Baseball Development: Intro to Analyze,
Evaluate and Incorporate
Baseball…
America’s past time. A game played by many, but truly understood by few. A game
filled with superstitions that demand intense psychological training. More so,
baseball is a game requiring remarkable physical attributes that trump those
needed for other sports. The demands of the throwing motion have
been examined and explained by Glenn
Fleisig1: “From
[the] cocked position, the athlete initiates arm acceleration. Elbow extension
velocity reaches 2450±250°/s and shoulder internal rotation velocity reaches an
incredible 7500±900°/s.” (p. 47). Fleisig discovered that throwing a
baseball is, in fact, the fastest joint rotation motion in sport.
The
process of hitting a baseball exemplifies one of the most challenging reactive
time tasks within sports. The meticulous ability that hitters possess allows
them to recognize a pitch (fastball or off-speed), identify if that pitch is a
ball or strike, then decide to initiate a swing in the correct path and at the correct
time in order to make a successful connection of the bat and ball. All of this
occurs in approximately 400 milliseconds2 (depending
on pitch velocity). Undoubtedly, baseball requires a unique development process
in order to compete and be successful at a high level.
Throughout
the next ten weeks, we will be discovering and discussing the anatomical
limitation and asymmetries that the baseball population presents. Additionally,
we will examine the dangers of specific postural imbalances and how proper
corrections can substantially enhance a player’s performance. For those
reading, please feel free to comment and share personal and professional knowledge
and experiences throughout this series.
1Fleisig,
G. (2010). Biomechanics of baseball pitching: Implications for injury and
performance. International Symposium of Biomechanics in Sports 28, 47. Retrieved
from: https://ojs.ub.uni-konstanz.de/cpa/article/viewFile/4377/4069
2Adair,
R. K. (2002). The physics of baseball (3rd
ed.). New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers Inc.
This is a very interesting topic that many do not understand. Being a former athlete myself there is a lot that is involved in the throwing and hitting mechanics of a player that many have no clue about. There are so many things you can debate about in the sport of baseball and that's what make the sport great.
ReplyDeleteBaseball is a sport that people can debate over for days! I am a former baseball athlete I played for 14 years and wish I wasn't done. Many people do not understand the mechanics in baseball and it really bothers me. In baseball there is so much to learn and know than any other sport in the world. There are crazy mechanics in throwing hitting and situations. But overall this is a very good topic to talk about.
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