Why test 6oz, 5oz, and 4oz velocity?
Testing a throw with a slightly heavier or lighter ball can give feedback on what type of training the athlete needs. Typically, we want the throws to be equally separate from the 5oz ball. For example, if I throw the 6oz at 80mph and the 4oz at 90mph it would be great to see the 5oz at 85mph. If we see a thrower whose velocities are similar to the 6oz and 5oz this provides feedback on the player's arm strength versus arm speed. The feedback allows different types of strength and throwing drills to be programmed for the athlete.
Rapsodo Data Explained
Spin Rate - the number of RPMs the ball makes on its way to home plate, typically the higher the velocity the higher the spin. In the MLB the curveball creates the most spin whereas the change-up has the lowest spin. In the chart below you can see the correlation between velocity and spin rate.
Spin Direction - Think of a clock if a pitch has a perfect backspin it would be 12:12. The perfect topspin would read 6:6. Pitches would not typically read 12:12 or 6:6 but it is a way for us to have a baseline on what the numbers mean. On a more in-depth level, it quantifies exactly how the ball is moving.
Spin Efficiency - In short, this can be thought of as the higher the efficiency the more movement the pitch will have. If we see a change up with 92% useful spin, that is how much movement the spin is creating.
Velocity - Tracking Velocity is probably the most attractive feature to any competitor or fan. However, the intriguing part to a coach like me is the correlation between velocity and spin. Tracking velocity allows me to track a simple calculation of volume versus intensity. If velocity spikes in my throwers I want to control the volume one throws at, to allow muscle tissue adaptations to “catch up” to the power that is being produced.
What do these numbers mean? In the chart above, under the horizontal break category, you will see (-) 3”. This means it moved horizontally towards the glove side at a quantified number of 3 not exactly 3 inches, This can be thought of as the meat and potatoes of pitch movement. These are short-form movement patterns that are agnostic against gravity and environmental factors. The values are relative to a ball with no movement or spin. This means a fastball with 10 inches of vertical break does not actually move upward but it does fight gravity better than a fastball with 4 inches of vertical break. This can be thought of as the term “ride” on the fastball. The next component to look at is Transverse Spin. Determining how much spin happens on the transverse plane allows us to quantify what pitch is being thrown and what pitch would be the pitcher's best option. Sometimes a person could feel they have a great curveball but in reality, the data could tell us that the best option is to throw the sweeping slider. Or a bullet slider, which would be a pitch with more gyro spin.
Why Behind the Dynamic Neuromuscular Training for Pitchers
The DNS program helps us understand that for every movement made in the kinetic chain, energy runs through the diaphragm. The kinetic chain is the interrelated groups of body segments, connecting joints, and muscles working together to perform movements and the portion of the spine to which they connect. In Layman’s terms, when you move, energy transfers through the kinetic chain which always travels through the diaphragm. The foundation of DNS movement is having motor control over this muscle.
DNS in Sport
While working with athletes, I have come to understand that the majority of them lack a proficient command of their diaphragm. One of the main reasons for their lack is not ability, rather they have not been taught how to control that part of their body. This includes breathing properly and utilizing the entire diaphragm for air. What I have found is that putting athletes into an optimal posture is step one in this entire process. Most athletes have “overactive” or “hyperactive” pectorals and neck flexors, causing their posture to slightly fold forward before they make a move. Training posture and positioning the joints in a neutral position during the course of movement will help the athlete stay in healthier positions. Posture is always the backbone of movement and will allow the athlete to be precise, strong, and fast enough in their movement.
When training an athlete, understanding what the functional gap is will be everything in building a training program. The functional gap is entered when the athlete can no longer be “perfect in their movement.” The functional gap can be attacked in 3 main ways: load, speed, and endurance. When we have overreached in any of those three categories, we have reached the functional gap. It is important to spend most of the training out of the functional gap and a small percentage of time in the functional gap. It is not the end of the world when the athlete enters this stage. Training for sports, most of the time, requires athletes to push beyond their limits. Just know the athlete will report to a primitive stabilizing strategy. Ideally, a solid training program will build an athlete up so that it requires high amounts of strain in the three primary areas for the functional gap to be entered.
One of the missing links when training and working with athletes is training the athlete in order to increase the body acceptance and adaptation of maximal sport loading in order to reach maximum performance. We need to train the athlete to be able to hit peak performance in the sport they play, more so than hit peak performance while training. When loading the muscles, we must understand that the movements in which we can load will have a direct effect on the athletes' on-field performance.
Understanding the Diaphragm and Abdominal Wall along with the Pelvic Floor
When it comes to core stabilization, it is best to think of it coming from the inside out. When somebody braces their core, typically they brace from the outside in. For example, when they brace for a punch to the gut, the brace comes from the outside rather than the inside. When helping individuals understand core stabilization, I first teach them to work their breath to the bottom of the diaphragm. I like telling them they have plenty of space at the bottom of this area for air. Do your best to fill the breath.
