Abstract

This research centers on an empirical exploration of the athlete’s experience grounded in Merleau-Ponty’s Body Phenomenology. Employing a phenomenological analysis, the study illuminates the agency of the body-subject and the profound significance of world-construction through embodiment in athletic situations. By delving into the lived experiences of athletes, this investigation unveils the dynamic interplay between the athlete’s body, subjective agency and the perceptual construction of the sporting environment. The recognition of the agency of the body-subject and the active role of the body schema provides a nuanced perspective on the phenomenology of athletic performance. Insights gleaned from this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between the athlete, their embodied experiences and the constructed world of sports. The implications extend to sports training methodologies, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches that consider the athlete as an embodied and perceiving subject. And the same time, this research enhances our comprehension of the philosophical foundations underlying the athlete’s engagement with the sporting world.