Anatomy of a Baseball Swing

1. Anatomy of a Baseball Swing Kim Brandes Devon Middleton

2. Purpose When playing baseball, the goal is to hit the ball with the bat Using the correct motion when swinging the bat is critical to hitting the ball well

3. The Swing • The swing can be broken down into the following steps: • Stand with your feet apart • Raise the bat • Shift your weight to your back leg • Rotate your torso • Swing the bat with your arms

4. Step 1 • Stand with your feet apart • Key Muscles: • Quadriceps femoris • Biceps femoris • Gastrocnemius • Tibalis anterior

5. Step 1 • Stand with your feet apart • Key Muscles: • Quadriceps femoris • Biceps femoris • Gastrocnemius • Tibalis anterior

6. Step 1 • Stand with your feet apart • Key Muscles: • Quadriceps femoris: Fixator • Biceps femoris: Fixator • Gastrocnemius: Fixator • Tibialis anterior: Fixator

7. Step 1 • Stand with your feet apart • Key Muscles: • Quadriceps femoris: Fixator • Biceps femoris: Fixator • Gastrocnemius: Fixator • Tibialis anterior: Fixator

8. Step 2 • Raise the bat • Key Muscles: • Deltoid • Biceps brachi • Triceps

9. Step 2 • Raise the bat • Key Muscles: • Deltoid • Biceps brachi • Triceps

10. Step 2 • Raise the bat • Key Muscles: • Deltoid: Fixator, stabilizes shoulder • Biceps brachi: Agonist, contracts to bring arm up • Triceps: Antagonist, extends to allow arm to move

11. Step 2 Tensile Force from the biceps brachii Let’s look at the biomechanics when raising the bat

12. Step 2 Tensile Force from the biceps brachii The forearm raises with the bat Let’s look at the biomechanics when raising the bat

13. Step 2 When the bat is raised, the biceps brachii and triceps both contract to stabilize the elbow and prevent any movement Let’s look at the biomechanics when raising the bat

14. Step 3 • Shift your weight to the back leg • Key Muscles: • Quadriceps femoris: Fixator • Biceps femoris: Fixator • Gastrocnemius: Fixator • Tibialis anterior: Fixator

15. Step 4 • Rotate your torso • Key Muscles: • Internal/External Obliques

16. Step 4 • Rotate your torso • Key Muscles: • Internal/External Obliques

17. Step 4 These act as agonists on one side and antagonists on the other, depending on the direction of rotation • Rotate your torso • Key Muscles: • Internal/External Obliques

18. Step 4 These act as agonists on one side and antagonists on the other, depending on the direction of rotation Leg muscles are still important stabilizers in this step! • Rotate your torso • Key Muscles: • Internal/External Obliques

19. Step 5 • Swing! • Key Muscles: • Biceps brachii • Triceps

20. Step 5 The triceps contracts to extend the arm, and the biceps relaxes to allow the extention • Swing! • Key Muscles: • Biceps brachii: Antagonist • Triceps: Agonist

21. Put it all together!

22. Thank you! Questions?