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EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LATERAL ROTATIONAL BROAD JUMPS AND BAT SPEED FOR COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYERS

Abstract

Brennen Hogan1, Colin Corcoran1, Jacob Gdovin2, Charles Williams1. 1University of North Flordia, Jacksonville, FL. 2Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC.

Strength professionals commonly incorporate field-based exercises designed to translate to a particular sport movement. Swinging a bat involves a complex, sequential movement pattern through multiple planes of movement. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lateral rotational jumps on bat velocity and peak hand speed in collegiate baseball players. METHODS: Thirteen college baseball players (age: 20.15 ± 1.77, height: 180.25 ± 6.74 cm, weight: 86.66 ± 10.77 kg) completed a baseline testing session of lateral rotational broad jumps. Athletes completed a dynamic warm-up followed by 2 attempts of lateral rotational broad jumps for lead and trail leg based on their respective batting stance. On a separate day, athletes took 5 swings with their game bat (33in/30 oz, 34in/31oz) off a tee with 20 seconds in between each swing to mimic the time between pitches. Each participant was instructed to step up into the batter’s box as they would in a practice/game situation while the investigator placed the tee in the middle of each of their respective strike zone based on batting stance. Each participant was instructed to hit a line drive over the shortstop or second baseman’s head depending on which side the athlete hit from. A blast motion sensor was used to collect swing metrics of each swing trial. The average of the 3 best swing attempts were taken based on bat velocity. Researchers collected and analyzed possible relationships between lateral rotational jumps of the lead and trail leg on swing outcomes of interest. A series of Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used at an alpha level of p&It.05 to determine if a significant relationship was found. RESULTS: A negative association was found in lateral rotational jumps of the trail leg on bat velocity of -.538 with a p&It.05. No other significant relationships were observed in lateral rotational jumps on the remaining swing outcomes. CONCLUSION: Strength professionals can use this data to incorporate multi-planar exercises in their programs to help aid in bat velocity.

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