The Praxema in the sport context: language expressed through the body, as seen in volleyball

Abstract

Sport is a sociocultural phenomenon highly-relevant to humanity, being one of the most socially-diffused cultural manifestations among the various fields of teaching. Since this theory aims to analyze the internal logic of motor and sportive practices, as well as to aid in its teaching-learningtraining process, Motor Praxeology is a science of varied knowledge. Praxema is one of them, a specific element of the game, referring to the player’s body language that manifests itself through motor actions, being a form of non-verbal (counter)communication. To this purpose, this research aims to elucidate the praxema in the sport context, taking volleyball as an example, and its importance for the reading of game and for the performance of players. Thus, this theoretical exploratory research verified that the orientation and corporal language indicates to players which praxema will be manifested and, therefore, the intentionality and the motor actions that will be executed in a given game situation, by both teammates and opponents. Consequently, this will assist them in the processes of analysis, interpretation and anticipation, as well as in the reading of the game and in the decision making of participants of that sporting modality.