The acute and chronic effects of isometric contraction conditioning on baseball bat velocity. 2013

Takatoshi Higuchi, and Tomoyuki Nagami, and Nobuaki Mizuguchi, and Tim Anderson
Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan. t-higuchi@fuji.waseda.jp

The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the acute change in bat velocity (BV) following three types of warm-up procedures for baseball hitting (experiment 1), and (b) the effect of an 8-week training program of isometric contraction conditioning (ISO) on BV (experiment 2). In experiment 1, the BV of 24 collegiate baseball players was measured before and after one of the three warm-up procedures; five standard bat (mass = 850.5 g) dry swings (SBS), five weighted bat (mass = 850.5 g + 680.4 g) dry swings (WBS), and four sets of 5-second maximal voluntary isometric contractions mimicking the bat swing movement pattern (ISO). BV was measured just before ball-bat impact. Experiment 2 followed experiment 1 and used only the ISO warm-up. Twelve of the 24 subjects formed the experimental group and underwent an 8-week training program (3 days per week) of ISO training. Results of experiment 1 indicated (a) no significant change in post-SBS BV (-0.33 m·s-¹), (b) a significant decrease in post-WBS BV (-0.89 m·s-¹; p < 0.05), and (c) a significant increase in post-ISO BV (+0.39 m·s-¹; p < 0.05). In experiment 2, there was a significant increase in baseline BV after the 8-week training period (30.21 ± 1.83 m·s -¹ to 31.15 ± 1.57 m·s-¹). A comparison of BV before and after ISO warm-up revealed that change was significantly greater after the training period (100.17 ± 3.18% vs. 103.75 ± 1.91%). Our results suggest that warm-up with WBS does not increase BV and that using the ISO has both acute and chronic positive effects on BV as a warm-up procedure to improve BV.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007537 Isometric Contraction Muscular contractions characterized by increase in tension without change in length. Contraction, Isometric,Contractions, Isometric,Isometric Contractions
D008297 Male Males
D010806 Physical Education and Training Instructional programs in the care and development of the body, often in schools. The concept does not include prescribed exercises, which is EXERCISE THERAPY. Education, Physical,Physical Education,Physical Education, Training
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000704 Analysis of Variance A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable. ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses
D001484 Baseball A competitive nine-member team sport including softball. Softball,Baseballs,Softballs
D054874 Athletic Performance Carrying out of specific physical routines or procedures by one who is trained or skilled in physical activity. Performance is influenced by a combination of physiological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors. Sports Performance,Athletic Performances,Performance, Athletic,Performance, Sports,Performances, Athletic,Performances, Sports,Sports Performances
D055815 Young Adult A person between 19 and 24 years of age. Adult, Young,Adults, Young,Young Adults
D019876 Sports Equipment Equipment required for engaging in a sport (such as balls, bats, rackets, skis, skates, ropes, weights) and devices for the protection of athletes during their performance (such as masks, gloves, mouth pieces). Athletic Equipment,Equipment, Athletic,Equipment, Sports

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