Thesis
Kinematic Differences Between Baseball Batting Training Conditions in Collegiate Players Using Statistical Parametric Mapping: A Preliminary Study
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000005138
Abstract
Hitting a baseball is a complicated task that is trained and studied under simplified conditions due to the practical limitations of using live pitchers. For this reason, current literature is lacking in studies that provide an interpretation of results under a game-like context, and hitters continue to train under non-ideal situations. Statistical techniques and non-standardized measurements have further limited their interpretability. These limitations are addressed by examining selected kinematics during the swing from four common training methods using Statistical Parametric Mapping. Players hit off a tee, a batting practice pitcher, a robotic pitching machine, and a live pitcher. The robotic pitching machine was made as life-like as possible to simulate a live pitcher. Kinematics of the lead and rear elbow and knee joints, pelvis, trunk, and bat were measured during the swing, and a one-way repeated-measures ANOVA test using Statistical Parametric Mapping was performed for each normalized kinematic signal.
Most differences occurred between hitting off a tee and a live pitcher. Few differences were seen between hitting off the tee and robotic pitching machine, and the batting practice pitcher and robotic pitching machine. Surprisingly, many differences were observed between the robotic pitching machine and the live pitcher.
These results suggest that no two training methods are equivalent for all hitters, as different results in at least a few kinematic variables will be observed. Additionally, hitters’ behavior while hitting off the robotic pitching machine was not the same as a live pitcher, indicating that the robotic pitching machine is not an analogous training method to a live pitcher. For the most important outcome, bat velocity, hitters produced similar results during the three pitched ball conditions, which was slower than hitting off a tee. Researchers, hitters, trainers, and coaches should be aware of the condition that the data was collected under so that it can be properly interpreted and disseminated. Additionally, hitting off a live pitcher still appears to be the only way to achieve similar behavior from hitters. Finally, Statistical Parametric Mapping is a promising tool, but it also has limitations.
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Details
- Title
- Kinematic Differences Between Baseball Batting Training Conditions in Collegiate Players Using Statistical Parametric Mapping
- Creators
- Devin Jeffrey Thompson
- Contributors
- Lloyd V Smith (Advisor)Robert D Catena (Committee Member)John P Swensen (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical and Materials Engineering, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 229
- Identifiers
- 99901019639901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis