, force and how your body actually moves under load.
32 terms defined
Abduction
Moving a limb away from the body's midline.
Active Insufficiency
When a muscle cannot shorten further to produce force across two joints.
Adduction
Moving a limb toward the body's midline.
Anthropometry
Body measurements like limb length that affect lifting leverages.
Bar Path
The trajectory the barbell travels during a lift.
Bracing
Tightening the core to create stiffness and protect the spine under load.
Center of Mass
The balance point of the body or a load, key to stable lifting.
Closed Kinetic Chain
An exercise where the end of the limb is fixed, like a squat.
Dorsiflexion
Lifting the foot upward toward the shin.
Extension
Straightening a joint to increase its angle.
Flexibility
The passive range a muscle can be stretched.
Flexion
Bending a joint to decrease its angle.
Force Vector
The direction and magnitude of a force applied during movement.
Ground Reaction Force
The force the ground pushes back with when you push against it.
Hip Hinge
Bending at the hips while keeping the back flat to load the posterior chain.
Joint Angle
The angle formed at a joint, affecting muscle leverage and force.
Joint Torque
The rotational force a muscle produces around a joint.
Kinetic Chain
The linked segments of the body that work together during movement.
Knee Valgus
The inward collapse of the knees during squatting or jumping.
Lever System
How bones and joints act as levers to move loads.
Leverage
How limb proportions influence strength in a given lift.
Line of Pull
The direction a muscle pulls relative to the joint it crosses.
Mobility
The ability to move a joint actively through its full range.
Moment Arm
The leverage distance between a joint and the line of force.
Open Kinetic Chain
An exercise where the end of the limb moves freely, like a leg extension.
Passive Insufficiency
When a muscle cannot stretch further to allow full joint movement.
Plantar Flexion
Pointing the foot downward away from the shin.
Posture
The alignment of the body at rest or during movement.
Pronation
Rotating the forearm or rolling the foot inward.
Scapular Retraction
Pulling the shoulder blades together and down.
Stability
The ability to control a joint or the body against forces.
Supination
Rotating the forearm palm-up or rolling the foot outward.
Common questions.
What does the biomechanics glossary cover?
The Nishaana biomechanics glossary defines 32 terms, including Abduction, Active Insufficiency, Adduction. Each entry leads with a plain, one-sentence definition, then a worked example with real numbers so you can apply it in the gym.
Are these biomechanics definitions free?
Yes. Every glossary definition is free and open — no signup, no paywall. When you are ready to apply a concept, Nishaana turns it into your actual training: it tracks it and auto-progresses your weights for you.
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