Athletes Just Keep Getting Stronger and Stronger
August 31, 2009 by Dennis Chighisola
Two recent news events cause me to bring a few thoughts to members’ minds…
I heard this morning that a new batting helmet is now being tested in Major League Baseball, this in hopes of protecting hitters from 100mph fastballs. And, of course, the Dallas Cowboys’ new overhead scoreboard is also in the news, this because punters are already dinging it.
Starting with that scoreboard, I wonder if casual football fans know that the one in Big D was hung 5′ higher than the NFL’s rules dictate. That’s right, the league states that they must be at least 85′ above the playing surface, while the one in Dallas actually hangs at 90′. What I’ve also heard is that the 85′ rule is a little old, and that it should really be evaluated. (Why so?)
Then, thinking back to my younger days, it was rare to see a guy throw in the high-90mph range. Sure, there were the Bob Fellers, the Herb Scores and the Nolan Ryans. But, on average, I recall that most big league pitchers heaved that rawhide in the mid- to high-80′s. And, just as I did in reference to the NFL’s need to reassess their scoreboard placements, I have to ask why MLB has to rather quickly rethink their defense of batters.
The answer, I believe, is two fold.
I think the advancement of technology — particularly when it comes to the use of video — has hugely improved player technique. And computer generated stick-figures can be used to study the biomechanics of any single athletic movement. I mean, a frame-by-frame analysis can be performed on the likes of a thrower or punter to arrive at the exact motions needed to achieve maximum power. (I actually own a computer based program that does this, although hockey motions aren’t as easy to define as the ones I’ve noted here.)
Of course, the answer you probably expected is that trainers today really know their stuff when it comes to building speed and strength. And, do they ever. Over recent years there have been unbelievable advancements, with many of the latest techniques explained here within the pages of CoachChic.com.
As a quick aside… Yes, “We’ve come a long way, baby!” For, I’m recalling my younger years again, about a time when barbells were taboo for skilled athletes. Having played and then coached a lot of baseball way back when, I can even remember scouts saying that hitters with large shoulders were hampered in their swings. And I suspect that tennis players, sprinters, wide receivers, most backs in football, soccer players, basketball players and the likes were also steered from touching weights.
Of course, I’m never really talking about those other sports here at CoachChic.com. But I do believe that it’s right to keep watching what’s happening elsewhere. Let’s face it: Whatever is found to work with one kind of athlete is eventually going to aid a lot of others, including ice hockey players.
Then, I might mention one other thing… Just as I described in my video, “Some Food For Hockey Thought“, I’ll suggest that most major gains in the areas of speed, strength and agility are taking place far away from playing surfaces. Yup, I’ve seen big-name baseball hitters improve their hand-eye coordination and quickness with computer gadgets, I’ve seen a similar device used with goaltenders, and I’ve watched videos showing baseball pitchers gaining arm and shoulder strength using weighted balls and mini-trampolines. (Down the road, I’m going to tell you about a new shoulder strengthening device I just came across.) And, while I know little about it, from interviews with new pitchers who’ve joined the local MLB entry, I’ve frequently caught references to the benefits gained in a special throwing program currently used by the Boston Red Sox.
My point to all this is to recommend that my CoachChic.com friends continue mixing on-ice and off-ice workouts — throughout the year. Yes, ice-time is needed for certain skills work. However, I don’t believe a modern day hockey player can move beyond the masses (<= please think about that one) without the benefits of scientifically based off-ice training.
Hmmmmmm… This late-breaking item… I was just interrupted by a telephone call from a long-time student. He’s trained lots before in The MOTION Lab, so he knows the benefits. Anyway, it seems he’s just received a starting date for his minor league pro training camp, and he wants to get working in the Lab again. I had to also smile when he said he wanted an old student of mine to be his training partner. It seems that friend said something to the effect that, “If Coach Chic can’t prepare me for my college season, no one can.” Ah, nice to hear. But it’s doubly nice that two young guys appreciate what can be gained through off-ice training.
Be a friend: Your worthwhile Comment helps Coach Chic in the search engines!
My family just returned from watching the Seattle Mariners play the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. There were seven home runs and the pitchers were all throwing in the nineties most of the game. My four-year-old son, Sam, listened to me read and explain your last item on sports strength and wanted me to tell you that he was doing jumps over obstacles and the like to get his legs strong for his first year of hockey. He has also been practicing skater jumps on his own without prompting.
Don’t forget what we both preach, however — with the youngest ones, in that coordination/skills work comes first!
That’s a good point. He, however, initiates this stuff on his own so I don’t want to discourage him. It’s mainly just fun to watch him. We spend hours kicking soccer balls, batting balls, playing tennis, swimming and playing lacrosse. He’s also at the playground horsing around most days too. Yes, I would love to put Sam in your program. For now, I’ll pass your website on to his coach for the upcoming season and hope … By the way, I do have a cousin in Boston and my wife has always wanted to go, so maybe we’ll pay you a visit one day.
Well, I hope other members get a hint as to at least one way (you and) they can influence the direction of this site, because your previous Comment sparked this early today… http://www.coachchic.com/first-things-first-in-hockey-skills-work/
Oh, and if you take that trip east, make sure you and your little guy pack the skates, gloves and sticks. I’m likely to invite you guys onto the ice with me!
Motion capture technology is absolutely unreal these days. They can suit players up in specially designed gear that returns information to a computer.
The computer can then map the movements to a 3D skeleton on the screen in real time, allowing anyone to analyse all of the athlete’s movement. You can also edit the movement in real time (for example, you could add a deeper knee bend to a recording of a player skating) and see what effect it has.
You see this technology used more in high budget media productions than anything else, but I’ve heard of its use in sports science before.
As a side note, I improved my backwards crossovers by leaps and bounds by watching the animation from a hockey videogame… they’re not *entirely* useless, parents!
Well, Ravi, that piece is just one of the reasons I’ve come to really appreciate you as a CoachChic.com member. You have some absolutely great insight.
You might be interested to know that I’ve written several magazine articles over the years attempting to explain the value of computer games to parents of hockey players. Come to think of it, I ought to touch upon that subject here someday, maybe even in a little more depth.
Then, while you’re absolutely right about the motion capture programs, I wonder if you know that these are used nowadays to create the movements in very realistic animations. In other words, a real-life karate expert might perform all his or her moves while wired to a computer, and those movements are then transferred to a cartoon-like character.
By the way… Having looked over my grandson’s shoulder plenty of times as he’s played the latest hockey or baseball computer game, the life-like actions of those animated athletes suggests to me that they were also created in the way we’ve both described. And that, in turn, suggests that you’ve probably been copying some biomechanically correct backward cross-overs.
Thanks again for contributing, buddy! I look forward to your future comments.
PS: It’s very likely someone in our membership knows a whole lot more about the above topics than I. So, you’d be doing me, Ravi and lots of others a huge favor by enlightening us. I mean that, sincerely.
“He looked like The Great Gazoo from The Flintstones.”
OF Torii Hunter on Mets 3B David Wright wearing a new batting helmet with thicker protection.