Puncher type is new and swinger type is old but it doesn't mean correct and poor. Like there are first-class side-arm pitchers and second-class over-hand pitchers, which type a hitter employs isn't a decisive issue
2017年8月30日水曜日
2017年8月28日月曜日
Section1 Two Kinds of Hitting Mechanics
Believe it or not, hitting mechanics is divided into two completely different types ーpuncher type and swinger type. It's something like Mac versus Windows, Coke versus Pepsi, and democratic party versus republic party. Since they each have fundamentally different mechanics, they require different skills, instructions, and even tactics respectively. So players and coaches MUST know the difference to succeed or bring up their hitters. First of all, let me give you two movies below that show typical examples of both types.
movie1 puncher type
movie2 swinger type
As you see in the movies above, it also means the difference of new and old. However, I never mean one is correct and the other is poor. They each are established hitting skills respectively. In other words, only intermediate species aren't desirable like figure1.
figure1
movie1 puncher type
movie2 swinger type
As you see in the movies above, it also means the difference of new and old. However, I never mean one is correct and the other is poor. They each are established hitting skills respectively. In other words, only intermediate species aren't desirable like figure1.
figure1
2017年5月5日金曜日
SECTION1-8
Simple explanations for puncher-type mechanics
While arguments about "which arm should lead the swing" are often heard, the rear arm plays the dominant role in puncher-type mechanics. However, you should not use the rear arm intentionally because it works automatically in your swings.
Figure35: Typical examples of puncher-type swing (Freddie Freeman, Tony Blanco, Melvin Upton Jr., Katsuya Kakunaka)
By the way, most leg muscles that work in APA have vertically running fibers as you can see in figure36. Therefore, when those muscles work in APA, the resulting weight transfer inevitably takes somewhat vertical course like figure37 (see movie1-19).
Movie1-19
Figure36 Figure37: See yellow line and belt
Specifically, in the initial phase of the weight transfer, the pelvis is pushed up by the ground reaction force of kicking move due to APA.
In this phase, the pelvis moves in a parabolic orbit because the ground reaction force is transmitted through the rear leg to the pelvis like figure39.
Figure38: Parabolic weight transfer Figure39
David Wright, Albert Pujols
As you can see in figure40, the pelvis, or center-of-gravity (CG), rises in a parabolic orbit, and then falls in the same parabolic orbit.
Figure40: Parabolic weight transfer unique to puncher type (movie1-19)
And what's important is: In the falling phase, muscles on the front side of the body trunk are stretched diagonally from the rear shoulder to the front hip. There are some muscles in that diagonal line like figure41, and the contraction of those muscles causes a rear-arm-dominated swing.
Figure41: Diagonal line Muscles
Figure42 shows clear examples of mechanics in which parabolic weight transfer and stretching of the diagonal line are clearly seen.
Figure42: Albert Pujols, Sean Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, Yoenis Cespedes.
The muscle contraction of diagonal line causes various moves as you can see in figure43: (1) shoulder joint adduction, (2) scapula downward rotation, (3) lateral bending of body trunk, (4) shoulder horizontal rotation, and (5) shoulder joint horizontal adduction.
Figure43: Various moves caused by diagonal line muscle contraction
Movie1-20 and figure44 shows swings that clearly show diagonal line muscle contraction.
Movie1-20
Figure44: Barry Bonds, Tony Blanko, Glenn Braggs.
Manny Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, Mark McGwire, Freddie Freeman, Fernando Seguignol.
Dry swings in figure45 show characteristic bat path that traces the diagonal line. This kind of dry swings are very common in today's MLB. Probably, they understand their own mechanics in their sense, not by any theories ーthere are apparently no theory that refers to the top-hand-dominated swing due to diagonal muscle contraction.
Figure45: Dry swings unique to puncher type
Old time hitters, on the other hand, generally showed dry swings that had horizontal bat path around their shoulder height. Probably, it reflected a belief in those days that body rotation is the major driving force of hitting mechanics.
Figure46: Dry swings unique to swinger type: Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio.
Ted Williams, Kozo Kawatoh, Shigeo Nagashima (Japanese legendary third baseman)
As you can see in above photos, even dry swings can prove existence of the hitting revolution from swinger type to puncher type.
By the way, you probably have a question like, "Why the front arm doesn't work in puncher-type swings?" I will write on it in detail later, but there is one simple answer that I want to write here. First of all, to pull a bat with the front arm, back muscles around the scapula have to work like figure47.
Figure47: Back muscles' contraction causes front-arm-pull.
See figure48. These muscles cannot be stretched in the falling phase of the parabolic weight transfer unique to puncher-type mechanics. That is one of the reasons why front arm doesn't work in puncher-type swings.
Anyway, the most important thing is, the rear-arm-dominated swing in puncher-type mechanics is just a result of the parabolic weight transfer caused by APA and PMSP. And the diagonal muscle contraction is an unconscious muscle contraction due to stretch reflex (*1). (*1) See this page.
Therefore, I don't say like, "Swing with your rear arm, pushing the bat forward." Instead, I want to say like, "Hit the ball with your bat that is in the center of both arms." Which arm dominates the swing doesn't matter in practical side of my theory. In other words, you must not use the rear arm intentionally or emphatically in your swings. This is the most easy-to-misunderstand point in puncher-type mechanics.
So, the arguments about which arm should lead the swing is nonsense, particularly when we think about hitting skills from the practical perspective.
Then, what should we think or what kind of image should we have while swinging? That is the sense of power production that you can get from the dodgeball experiment in this page. It can be put in the following way like: "Hit the ball hard." Or, you can express it with a simple sound like "boom!"
Figure49: Concentrate on what you are doing — hit the ball hard. And don't think of the hitting mechanics itself while swinging. You should not think of your own motion when running away from a lion. Batting is an instinctive activity.
While arguments about "which arm should lead the swing" are often heard, the rear arm plays the dominant role in puncher-type mechanics. However, you should not use the rear arm intentionally because it works automatically in your swings.
Figure35: Typical examples of puncher-type swing (Freddie Freeman, Tony Blanco, Melvin Upton Jr., Katsuya Kakunaka)
By the way, most leg muscles that work in APA have vertically running fibers as you can see in figure36. Therefore, when those muscles work in APA, the resulting weight transfer inevitably takes somewhat vertical course like figure37 (see movie1-19).
Movie1-19
Figure36 Figure37: See yellow line and belt
Specifically, in the initial phase of the weight transfer, the pelvis is pushed up by the ground reaction force of kicking move due to APA.
In this phase, the pelvis moves in a parabolic orbit because the ground reaction force is transmitted through the rear leg to the pelvis like figure39.
Figure38: Parabolic weight transfer Figure39
David Wright, Albert Pujols
As you can see in figure40, the pelvis, or center-of-gravity (CG), rises in a parabolic orbit, and then falls in the same parabolic orbit.
Figure40: Parabolic weight transfer unique to puncher type (movie1-19)
And what's important is: In the falling phase, muscles on the front side of the body trunk are stretched diagonally from the rear shoulder to the front hip. There are some muscles in that diagonal line like figure41, and the contraction of those muscles causes a rear-arm-dominated swing.
Figure41: Diagonal line Muscles
Figure42 shows clear examples of mechanics in which parabolic weight transfer and stretching of the diagonal line are clearly seen.
Figure42: Albert Pujols, Sean Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, Yoenis Cespedes.
The muscle contraction of diagonal line causes various moves as you can see in figure43: (1) shoulder joint adduction, (2) scapula downward rotation, (3) lateral bending of body trunk, (4) shoulder horizontal rotation, and (5) shoulder joint horizontal adduction.
Figure43: Various moves caused by diagonal line muscle contraction
Movie1-20 and figure44 shows swings that clearly show diagonal line muscle contraction.
Movie1-20
Figure44: Barry Bonds, Tony Blanko, Glenn Braggs.
Manny Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera, Mark McGwire, Freddie Freeman, Fernando Seguignol.
Dry swings in figure45 show characteristic bat path that traces the diagonal line. This kind of dry swings are very common in today's MLB. Probably, they understand their own mechanics in their sense, not by any theories ーthere are apparently no theory that refers to the top-hand-dominated swing due to diagonal muscle contraction.
Figure45: Dry swings unique to puncher type
Old time hitters, on the other hand, generally showed dry swings that had horizontal bat path around their shoulder height. Probably, it reflected a belief in those days that body rotation is the major driving force of hitting mechanics.
Figure46: Dry swings unique to swinger type: Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio.
Ted Williams, Kozo Kawatoh, Shigeo Nagashima (Japanese legendary third baseman)
As you can see in above photos, even dry swings can prove existence of the hitting revolution from swinger type to puncher type.
By the way, you probably have a question like, "Why the front arm doesn't work in puncher-type swings?" I will write on it in detail later, but there is one simple answer that I want to write here. First of all, to pull a bat with the front arm, back muscles around the scapula have to work like figure47.
Figure47: Back muscles' contraction causes front-arm-pull.
See figure48. These muscles cannot be stretched in the falling phase of the parabolic weight transfer unique to puncher-type mechanics. That is one of the reasons why front arm doesn't work in puncher-type swings.
Figure48: Muscles for front-arm-pull cannot be stretched in the parabolic weight transfer unique to puncher-type mechanics.
Anyway, the most important thing is, the rear-arm-dominated swing in puncher-type mechanics is just a result of the parabolic weight transfer caused by APA and PMSP. And the diagonal muscle contraction is an unconscious muscle contraction due to stretch reflex (*1). (*1) See this page.
Therefore, I don't say like, "Swing with your rear arm, pushing the bat forward." Instead, I want to say like, "Hit the ball with your bat that is in the center of both arms." Which arm dominates the swing doesn't matter in practical side of my theory. In other words, you must not use the rear arm intentionally or emphatically in your swings. This is the most easy-to-misunderstand point in puncher-type mechanics.
So, the arguments about which arm should lead the swing is nonsense, particularly when we think about hitting skills from the practical perspective.
Then, what should we think or what kind of image should we have while swinging? That is the sense of power production that you can get from the dodgeball experiment in this page. It can be put in the following way like: "Hit the ball hard." Or, you can express it with a simple sound like "boom!"
Figure49: Concentrate on what you are doing — hit the ball hard. And don't think of the hitting mechanics itself while swinging. You should not think of your own motion when running away from a lion. Batting is an instinctive activity.
SECTION1-7
Definition of Start-Up
Figure31: Start-up moment or start-up position
Figure32: Monochrome frame is start-up position.
In movie1-18, start-up moment is expressed with a monochrome frame with a sound effect. And figure33 shows various patterns of start-up position.
Figure33: Robinson Cano, Sean Rodriguez, Albert Pujols. (Monochrome frame means start-up position.)
By the way, phrases like "hit the ball hard" are often heard in today's baseball instructions. Actually, those phrases well match with puncher-type mechanics because it uses APA and PMSP.
Of course, you have to avoid stiffening your muscles and keep them relaxed, but if you try to swing with half of your power, APA and PMSP cannot work well. That's why you should hit balls hard.
Figure34: APA, PMSP, and consciousness (intention) are in a proportional relationship.
Having said that, it is one of the most difficult things in hitting skills to keep your body relaxed while swinging with your maximum power. If you can do it easily, you will be able to become a triple-crown hitter. That's one of the reasons why we have to work hard.
2017年5月3日水曜日
SECTION1-6
PMSP (Pre Motion Silent Period)
Besides APA, there is another term that is important to understand puncher-type mechanics: PMSP, the abbreviation for Pre-Motion Silent Period.
PMSP occurs at the same timing as APA, and it means unconscious muscle relaxation that occurs just before an intentional (voluntary) muscle contraction. Likewise APA, PMSP occurs only when we try to generate large power quickly and suddenly from a static position.
Figure22: An example of PMSP experiment and its electromyogram
For example when you try to jump as quickly as you can directly from a slightly squatting position like figure23, the relevant muscles fall into PMSP right after you decided to jump in your brain. Right after the PMSP, those muscles generate explosive power to jump.
In this case, interestingly, a squat move occurs automatically by the body weight of the subject, thanks to PMSP.
Figure23: Vertical-jump experiment for PMSP (movie1-16)
PMSP is definitely different from intentional relaxation. In other words, I didn't say that you should relax before you move quickly like tennis players do (see figure24). Actually that is the most common misunderstanding about PMSP, though above saying itself is right.
Figure24: This is intentional relaxation, but not PMSP.
PMSP occurs unconsciously when we try to generate large power suddenly and quickly. In a sense, it is quite the opposite phenomenon of intentional relaxation because it occurs when we try to generate power.
To understand PMSP more easily, imagine doing arm wrestling and a sprint race. When you start to move right after hearing the starting signal, there should be a split second of time lag before your body starts moving actually. PMSP occurs in that split second of time lag and so does APA.
Figure25: PMSP in arm wrestling
In the case of dodgeball experiment (p1-13), when lower body generates the power due to APA, upper body falls into PMSP.
As a result of the lower body generating power and the upper body relaxing, the core muscles are stretched enough. Because of that reason, APA and PMSP are essential factors to make a separation in puncher-type mechanics.
Figure26: Work of APA and PMSP in dodgeball experiment
By this mechanism, we can generate large power without any intentional preparative motion such as back swing, weight transfer, and separation. I refer this effect as "backswing effect'" — it stretches muscles that are used in forward swing. The backswing effect is indispensable in puncher-type mechanics.
Figure27: Work of APA and PMSP in puncher-type mechanics
Lean more ~ Wall push experiment for APA ~
This is an experiment for APA and the resulting "backswing effect". Push a wall with your full power from a static position like figure28. In this experiment, your lower body should generate power due to APA just before your arms push the wall.
As a result, your whole body should move toward the wall with your elbows left behind your back like a prone position of push-up training (figure29), which stretches the upper body muscles to push the wall (see figure30). This is the very "backswing effect", and thanks to it, you can push the wall strongly without any preparative motion. In addition, PMSP also works effectively in the "backswing" as relaxed muscles can be stretched well. This mechanism works in hitting mechanics too.
Figure28: Wall push experiment (movie1-17)
Figure29 Figure30
PMSP and APA have two common factors like the following. Understanding PMSP and APA is very important for puncher-type hitters as their hitting mechanics depends on PMSP and APA.
(1) Both of them occur unconsciously when you try to generate large power quickly and suddenly from a static position.
(2) Both of them occur at the same timing: right after you decide to generate power and just before your muscles actually generate power for the motion you intend to do.
While these two functions (PMSP & APA) cause a split second of delay in the start of hitting mechanics, we can generate large power without any preparative motions, thanks to them.
By the way, these two functions might work effectively in the primitive life of our ancestors. For example, when they fended off sudden attacks to their feet from dangerous creatures like snakes, they would jump up in the same way as that of vertical-jump experiment (figure23).
That is because in those cases, they cannot afford to think like, "let me squat down to stretch my muscles before jumping up." However, muscles cannot contract strongly without being stretched just before the contraction. Backswing effect due to PMSP and APA can be a solution to such a contradictory situation in which there is a need to generate large power as quickly as possible.
Besides APA, there is another term that is important to understand puncher-type mechanics: PMSP, the abbreviation for Pre-Motion Silent Period.
PMSP occurs at the same timing as APA, and it means unconscious muscle relaxation that occurs just before an intentional (voluntary) muscle contraction. Likewise APA, PMSP occurs only when we try to generate large power quickly and suddenly from a static position.
Figure22: An example of PMSP experiment and its electromyogram
For example when you try to jump as quickly as you can directly from a slightly squatting position like figure23, the relevant muscles fall into PMSP right after you decided to jump in your brain. Right after the PMSP, those muscles generate explosive power to jump.
In this case, interestingly, a squat move occurs automatically by the body weight of the subject, thanks to PMSP.
Figure23: Vertical-jump experiment for PMSP (movie1-16)
PMSP is definitely different from intentional relaxation. In other words, I didn't say that you should relax before you move quickly like tennis players do (see figure24). Actually that is the most common misunderstanding about PMSP, though above saying itself is right.
Figure24: This is intentional relaxation, but not PMSP.
PMSP occurs unconsciously when we try to generate large power suddenly and quickly. In a sense, it is quite the opposite phenomenon of intentional relaxation because it occurs when we try to generate power.
To understand PMSP more easily, imagine doing arm wrestling and a sprint race. When you start to move right after hearing the starting signal, there should be a split second of time lag before your body starts moving actually. PMSP occurs in that split second of time lag and so does APA.
Figure25: PMSP in arm wrestling
In the case of dodgeball experiment (p1-13), when lower body generates the power due to APA, upper body falls into PMSP.
As a result of the lower body generating power and the upper body relaxing, the core muscles are stretched enough. Because of that reason, APA and PMSP are essential factors to make a separation in puncher-type mechanics.
Figure26: Work of APA and PMSP in dodgeball experiment
By this mechanism, we can generate large power without any intentional preparative motion such as back swing, weight transfer, and separation. I refer this effect as "backswing effect'" — it stretches muscles that are used in forward swing. The backswing effect is indispensable in puncher-type mechanics.
Figure27: Work of APA and PMSP in puncher-type mechanics
Lean more ~ Wall push experiment for APA ~
This is an experiment for APA and the resulting "backswing effect". Push a wall with your full power from a static position like figure28. In this experiment, your lower body should generate power due to APA just before your arms push the wall.
As a result, your whole body should move toward the wall with your elbows left behind your back like a prone position of push-up training (figure29), which stretches the upper body muscles to push the wall (see figure30). This is the very "backswing effect", and thanks to it, you can push the wall strongly without any preparative motion. In addition, PMSP also works effectively in the "backswing" as relaxed muscles can be stretched well. This mechanism works in hitting mechanics too.
Figure28: Wall push experiment (movie1-17)
Figure29 Figure30
PMSP and APA have two common factors like the following. Understanding PMSP and APA is very important for puncher-type hitters as their hitting mechanics depends on PMSP and APA.
(1) Both of them occur unconsciously when you try to generate large power quickly and suddenly from a static position.
(2) Both of them occur at the same timing: right after you decide to generate power and just before your muscles actually generate power for the motion you intend to do.
While these two functions (PMSP & APA) cause a split second of delay in the start of hitting mechanics, we can generate large power without any preparative motions, thanks to them.
By the way, these two functions might work effectively in the primitive life of our ancestors. For example, when they fended off sudden attacks to their feet from dangerous creatures like snakes, they would jump up in the same way as that of vertical-jump experiment (figure23).
That is because in those cases, they cannot afford to think like, "let me squat down to stretch my muscles before jumping up." However, muscles cannot contract strongly without being stretched just before the contraction. Backswing effect due to PMSP and APA can be a solution to such a contradictory situation in which there is a need to generate large power as quickly as possible.
SECTION1-5
APA (Anticipatory Postural Adjustments)
Actually, the system I wrote in p1-14 has already been proved by some scientific experiments. And the system is called APA (Anticipatory Postural Adjustments).
For example, like figure18, when the subject tries to raise his arms quickly and suddenly, the lower body and core muscles generate power just before the upper body muscles do. More specifically, the hamstrings and erector spinae muscles contract before the deltoid muscles do.
Figure18: Work of muscles in arm-raising experiment
Next, I want to introduce another experiment for more profound understanding of APA. Like figure19, throw punches with your both hands right in front of you from a static state as quickly as you can.
In that experiment, your lower body should generate power just before your hands start to move forward. As a result of the lower body's power production, your whole body moves forward slightly, leaving the elbows behind the body trunk, which means a separation (frame2 of figure19). Thanks to this system, you can throw punches strongly without any intentional preparative motion.
Figure19: Double-punch experiment (movie1-14)
This way, our lower body can work automatically and therefore we don't need to use our lower body intentionally when we accelerate our hand. Besides, the lower body's power due to APA has a significant nature: It brings our body in the direction of where we want to accelerate our hand. That is because APA is one of the brain functions.
For example, if you try to accelerate your hand to the pitcher direction, APA moves your body to that direction. In addition, there is another important nature in APA: The faster you try to accelerate your hand, the bigger power your lower body generates. Conversely, the slower you try to accelerate your hand, the smaller power your lower body generates.
Figure20 is a sequence photo of an experiment (movie1-15) in which I gave a command to the subject like, "Try to swing directly from the position at which your body weight is on the rear leg (frame2), and don't make a separation intentionally because it occurs automatically."
As a result, separation occurred automatically by the automatic weight transfer due to APA. Those motions allow the subject to use his whole body's power effectively.
Through this experiment, you will be able to understand the difference between intentional weight transfer and automatic weight transfer unique to puncher-type mechanics. That is one of the core differences between swinger- and puncher-type mechanics.
This experiment is very useful to let beginners understand the basic mechanics of puncher type. If possible, you should videotape this experiment and show it to the hitter to let him understand that the separation occurs automatically.
Figure21: Alex Rodriguez and Joey Votto (movie1-13): They should have tried to swing directly from the white-framed cut. As a result, weight transfer and separation should have occurred automatically. They must have waited the ball in the white-framed position and tried to swing directly from there.
Actually, the system I wrote in p1-14 has already been proved by some scientific experiments. And the system is called APA (Anticipatory Postural Adjustments).
For example, like figure18, when the subject tries to raise his arms quickly and suddenly, the lower body and core muscles generate power just before the upper body muscles do. More specifically, the hamstrings and erector spinae muscles contract before the deltoid muscles do.
Figure18: Work of muscles in arm-raising experiment
Next, I want to introduce another experiment for more profound understanding of APA. Like figure19, throw punches with your both hands right in front of you from a static state as quickly as you can.
In that experiment, your lower body should generate power just before your hands start to move forward. As a result of the lower body's power production, your whole body moves forward slightly, leaving the elbows behind the body trunk, which means a separation (frame2 of figure19). Thanks to this system, you can throw punches strongly without any intentional preparative motion.
Figure19: Double-punch experiment (movie1-14)
This way, our lower body can work automatically and therefore we don't need to use our lower body intentionally when we accelerate our hand. Besides, the lower body's power due to APA has a significant nature: It brings our body in the direction of where we want to accelerate our hand. That is because APA is one of the brain functions.
For example, if you try to accelerate your hand to the pitcher direction, APA moves your body to that direction. In addition, there is another important nature in APA: The faster you try to accelerate your hand, the bigger power your lower body generates. Conversely, the slower you try to accelerate your hand, the smaller power your lower body generates.
Figure20 is a sequence photo of an experiment (movie1-15) in which I gave a command to the subject like, "Try to swing directly from the position at which your body weight is on the rear leg (frame2), and don't make a separation intentionally because it occurs automatically."
As a result, separation occurred automatically by the automatic weight transfer due to APA. Those motions allow the subject to use his whole body's power effectively.
Through this experiment, you will be able to understand the difference between intentional weight transfer and automatic weight transfer unique to puncher-type mechanics. That is one of the core differences between swinger- and puncher-type mechanics.
Figure20: Batting tee experiment: Yellow line is a yardstick line to see weight transfer.
This experiment is very useful to let beginners understand the basic mechanics of puncher type. If possible, you should videotape this experiment and show it to the hitter to let him understand that the separation occurs automatically.
Figure21: Alex Rodriguez and Joey Votto (movie1-13): They should have tried to swing directly from the white-framed cut. As a result, weight transfer and separation should have occurred automatically. They must have waited the ball in the white-framed position and tried to swing directly from there.
2017年4月30日日曜日
SECTION1-4
~Basic mechanics of puncher type~
Maybe you think that the motion of puncher-type experiment (movie1-3) is a kind of arms-only swing. There are commonly known believes that assert the importance of lower body as a driving force of hitting mechanics. They say that the lower body's power is transmitted to the upper body and it accelerates the arms and bat. Of course, this kind of saying is correct.
Puncher-type mechanics uses the power of lower body, and the whole body is involved in the hitting mechanics — That is definitely not an arms-only swing.
As a proof of it, I want to introduce an experiment for understanding the basic mechanics of puncher type. Figure13 is a sequence photo of the experiment named "dodgeball experiment".
Figure13: Dodgeball experiment (movie1-12)
In this experiment, subjects were directed to throw a ball as fast as they can, trying to throw the ball directly from a position at which their body weight is loaded on the rear leg (frame2 of figure13). They were also directed not to do weight transfer intentionally before they throw balls.
As a result of above experiment, weight transfer, stride, and separation occurred automatically as you see in figure1-13. When the weight transfer occurred automatically, the throwing hand was left in its starting position. In other words, separation occurred automatically.
Above experiment tells us that there is an inherent system in our body: When we try to accelerate our arm quickly, our lower body generates power automatically just before the upper body generates power. This system works only in the case of generating large power quickly and suddenly from a static position like the case of dodgeball experiment.
See figure14. In dodgeball experiment, when the subject decides to accelerate his throwing arm in his brain, the rear leg generates power automatically to push the ground, which causes a weight transfer that inevitably is accompanied by a stride and separation.
This way, stride and separation occur automatically when we try to accelerate our arm. Of course, the same can be said in the case of hitting mechanics like figure15. This is a fact that can overturn a conventional teaching that says, "Take a stride and make a separation before the swing."
Figure14: Mechanism of dodgeball experiment
Maybe you think that the motion of puncher-type experiment (movie1-3) is a kind of arms-only swing. There are commonly known believes that assert the importance of lower body as a driving force of hitting mechanics. They say that the lower body's power is transmitted to the upper body and it accelerates the arms and bat. Of course, this kind of saying is correct.
Puncher-type mechanics uses the power of lower body, and the whole body is involved in the hitting mechanics — That is definitely not an arms-only swing.
As a proof of it, I want to introduce an experiment for understanding the basic mechanics of puncher type. Figure13 is a sequence photo of the experiment named "dodgeball experiment".
Figure13: Dodgeball experiment (movie1-12)
In this experiment, subjects were directed to throw a ball as fast as they can, trying to throw the ball directly from a position at which their body weight is loaded on the rear leg (frame2 of figure13). They were also directed not to do weight transfer intentionally before they throw balls.
As a result of above experiment, weight transfer, stride, and separation occurred automatically as you see in figure1-13. When the weight transfer occurred automatically, the throwing hand was left in its starting position. In other words, separation occurred automatically.
Above experiment tells us that there is an inherent system in our body: When we try to accelerate our arm quickly, our lower body generates power automatically just before the upper body generates power. This system works only in the case of generating large power quickly and suddenly from a static position like the case of dodgeball experiment.
See figure14. In dodgeball experiment, when the subject decides to accelerate his throwing arm in his brain, the rear leg generates power automatically to push the ground, which causes a weight transfer that inevitably is accompanied by a stride and separation.
This way, stride and separation occur automatically when we try to accelerate our arm. Of course, the same can be said in the case of hitting mechanics like figure15. This is a fact that can overturn a conventional teaching that says, "Take a stride and make a separation before the swing."
Figure14: Mechanism of dodgeball experiment
Figure15: The mechanism of dodgeball experiment also works in
hitting mechanics. 
While conventional instructions say, "Take a stride and make a separation before you swing," that kind of instructions actually can be applied only to swinger-type mechanics like figure16. They do separation and make a top-of-swing intentionally.
Figure16: Hank Aaron, George Brett. (TOP means top-of-swing.)
However, In the case of puncher type, when you try to swing, stride and separation occur automatically. So you should try to swing directly from the monochrome frame of figure1-17.
Figure17: Alex Rodriguez, Joey Votto. (movie1-13)
While conventional instructions say, "Take a stride and make a separation before you swing," that kind of instructions actually can be applied only to swinger-type mechanics like figure16. They do separation and make a top-of-swing intentionally.
Figure16: Hank Aaron, George Brett. (TOP means top-of-swing.)
However, In the case of puncher type, when you try to swing, stride and separation occur automatically. So you should try to swing directly from the monochrome frame of figure1-17.
Figure17: Alex Rodriguez, Joey Votto. (movie1-13)
SECTION1-3
~History of Revolution~
(1) Pre Babe Ruth era (before the early 1900s)
(1) Pre Babe Ruth era (before the early 1900s)
In the initial period of baseball history, it seems that hitters had been trying just to contact pitches to hit strong line drives. In fact, as far as I see old materials, they seemed to have small stride and small backswing. Therefore, this period had not outstanding sluggers who produced large amount of home runs like Babe Ruth. Probably, a hitting mechanics like that of Joe DiMaggio had already been common in this period. Movie1-7 shows the examples of hitting mechanics that probably were common in those days.
(2) Post Babe Ruth era (after 1914)
Figure10: Babe Ruth (Movie1-8)
Babe Ruth made a revolution in the evolutional history of hitting
mechanics with his own mechanics that had large stride and dynamic
weight transfer. He proved that weight transfer can be a driving
force of power hitting.
After his debut, many sluggers who had long stride like him made
their debut in MLB, such as Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron,
and Willie Mays. Of course, there also were hitters who had small
stride like Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams — they still should be the
majority in MLB. Anyway, the mainstream belief on hitting skills in
those days was apparently based on swinger-type mechanics that
uses weight transfer and body rotation as its driving force. Movie1-9
shows hitters in this period.
(3) A Difficult time for hitters (from about the 70s to 80s)
During from about the 1970s to 1980s, pitching mechanics evolved
before hitting mechanics. Since hitters came to be required to adapt
themselves to various pitches, more and more hitters and instructors
came to prefer compact hitting mechanics. However, since they tried
to make their hitting mechanics compact without changing their core
mechanics of swinger type, power hitters became difficult to emerge
in this period. In fact, this period had not so many home run hitters.
Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Reggie Jackson, and Eddie Murray were
prominent hitters in this period. This circumstance continued until the
early 90s when Barry Bonds and Ken Griffey Jr. made their debut.
Movie1-10 shows hitters in this period.
Figure11: George Brett, Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson. Reggie
Jackson was a pioneer of modern, puncher-type mechanics.
(4)Breakthrough in the early 90s
During from the late 80s to early 90s, puncher type started prevailing in MLB like a revolution, probably triggered by Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, who played for Athletics' golden age in the late 80s. The first time we saw visible results of the revolution was the early 90s. In those years, so many sluggers who had the ability to hit over 40 home runs emerged one after another, such as Frank Thomas, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Juan Gonzalez, Cecil Fielder, Albert Belle, Ken Caminiti, and Mike Piazza — all of these hitters are classified into puncher type.
The spread of banned drugs and the inflow of lower level pitchers due to MLB's expansion were not the only reasons of increase in single-season home run numbers. There certainly was a revolutionary change of hitting skills. In this period, hitting skills caught up with and overtook pitching skills that already had experienced a revolutionary change. A movie "Baseball's Hottest Stars" is clearly depicting the circumstances of MLB in the vortex of the "Hitting Revolution".
Figure12: Sluggers in the early 90s (movie1-11)
(4)Breakthrough in the early 90s
During from the late 80s to early 90s, puncher type started prevailing in MLB like a revolution, probably triggered by Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, who played for Athletics' golden age in the late 80s. The first time we saw visible results of the revolution was the early 90s. In those years, so many sluggers who had the ability to hit over 40 home runs emerged one after another, such as Frank Thomas, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Juan Gonzalez, Cecil Fielder, Albert Belle, Ken Caminiti, and Mike Piazza — all of these hitters are classified into puncher type.
The spread of banned drugs and the inflow of lower level pitchers due to MLB's expansion were not the only reasons of increase in single-season home run numbers. There certainly was a revolutionary change of hitting skills. In this period, hitting skills caught up with and overtook pitching skills that already had experienced a revolutionary change. A movie "Baseball's Hottest Stars" is clearly depicting the circumstances of MLB in the vortex of the "Hitting Revolution".
Figure12: Sluggers in the early 90s (movie1-11)
(5)Post revolution era ~ After the 2000s ~
Introduction of stricter doping test contributed to decrease in the number of single-season home runs (as of 2015). However, doping tests are not the only reason of that decrease — pitching skills evolved again in this period. More and more pitchers came to throw various moving balls and tremendous fastballs, with their pitching mechanics becoming more compact and quick. It means the average level of pitching skills have caught up with that of hitting skills again. Now is the time when each of pitchers and batters have high-quality mechanics equally.
Post revolution era players: Pedro Martinez, Justin Verlander, David Price, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz.
Introduction of stricter doping test contributed to decrease in the number of single-season home runs (as of 2015). However, doping tests are not the only reason of that decrease — pitching skills evolved again in this period. More and more pitchers came to throw various moving balls and tremendous fastballs, with their pitching mechanics becoming more compact and quick. It means the average level of pitching skills have caught up with that of hitting skills again. Now is the time when each of pitchers and batters have high-quality mechanics equally.
Post revolution era players: Pedro Martinez, Justin Verlander, David Price, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz.
SECTION1-2
The existence of these two different mechanics doesn't mean that
there are poor and correct mechanics. Rather, each of two types has
completely sophisticated mechanics, and therefore, they show
different features respectively. In other words, there are two types
of correct hitting mechanics.
Having said that, there is a difference in the adaptability to today's
baseball between those two types. That is to say, while various
aspects of baseball have changed over the yeas, the features of
puncher-type mechanics have turned out to be more adaptable to
today's baseball.
As a result, puncher type has gotten overwhelming majority in recent
MLB. There was a revolutionary change of the hitting mechanics
during from the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
Figure5: Both ends are right, but the center is wrong.
Figure6: Chronological table showing the transition of majority.
Let me cite two instances for understanding the change of hitting
skills that occurred in baseball history: slow-pitch softball and
wiffleball (movie1-4). As for slow-pitch softball, Long Haul Bombers,
a team of home run hitters, is clearly expressing what I want to say
here. In the environment where pitch speeds are slow and hitters are
required just to hit many home runs, swinger-type mechanics likely to
be preferred.
On the other hand, in the case of wiffleball, pitches move unbelievably, and therefore, hitters are forced to concentrate just on making a contact — an environment where puncher-type mechanics likely to be preferred.
Wiffleball & Slow-Pitch Softball: Upper left is wiffleball and upper right is slow-pitch softball (Long Haul Bombers). The batting stance of the wiffleball hitter looks like that of Albert Pujols, and the hitting mechanics of the softball hitter looks like that of Babe Ruth.
On the other hand, in the case of wiffleball, pitches move unbelievably, and therefore, hitters are forced to concentrate just on making a contact — an environment where puncher-type mechanics likely to be preferred.
Wiffleball & Slow-Pitch Softball: Upper left is wiffleball and upper right is slow-pitch softball (Long Haul Bombers). The batting stance of the wiffleball hitter looks like that of Albert Pujols, and the hitting mechanics of the softball hitter looks like that of Babe Ruth.
Since this classification method is not based on superficial
appearance but on essential acceleration mechanism, it differs from
so-called linear-rotational classification method in which the width of
stride is an important factor for classifying.
Figure7: Example of web site dealing with Linear-rotational problem
that is frequently discussed in American baseball circles.
For example, Bryce Harper and Jose Bautista (movie1-5) are
classified into puncher-type in spite of their large stride, on the other
hand, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams (movie1-6) are classified into
swinger-type in spite of their small stride.
Figure8: Bryce Harper (puncher), Joe DiMaggio (swinger).
Figure8: Bryce Harper (puncher), Joe DiMaggio (swinger).
As I mentioned above, this puncher-swinger classification method
doesn't depend on the width of stride. Even if a hitting mechanics has
a small stride like Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams, as long as it uses
the momentum of weight transfer as its driving force, that mechanics
can be classified into swinger-type.
Likewise, even if a hitting mechanics has a large stride like Bryce Harper and Jose Bautista, as long as it doesn't use weight transfer as its driving force, depending on explosive muscle contraction, the mechanics can be classified into puncher type.
Figure9: Carlos Gonzalez: In spite of the dynamic weight transfer, his mechanics can be classified into puncher type. His way of power production is closer to that of puncher-type experiment (p1-3) than that of swinger-type experiment (p1-2).
Likewise, even if a hitting mechanics has a large stride like Bryce Harper and Jose Bautista, as long as it doesn't use weight transfer as its driving force, depending on explosive muscle contraction, the mechanics can be classified into puncher type.
Figure9: Carlos Gonzalez: In spite of the dynamic weight transfer, his mechanics can be classified into puncher type. His way of power production is closer to that of puncher-type experiment (p1-3) than that of swinger-type experiment (p1-2).
By the way, swinger-type mechanics requires large stride to generate
large power like Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays. That is the
reason why the number of swinger-type hitters has decreased in
MLB. Since breaking balls and moving fastballs have been highly
developed in today's baseball scene, hitters are required to have
more and more compact hitting mechanics.
While there certainly are hitters who cannot be classified readily into
one type, most top-ranking hitters can easily be classified into one
type. That is to say, pursuing one particular type thoroughly is the
only way to get supreme hitting mechanics.
In other words, this classification method does not mean puncher-type is correct or swinger-type is poor, but means mixed or intermediate mechanics is poor.
In other words, this classification method does not mean puncher-type is correct or swinger-type is poor, but means mixed or intermediate mechanics is poor.
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