Work the physio angle in sports
Baseball used to be all math skills - averages and percentages. Then steroids introduced physiology into the sport ... but not in a positive way. Now you can put your classwork to good use! Tell your friends you know why Barry can hit them out of the park, or how Daisuke gets them past the plate. It's all in the bones and muscles. Biomechanics is the new "in" conversation in sports.
13 comments:
Sami Cho
8219
I thought this article was very interesting. I'm not a huge baseball fan, but I watch baseball here and there from time to time. One friend I know, is a huge baseball fan and he knows who is who and all the stats. The article mentioned, "the average fan can make his own judgments with regards to the numbers. But when it comes to mechanics, it still feels like we're in the Dark Ages." This would hold true towards my friend because he knows his numbers on his favorite playters, but he would never talk about how the mechanics of hitting and batting came into play. I like this article because baseball can be such a beautiful art form now that they mention all these certain mechanics that are taken into consideration. For instance, the way the pitcher is in his stance and how he pitches the ball to the way the batter positions himself and the way he hits the ball. All these instances can be a art form in slow motion. This article helped me see the asthetic side of baseball, and also, since I am going to a baseball game next week, I will have that chance to check out the mechanics of the pitchers and batters.
Here is an interesting site I found where it talks further into the mechanics of baseball:
http://www.batspeed.com/mechanics.html
Michael Chon
3702
I actually saw a special on baseball on "Modern Marvels" right before I read this article. Baseball is still a very scientific sport. The physics of the ball as well as the mechanics of the players' forms are key factors when it comes to analyzing this game. The form of the ball and the bat are almost as important as the skills of the players. The scandal of "corking bats" is sometimes more of an issue than the medical advantages exploited by some of the players. These methods of enhancements might change the physics of the game itself, but they can never change the basics. Most players still follow the rules and that is why baseball is still so popular.
This site includes many links about the physics of baseball as well as clips of players in action: http://webusers.npl.uiuc.edu/~a-nathan/pob/
Andrew
3840
I love baseball to death. I am so into this season and the the Dodgers, I leave class early to watch the first pitch. For people who think baseball is another jock thing, this article would definitly make them think otherwise. When you talk mechanics in baseball, you are getting down to the very science of baseball. Every baseball fan has heard mechanics mentioned. It is so staggering that science plays such a huge role in the game. I've talked to other fans from everything to weight distrubition to angles of release points on a sidewinder pitcher. There is a science in baseball and everyone can talk about it, but only a few truly understand it. That is why only 1 out of thousands of people who play baseball in college make it to the majors. I consider myself to be one of those dark age fans, because to truly know mechanics in baseball, you have to have majored in physics almost. I have encountered so many math problems dealing with baseball, it is unbelievable. What this article does that I like, is it proves to people that baseball is more then it seems. I hope, however, that these new "biomechanical fans" don't go to in depth, so they miss out on the passion of baseball.
Here is a interesting web site I found: http://www.exploratorium.edu/baseball/
Brandon Mead
5818
I opened the blogs page and was delighted to find a picture of Vladimir Guerrero and a story about baseball right at the top of the page. It was absolutely the first thing I wanted to see as I am a huge Angels fan. I do play hockey for UCI and over the past 12 years of playing hockey I have learned the importance of mechanics and balance. It is true when I was young that the kids who could shoot the puck the hardest were the ones who were the strongest. As I got older though, these shots stayed the same and never really improved because the kids were using nothing but their upper body. I began getting coaching and learning the solid balance, a quiet head and good weight transfer was the key to a good shot and it catapulted me in front of the other players. They continued to use only strength while I was using the science behind it. I can see it in the NHL even now how the players with great mechanics are always on top of their game.
I found this website that surprisingly accurately describes the hockey slapshot and all of the mechanics that lie behind it.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5431_hit-slap-shot.html
Lyndsay De Paul
3718
I grew up in a family of baseball fanatics, forcing me to have the urge to click on the article that this blog provided. My dad collected cards, has season tickets, and named his son after his favorite pitcher, Nolan Ryan. The amount of baseball knowledge I obtain is pretty abnormal for a busy college student, but whenever I am around my dad or brother, baseball almost always happens to be their topic of conversation.
I agree with the fact that "the average fan can make his own judgements with regards to the numbers. But when it comes to mechanics, it still feels like we're in the Dark Ages," but my brother is definitly not an average fan. When I was younger, I remember him grabbing household objects that looked like a bat, and imitating all his favorite players. He would always ask me questions like "Who bats like this, Lyndsay?" or "Who am I?"... Gary Sheffield and Mo Vaughn were two of his favorites to imitate being that they had two of the most unique stants.
Just a couple days ago, I got a call from my brother telling me that he got tickets to sit right behind the on-deck circle, and he wanted me to watch the game to see if I could pick him out...but I never got to see him (probably because I was trying to study for midterms). Worrying I was going to miss seeing the game, I turned the tv on FSN early so I would not miss one opportunity to see him on tv. Playing before the game was a program called "Before the Bigs" on Vladimir Guerrero. I was suckered into watching it.
Vladimir Guerrero is one of the few players and rare talents of today who does not have the incentive to find the perfect pitch right down the center of the plate. He simply swings at nearly every pitch. Especially the low pitches. When he was younger, his family nor country had much money, and he used to play a sport where he would have to swing at low throws. Thus providing him with an amazingly large strike zone, and a lot of power.
Being a swimmer, I realize how important technique and mechanics are, but in some cases, I believe that power can overtake the best mechanics. At Swimming NCAA's, I watched the 8 fastest girls in the country battle it out in one of the toughest races, and all but about one or two did not have great mechanics, but rather amazing power.
http://www.armchairgm.com/index.php?title=Vladimir_Guerrero
"Guerrero is also regarded as the game's premier 'bad ball hitter' for his ability to hit balls thrown outside of the strike zone."
Davidson Lao
8776
This article was very original to me. Today, most of the biology of baseball has to do w/ steroids and performance enhancing drugs. I enjoyed how this article talked about positive aspects of biology in relation to a sport I really enjoy watching. People say that baseball is boring, but if they knew all the intracacies of baseball and how little adjustments in movements can change the game, I think a lot more people would be interested. A slight difference in how a batter stands or the amount of torque, power, and rotation means so much in such a tight game. I'd encourage people to watch videos of pitchers such as Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Nolan Ryan, and other famous pitchers and also sluggers such as Barry Bonds and Hank Aaron to be able to pick out what lets them have so much success. Watching what we would consider small guys who can't generate much velocity when pitching throw mid 90s-100 mph is impressive (i.e. players such as Roy Oswalt, Matt Cain)
Here are some tips (from a forum) for better baseball mechanics:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Baseball-Instruction-327/Mechanics.htm
Silvestre Uribe
3714
Lets start of by saying that this article is very intresting. It goes into the topics that are rarely talked about, the mechanics of a baseball player. I use to run cross country and track and field for the UCI team. I dealt with mechanics which greatly improve an athletes strength for the sport. At first mechanics become a burden, however after a while they become a habit that athlete looks to, to guide themselves. Its like learning how to cook, there are steps involved to create a great apple pie. This article over all is great for discussing how not only one person but everyone can discuss the mechanics of a player.
Here is another article that discusses mechanics however it deals with distance runners. http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/tecdrill.htm
Justin 6844
I really liked this article because I used to play baseball for fun during highschool. I understand HOW MUCH skill is actually involved when it comes to actually playing the sport at a competitive level. Even though I never made it onto the team, I had to learn and understand a lot of the game's mechanics and as well as physio mechanics in order to even try to play the sport at a more competitive level. For example, the body rotation (from head to toe) of winging a bat or the spin of a ball that cuts through the air or falls into an air pocket to change directions. I found it VERY fascinating about how deep the physics of the game actually goes. I was also enthused that there is actually an article about baseball that mentions the physio mechanics and skill required in baseball instead of the neverending ramble of how players use synthetic ways to increase physical performance. The game itself still requires a lot of skill AND not every player actually uses steroids, just to make sure of that.
Here's a site about baseball hitting mechanics.
http://www.batspeed.com/mechanics.html
Sarah
4128
This article was very interesting to me, especially because I do and have always done sports my whole life. I truly know the "mechanics" of a sport. i am a thrower on the track team and it is probably one of the most technical sports. it is all about timing, position, and most importantly technique. Strength and power can only get you so far. People seem to think that it is all strength but really it is more than that. As with baseball there is so much more than what the average spectator can see. The article was mentioning foot alignment and other things. It is so many things put together to get that perfect hit or in my case perfect throw, if ever. That's what ttruly makes it frustrating, everything has to go good, or else it messes something else up.
I found this website about sports mechanics:
www.physics.usyd.edu.au/ugrad/jphys/jphys_webct/EDUH1017_unit_outline.pdf -
Vidya 7546
An avid baseball fan ever since I was a little, this article definitely interested me. Although I’m not an athletic person myself, being part of the swim team in high school helped me understand, and fully reiterates the mechanics of sports. I believe that physics is a huge part of sports, unbeknownst to all. Physical size or mental stamina changes the way a person approaches sports BUT it isn’t everything. Mechanics and physics has a lot to do with sports in that you need to understand the simple but intricate details of the game, the power & form involved, and the stamina & position, the balance, in addition to the focus. Who knew the intricacies of your weight & a slight change in your foot positioning could make or break a game? The movie The Rookie reiterates this point – and shows that one need not be young and energetic to win or excel at a game, as long as one knows the physics of the game. Although you know that science, the way you move and the way you work have to do with science, you would never believe it makes up such an important part of sports. After watching and enjoying baseball for so many years, it’s fun to see different aspects of the game, and helps you understand baseball as a whole.
An article that interested me was the physics of swimming: http://www.east-buc.k12.ia.us/
02_03/CE/km/tp.htm
Alexandra 5802
Even though I am not a huge fan of baseball, I found this article to be very interesting. Most people think that sports are only for jocks, and are an excuse to be good at something other than classes at school. This is clearly not true, and this article refutes this statement. In order to play professional baseball, one must be very good at math, especially physics. Being good at both subjects is a hard thing, since these are two very diffucult fields of study. Not only do you need to be able to calculate the distances on the field, but you also need to be able to estimate the velocity and volume of the ball going from the pitcher to the batter. This is not easy, and cannot be figured out with just basic math. The techniques in baseball are vital for the success of the game, and in order for a player to have skill and perform the proper techniques, he/she must be good at math. For this reason, baseball is more than just a sport for jocks; it is an educational commitment, which involves both endurance and knowledge.
Here is an article I found that relates to techniques in baseball:
http://www.qcbaseball.com/skills/outfield_throwing1.aspx
This article seems very interesting to me because as a track and field athlete, i have to know how to manipulate my body's natural mechanics for several different events in order to better myself. It is not surprising to me that people are starting to become so fascinated with body mechanics, and the potential different people have to become stars. What is even more interesting I find is how body mechanics and injuries are so closely related to one another. I myself genetically have loose ligaments in both of my shoulders along with my mother. As a result, i have suffered chronic dislocations as a football player and have undergone 2 reconstructive surgeries to fix only one of them. If i would have known i had this problem a few years ago, i would have made certain that i would have built extra muscle around them to keep them in tact. It is funny however that most injuries cannot be directly explained through biomechanics, and some people just theorize on what they think happened. The fact is that everybody is built differently, and there is simply no way to determine how or why everybody has all of their different problems. The closer we get however, the better.
Stephen 2068
This article seems very interesting to me because as a track and field athlete, i have to know how to manipulate my body's natural mechanics for several different events in order to better myself. It is not surprising to me that people are starting to become so fascinated with body mechanics, and the potential different people have to become stars. What is even more interesting I find is how body mechanics and injuries are so closely related to one another. I myself genetically have loose ligaments in both of my shoulders along with my mother. As a result, i have suffered chronic dislocations as a football player and have undergone 2 reconstructive surgeries to fix only one of them. If i would have known i had this problem a few years ago, i would have made certain that i would have built extra muscle around them to keep them in tact. It is funny however that most injuries cannot be directly explained through biomechanics, and some people just theorize on what they think happened. The fact is that everybody is built differently, and there is simply no way to determine how or why everybody has all of their different problems. The closer we get however, the better.
Stephen 2068
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=4025673&dopt=Abstract
Post a Comment