1) Brain's Work (Hit Hard With Empty Mind)
~ As for only in the hitting mechanics, "empty mind" is just a fundamental "skill", not means spiritual enlightenment ~
As mentioned above, as for puncher type's mechanics, when you try to swing quickly, all motion occur automatically after the start-of-hitting-mecanics. And automatic motion means that is caused by muscle flexion and physical law as mentioned as chapter 5. In other expression, it's a kind of motion that must be never done it consciously. Because there is a difference of system between conscious muscle contraction and unconscious muscle contraction. Therefore, you should not have conscious about elbow motion or leg motion or another that kind of motion while your swing. So concretely, what demerit is caused by those unnecessary conscious?
In the first place, consciousness about own motion invariably causes conscious muscle contraction. For example, if you have a consciousness of elbow's swing down, your muscles invariably cause the conscious muscle contraction for elbow's swing down. That's a nature of human body movement. By the way, conscious muscle contraction tends to cause the muscle strain. Therefore it isn't suitable for accelerating motion like baseball swing that requires supple, limber and flexible muscle behavior. Conscious muscle contraction is rather usually used for various motions that is seen in daily life. So lack of flexibility isn't matter so much as long as in the daily life. On the other hand, it is sure thing that conscious muscle contraction that occurs in baseball swing is unfavorable phenomenon. So now, let me write about demerit of conscious muscle contraction in the baseball swing.
In the first place, needless to say, muscle strain is unfavorable phenomenon for baseball swing. In addition, although it's a lesser-known, to have consciousness about own motion in the swing causes invariably muscle contraction. Concretely, for example, an advice like "squash the bug" or "keep your hands inside the ball" cause strain in the muscles that is used for operating those advices. And as for this problem, it's a problem about muscle memory. Therefore, the bad effect of conscious muscle contraction is getting worth by degrees. That's the reason of why the advices about hitting skills often have the opposite effect.
In addition, to have consciousness about own motion in the swing causes preventing the power transmission. By the way, hitting mechanics can be expressed in a metaphor of combination gear. That is, large gear begins to rotate first, and that energy is transmitted to the next gear. And as a result of continuity of that power transmission, the power that is generated by large gear is transmitted to small terminal gear, that is hands. Therefore, you can accelerate your hands at high speed by using large power that is generated by large gear.
By the way, that chain reaction is formed by stretch reflex. Namely, relationship between action and reaction makes it possible to protect the order of gear rotation. Incidentally, "action" means muscle extension and "reaction" means muscle contraction. Be that as it may, by the existence of action-reaction relationship, the complex chain reaction (in the baseball swing) can be formed with keeping the split second time lag. And it's impossible to operate that complex chain reaction under the control of brain.
So then, what if you have a consciousness about your motion in the swing? In other words, what if you try to control that complex chain reaction with your brain's command? Now, let me write about it's result. Broadly speaking, that result is like that deforestation causes a flood. That is, to tamper with nature often causes disruption of ecosystem.
Please look the figure(●). If you have consciousness about elbow's motion, the 5th gear will begin to rotate before the 5th gear is rotated by transmitted power from 1st gear. As a result, large power from 1st gear can't be transmitted to 5th, 6th and 7th gear. It means that is just an arm-initiative-swing. To cut a long story short, to have consciousness about hand action causes the arm-initiative-swing.
Taken together, conscious muscle contraction in the swing causes preventing the power transmission, and order of chain reaction fails into disorder. In addition, muscle strain depends on deterioration of muscle memory makes problem more serious. As a result, that swing will become just the arm-initiative-swing that has lack of flexibility, suppleness and limberness.
By the way, "don't have a consciousness" is more difficult than "have a consciousness". So what should we do? The answer is that to have a consciousness for the "contact" and "hit hard", and fill your brain 100% with these consciousnesses. In other words, you should concentrate 100% on your role at the batter's box. As a result, your brain loses the space for unnecessary consciousness. From the point of view of exercise physiology, that attitude can lead the best performance as for hitting mechanics. In addition, to be empty about your inside matter will make your sensitivity honed against your outside matter. That's a key stone of success as for all things.
Be that as it may, a brain has brain's own role to play in the hitting mechanics and it's not to control the partial body movement. Brain's role can be expressed by using a metaphor of president at war. They basically don't give the command about partial military tactics, but they give a overall plan of the war. As for hitting mechanics, brain plays two roles mainly. First, brain gives the command of some purposes as a motive for body movement. Of course those purpose basically are the "contact" and "hit hard". In a peanut shell, that is "hard hitting based on contact". And next, brain gives the some commands which of "keep a balance", "keep a relax", "have a good timing"and "keep a concentration to the pitch" etc. Those commands play the role of supervision of whole body movement.
Taken together, brain gives the commands about abstract factors which play the role of supervision of whole body movement. And this brain's work brings well under controlled hitting mechanics. On the other hand, if brain gives a command of partial body movement, hitting mechanics will lose control and balance. It is like that the president acts together with a platoon at the war.
By the way, I often be asked that what part of the body is mainly used in the swing of puncher type? And my answer for that question is "it's a no matter". Certainly, to start the swing directly from batting stance often causes misunderstand that is just the arm-initiative-swing. Namely, above question wants to say that "Should I have a consciousness of using my hands mainly? But it becomes just an arm-initiative-swing, doesn't it?". However, in the puncher type's mechanics, arm swing is caused by stretch reflex of cross line muscles. Therefore, arm swing also occurs as an automatic motion. Namely, all motions occur as an automatic motion in the puncher type's mechanics. In other words, all motions should not be done as a conscious motion. Wait a minute. In the first place, bat swing itself is a conscious motion isn't it? In fact, this is the most interesting point of puncher type's mechanics. That is, swing as a conscious movement is operated completely by unconscious muscle contraction. (And it basically doesn't demand any conscious muscle contraction for the acceleration itself.) Therefore, feeling of long hitting is different from other kind of motion with using large power like a weight lifting or arm wrestling. It doesn't make us to feel strain and stiffness. It rather makes us to feel smoothness and pleasantness. So, you don't need to have any consciousness about partial body motion in the swing. You only need to have the consciousness of "contact" and "hit hard". In other words, as for in your consciousness, you just only need to accelerate your bat toward a ball. And that consciousness is not about body movement, it's about bat movement. In short, don't have consciousness of body movement, but bat movement. Moreover, "swing orbit" or "form of contact" is not matter because it's what will be will be. So, you just only need to move your bat to the ball quickly as simple as that. By the way, a word "quickness" doesn't have a shape of itself. In other words, it's an abstractive factor. And the abstractive factor is just the thing that brain must take charge. In the first place, hitting mechanics is the outstanding mysterious things more than all the other sports.
In the Devonian period, some kind of fish made a landing and evolved to amphibian. And after that, amphibian evolved to reptile or mammal, and they began the four legged locomotion. In the four legged locomotion, front leg is used for kicking the ground as same as back legs. And rather after that, humankind birthed about 180million years ago, and they began the two legged locomotion. As a result, our arms lost a role as a front leg and we came to be able to throw and swing a some kind of stick. So now, we can enjoy the baseball game.
What I want to say is that the arm swing movement uses the legacy of the for legged locomotion. In fact, acceleration mechanism of arm swing and acceleration mechanism of front leg have something in common. In other words, arm swing movement is offspring of loco motion(walk) and travelling motion(run).
In addition, fundamental movement for certain animal like a swim or run tends to do not demand a hard brain work. Or rather, basically, that doesn't need any thinking about skills of movement itself. In other words, that only need a instinct of trying to go forward. Because if not so, unfavorable state that only some individuals can swim or run skillfully will come into existence. As a result, they can't preserve their species. So to speak, batting is a that kind of movement. Namely, "contact" and "hit hard" is a instinct of hitters.
As mentioned above, in as for actually batting, that is a very sensuous thing, not theoretical thing. So it is important that to be instinct. However, I don't know whether it is fortunate or unfortunate, humankind has well developed brain. Therefore, "don't have a consciousness" is more difficult than "have a consciousness" as mentioned above. So now, let me answer the above question again that what part of the body is mainly used in the swing of puncher type?
Of course, the answer is that it's no matter. And concretely, to fill your brain with "instinct" enable you to dump that kind of detailed consciousness. In other words, it is important that concentrating to "contact" and "hit hard" too much to do be able to have consciousness about partial body movement. As a result, above question will be no matter for you. Namely, batting is just a "BOOM!" thing as simple as that.
~ In the game ~
In short, to be "empty" and "hit hard" is very important theme for hitting mechanics. But, as for in the game, additional explain becomes necessary. It means that, as for in the game, result is the most important matter. On the other hand, above descriptions is written about "how to improve hitting skills itself". That is, the actual batting in the game often demands us a hard brain work. And "improvement of skills" isn't always same with "pursuit of result".
By the way, improvement quality of muscle memory is very important theme for improvement of skills, but conscious muscle contraction in the swing causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory. Therefore, to don't have consciousness about partial body movement becomes very important theme. Namely "hitting hard with empty mind" is concerned with muscle memory. It doesn't only mean the mental skills or attitude in batter's box. Or rather, it is important theme from point of view of exercise physiology, kinematics and sports biomechanics. In short, it's a physical matter, not spiritual.
So then, as for in the game, muscle memory isn't concerned with baseball game. In addition, in almost cases, many hitters go into the batter's box with having some problem of skills. For example, if your swing becomes too much upward and you come to hit nothing but pop fly, you will need to take some adjustment in batter's box. In this case, you will make your swing little downward by conscious approach. And as a result, you may be able to hit a line drive. Of course, "conscious approach" causes conscious muscle contraction, and it causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory. But, as for in the game, number of swing is not so. Therefore, muscle memory isn't an important matter. Certainly, conscious downward swing will cause a deteriorate of quality of muscle memory though a little, but you can correct your swing by batting practice after the game. Although that is makeshift solution, to produce good result is important more than muscle memory as for in the game. Because it is nonsense that empty mind brings empty result. For example, A could medicine brings your fever down, but it doesn't bring a health. And a good hitter may have many kinds of cold medicine.
2) Correction Method
"Don't think about partial body movement" is advice that is applied to only while in the swing. Needless to say, thinking about hitting mechanics is very important for improve your hitting mechanics. Although it doesn't always bring a benefit, not thinking isn't a constructive attitude even it brings good result in the short run. So then, what should we do for improving hitting mechanics.
As a presupposition, I never say that "don't open your shoulder" against a hitter who has a problem of opening his shoulder in too much early stage of swing. Because that advice causes conscious muscle contraction. Similarly, I never say that "keep your hands inside the ball" or "squash the bug with your back leg" or "push out your palm toward the ball". Although these advices some time produce a good result, in the end, it causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory and robs flexibility from your swing as time goes by. So, specifically, what operation should be taken for improving the hitting mechanics.
1) Check before the "start-of-hitting-mechanics"
In the point of view of "conscious or unconscious", a hitting mechanics is classified into two phases. One is conscious-phase, and the other is unconscious-phase. And conscious-phase means before the start of hitting mechanics. On the other hand, unconscious-phase means after the start of hitting mechanics. So then, as for in the unconscious-phase, correction by consciousness of partial motion like "dont open the shoulder" must not be taken. Because, it causes conscious muscle contraction as mentioned above. On the other hand, as for in the conscious-phase, correction by consciousness should be taken positively. Because in conscious-phase, conscious muscle contraction is not unfavorable phenomenon. Or rather, conscious-phase is constituted mainly by conscious muscle contraction.
By the way, unconscious-phase is affected by conscious-phase. Simply, to change a batting stance causes change of swing. More specifically and for example, if you tilt your shoulder back shoulder up, your swing will become more downward. That is to say, a problem of swing can be solved by correcting the conscious-phase. So, if your swing becomes too much upward, you should not have consciousness for making downward swing. In this case, you should correct your conscious phase and urge your swing to be corrected naturally. Namely, problem of unconscious phase should be corrected by correction of conscious phase. And this is the most useful and instant correction method. Or rather, it is not too much to say that is an invariable principle. And in short, unconscious-phase is the untouchable zone. Therefore, you should not bring your consciousness in that untouchable zone. In other words, more simply, untouchable zone means "swing" itself.
2) Improve the physical function
To make a good hitting form demand us to have a good physical function. Mechanical theory doesn't have unlimited effect. So, for the unlimited improvement, improvement of flexibility and strongness become an important theme. As for this theme, to repeat a swing in large numbers is also important. Because great number of swings make your body to become a "baseball-kind-body". Baseball-kind-body has characteristic flexibility and strongness. Ultimately, baseball-kind-body can't be made by any other exercise. It can be made only by repeated baseball mortion because it relates muscle memory. Therefore, some kind of player who is in the early stage of leaning hitting skills has need to "cope" with great number of swings. As for in this stage, quality of swing is a next matter. That kind of players need elapsed time and great number of swings.
As for in this theme, besides the swing practice, some kind of exercise are effective for the getting a baseball-kind-body. In this section, I will write about principle of exercise for improvement the quality of muscle memory and getting a baseball-kind-body.
First, muscle's switch over from contraction to relaxation and from relaxation to contraction improve the blood flow. As a result, flexibility of muscles are improved, and farther result, range of motion of joint is expanded. Therefore, active or dynamic stretch are agreeable more than static stretch. And needless to say, flexibility is one of the most important ability for baseball players. So, exercise for baseball players should be a kind of using the muscle's switch over. That is, it need to be accompanied with good rhythm. As for also weight training, "momentum" should be used positively. because momentum motion causes good rhythm and good rhythm means smooth switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation.
Next, in the above point of view, swing practice is very effective. Because to swing quickly is caused by stretch reflex and stretch reflex means switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation. In addition, while a swinging, our body receive the load due to high speed acceleration. This load means centrifugal force and inertial force. And these forces that is only seen in baseball swing have characteristic magnitude and direction due to high speed acceleration by characteristic motion and tool. That is, It can best be said as "baseball force" and it makes baseball-kind-body. Therefore, swing itself is an ultimate exercise for baseball players. Incidentally, the next is short distance dash.
~summary~
1) Switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation causes improvement of flexibility. And for that, exercise should be accompanied with good rhythm.
2) As for weight training, momentum should be used positively because momentum enable to keep a flexibility. And flexibility should be regarded as important theme more than muscle hypertrophy.
3) Swing itself is the best exercise for the making baseball-kind-body. However it need to be accompanied with high speed acceleration because it causes to generate the baseball-force.
4) Active or dynamic stretch are agreeable more than static stretch.
5) Short distance dash is very effective training because it is accompanied with stretch reflex and high speed acceleration.
3) Unnecessary consciousness
It is needless to say for everyone who red above article that unnecessary consciousness in your swing like "don't open the shoulder" causes your swing to lose flexibility. So above all, you should not have consciousness about partial body motion on your swing. However and of course, some kind of "unnecessary consciousness" sometimes brings you a good feeling certainly. For example, consciousness of "don't open my shoulder" sometimes brings a good result. However, I am sure that that kind of effect doesn't continue so long because it's just a unnecessary consciousness after all. That is, the "progress" consists of several stages which are classified based on degree of progress. So, as for in the middle stage of progress, consciousness about partial body motion often brings you a good feeling. But as time goes by, demerit of conscious muscle contraction becomes apparent and it causes deterioration of quality of muscle memory. As a result, that hitter will begin to search for another "partial-consciousness". But it's a same as repeating same mistake over and over again. In other words, that state is similar to medicine drug dependent. As a result of studying the hitting mechanics from point of scientific view, I can say that many hitters have stopped stepping up the stage of progress at the middle stage. Because, if they have stayed at the middle stage, they can feel a some of good feeling to some extent. But at the same time, I want to say that besides being difficulty of batting, that is a charm of batting. Because, as a result of that, we can see various hitting forms. Be that as it may, "Hit hard with empty mind" is a secret of taking back a health by overcoming medicine drug dependent. And it will refresh your muscle memory. So, I have taught the phrase "Hit hard with empty mind" even to kids or beginners because that's one of the most fundamental "skills" of batting. By the way, big leaguer who hit a home run often says that kind of simple phrase in a interview. But that simple phrase doesn't express his genius. Genius is not a reason why he can hit with so simple consciousness. Or rather, realizing the simpleness of hitting mechanics made him become genius. That state is similar to that Buddha brought his enlightenment of empty after hard ascetic practices.
~ As for only in the hitting mechanics, "empty mind" is just a fundamental "skill", not means spiritual enlightenment ~
As mentioned above, as for puncher type's mechanics, when you try to swing quickly, all motion occur automatically after the start-of-hitting-mecanics. And automatic motion means that is caused by muscle flexion and physical law as mentioned as chapter 5. In other expression, it's a kind of motion that must be never done it consciously. Because there is a difference of system between conscious muscle contraction and unconscious muscle contraction. Therefore, you should not have conscious about elbow motion or leg motion or another that kind of motion while your swing. So concretely, what demerit is caused by those unnecessary conscious?
In the first place, consciousness about own motion invariably causes conscious muscle contraction. For example, if you have a consciousness of elbow's swing down, your muscles invariably cause the conscious muscle contraction for elbow's swing down. That's a nature of human body movement. By the way, conscious muscle contraction tends to cause the muscle strain. Therefore it isn't suitable for accelerating motion like baseball swing that requires supple, limber and flexible muscle behavior. Conscious muscle contraction is rather usually used for various motions that is seen in daily life. So lack of flexibility isn't matter so much as long as in the daily life. On the other hand, it is sure thing that conscious muscle contraction that occurs in baseball swing is unfavorable phenomenon. So now, let me write about demerit of conscious muscle contraction in the baseball swing.
In the first place, needless to say, muscle strain is unfavorable phenomenon for baseball swing. In addition, although it's a lesser-known, to have consciousness about own motion in the swing causes invariably muscle contraction. Concretely, for example, an advice like "squash the bug" or "keep your hands inside the ball" cause strain in the muscles that is used for operating those advices. And as for this problem, it's a problem about muscle memory. Therefore, the bad effect of conscious muscle contraction is getting worth by degrees. That's the reason of why the advices about hitting skills often have the opposite effect.
In addition, to have consciousness about own motion in the swing causes preventing the power transmission. By the way, hitting mechanics can be expressed in a metaphor of combination gear. That is, large gear begins to rotate first, and that energy is transmitted to the next gear. And as a result of continuity of that power transmission, the power that is generated by large gear is transmitted to small terminal gear, that is hands. Therefore, you can accelerate your hands at high speed by using large power that is generated by large gear.
By the way, that chain reaction is formed by stretch reflex. Namely, relationship between action and reaction makes it possible to protect the order of gear rotation. Incidentally, "action" means muscle extension and "reaction" means muscle contraction. Be that as it may, by the existence of action-reaction relationship, the complex chain reaction (in the baseball swing) can be formed with keeping the split second time lag. And it's impossible to operate that complex chain reaction under the control of brain.
So then, what if you have a consciousness about your motion in the swing? In other words, what if you try to control that complex chain reaction with your brain's command? Now, let me write about it's result. Broadly speaking, that result is like that deforestation causes a flood. That is, to tamper with nature often causes disruption of ecosystem.
Please look the figure(●). If you have consciousness about elbow's motion, the 5th gear will begin to rotate before the 5th gear is rotated by transmitted power from 1st gear. As a result, large power from 1st gear can't be transmitted to 5th, 6th and 7th gear. It means that is just an arm-initiative-swing. To cut a long story short, to have consciousness about hand action causes the arm-initiative-swing.
Taken together, conscious muscle contraction in the swing causes preventing the power transmission, and order of chain reaction fails into disorder. In addition, muscle strain depends on deterioration of muscle memory makes problem more serious. As a result, that swing will become just the arm-initiative-swing that has lack of flexibility, suppleness and limberness.
By the way, "don't have a consciousness" is more difficult than "have a consciousness". So what should we do? The answer is that to have a consciousness for the "contact" and "hit hard", and fill your brain 100% with these consciousnesses. In other words, you should concentrate 100% on your role at the batter's box. As a result, your brain loses the space for unnecessary consciousness. From the point of view of exercise physiology, that attitude can lead the best performance as for hitting mechanics. In addition, to be empty about your inside matter will make your sensitivity honed against your outside matter. That's a key stone of success as for all things.
Be that as it may, a brain has brain's own role to play in the hitting mechanics and it's not to control the partial body movement. Brain's role can be expressed by using a metaphor of president at war. They basically don't give the command about partial military tactics, but they give a overall plan of the war. As for hitting mechanics, brain plays two roles mainly. First, brain gives the command of some purposes as a motive for body movement. Of course those purpose basically are the "contact" and "hit hard". In a peanut shell, that is "hard hitting based on contact". And next, brain gives the some commands which of "keep a balance", "keep a relax", "have a good timing"and "keep a concentration to the pitch" etc. Those commands play the role of supervision of whole body movement.
Taken together, brain gives the commands about abstract factors which play the role of supervision of whole body movement. And this brain's work brings well under controlled hitting mechanics. On the other hand, if brain gives a command of partial body movement, hitting mechanics will lose control and balance. It is like that the president acts together with a platoon at the war.
By the way, I often be asked that what part of the body is mainly used in the swing of puncher type? And my answer for that question is "it's a no matter". Certainly, to start the swing directly from batting stance often causes misunderstand that is just the arm-initiative-swing. Namely, above question wants to say that "Should I have a consciousness of using my hands mainly? But it becomes just an arm-initiative-swing, doesn't it?". However, in the puncher type's mechanics, arm swing is caused by stretch reflex of cross line muscles. Therefore, arm swing also occurs as an automatic motion. Namely, all motions occur as an automatic motion in the puncher type's mechanics. In other words, all motions should not be done as a conscious motion. Wait a minute. In the first place, bat swing itself is a conscious motion isn't it? In fact, this is the most interesting point of puncher type's mechanics. That is, swing as a conscious movement is operated completely by unconscious muscle contraction. (And it basically doesn't demand any conscious muscle contraction for the acceleration itself.) Therefore, feeling of long hitting is different from other kind of motion with using large power like a weight lifting or arm wrestling. It doesn't make us to feel strain and stiffness. It rather makes us to feel smoothness and pleasantness. So, you don't need to have any consciousness about partial body motion in the swing. You only need to have the consciousness of "contact" and "hit hard". In other words, as for in your consciousness, you just only need to accelerate your bat toward a ball. And that consciousness is not about body movement, it's about bat movement. In short, don't have consciousness of body movement, but bat movement. Moreover, "swing orbit" or "form of contact" is not matter because it's what will be will be. So, you just only need to move your bat to the ball quickly as simple as that. By the way, a word "quickness" doesn't have a shape of itself. In other words, it's an abstractive factor. And the abstractive factor is just the thing that brain must take charge. In the first place, hitting mechanics is the outstanding mysterious things more than all the other sports.
In the Devonian period, some kind of fish made a landing and evolved to amphibian. And after that, amphibian evolved to reptile or mammal, and they began the four legged locomotion. In the four legged locomotion, front leg is used for kicking the ground as same as back legs. And rather after that, humankind birthed about 180million years ago, and they began the two legged locomotion. As a result, our arms lost a role as a front leg and we came to be able to throw and swing a some kind of stick. So now, we can enjoy the baseball game.
What I want to say is that the arm swing movement uses the legacy of the for legged locomotion. In fact, acceleration mechanism of arm swing and acceleration mechanism of front leg have something in common. In other words, arm swing movement is offspring of loco motion(walk) and travelling motion(run).
In addition, fundamental movement for certain animal like a swim or run tends to do not demand a hard brain work. Or rather, basically, that doesn't need any thinking about skills of movement itself. In other words, that only need a instinct of trying to go forward. Because if not so, unfavorable state that only some individuals can swim or run skillfully will come into existence. As a result, they can't preserve their species. So to speak, batting is a that kind of movement. Namely, "contact" and "hit hard" is a instinct of hitters.
As mentioned above, in as for actually batting, that is a very sensuous thing, not theoretical thing. So it is important that to be instinct. However, I don't know whether it is fortunate or unfortunate, humankind has well developed brain. Therefore, "don't have a consciousness" is more difficult than "have a consciousness" as mentioned above. So now, let me answer the above question again that what part of the body is mainly used in the swing of puncher type?
Of course, the answer is that it's no matter. And concretely, to fill your brain with "instinct" enable you to dump that kind of detailed consciousness. In other words, it is important that concentrating to "contact" and "hit hard" too much to do be able to have consciousness about partial body movement. As a result, above question will be no matter for you. Namely, batting is just a "BOOM!" thing as simple as that.
~ In the game ~
In short, to be "empty" and "hit hard" is very important theme for hitting mechanics. But, as for in the game, additional explain becomes necessary. It means that, as for in the game, result is the most important matter. On the other hand, above descriptions is written about "how to improve hitting skills itself". That is, the actual batting in the game often demands us a hard brain work. And "improvement of skills" isn't always same with "pursuit of result".
By the way, improvement quality of muscle memory is very important theme for improvement of skills, but conscious muscle contraction in the swing causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory. Therefore, to don't have consciousness about partial body movement becomes very important theme. Namely "hitting hard with empty mind" is concerned with muscle memory. It doesn't only mean the mental skills or attitude in batter's box. Or rather, it is important theme from point of view of exercise physiology, kinematics and sports biomechanics. In short, it's a physical matter, not spiritual.
So then, as for in the game, muscle memory isn't concerned with baseball game. In addition, in almost cases, many hitters go into the batter's box with having some problem of skills. For example, if your swing becomes too much upward and you come to hit nothing but pop fly, you will need to take some adjustment in batter's box. In this case, you will make your swing little downward by conscious approach. And as a result, you may be able to hit a line drive. Of course, "conscious approach" causes conscious muscle contraction, and it causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory. But, as for in the game, number of swing is not so. Therefore, muscle memory isn't an important matter. Certainly, conscious downward swing will cause a deteriorate of quality of muscle memory though a little, but you can correct your swing by batting practice after the game. Although that is makeshift solution, to produce good result is important more than muscle memory as for in the game. Because it is nonsense that empty mind brings empty result. For example, A could medicine brings your fever down, but it doesn't bring a health. And a good hitter may have many kinds of cold medicine.
2) Correction Method
"Don't think about partial body movement" is advice that is applied to only while in the swing. Needless to say, thinking about hitting mechanics is very important for improve your hitting mechanics. Although it doesn't always bring a benefit, not thinking isn't a constructive attitude even it brings good result in the short run. So then, what should we do for improving hitting mechanics.
As a presupposition, I never say that "don't open your shoulder" against a hitter who has a problem of opening his shoulder in too much early stage of swing. Because that advice causes conscious muscle contraction. Similarly, I never say that "keep your hands inside the ball" or "squash the bug with your back leg" or "push out your palm toward the ball". Although these advices some time produce a good result, in the end, it causes deteriorate of quality of muscle memory and robs flexibility from your swing as time goes by. So, specifically, what operation should be taken for improving the hitting mechanics.
1) Check before the "start-of-hitting-mechanics"
In the point of view of "conscious or unconscious", a hitting mechanics is classified into two phases. One is conscious-phase, and the other is unconscious-phase. And conscious-phase means before the start of hitting mechanics. On the other hand, unconscious-phase means after the start of hitting mechanics. So then, as for in the unconscious-phase, correction by consciousness of partial motion like "dont open the shoulder" must not be taken. Because, it causes conscious muscle contraction as mentioned above. On the other hand, as for in the conscious-phase, correction by consciousness should be taken positively. Because in conscious-phase, conscious muscle contraction is not unfavorable phenomenon. Or rather, conscious-phase is constituted mainly by conscious muscle contraction.
By the way, unconscious-phase is affected by conscious-phase. Simply, to change a batting stance causes change of swing. More specifically and for example, if you tilt your shoulder back shoulder up, your swing will become more downward. That is to say, a problem of swing can be solved by correcting the conscious-phase. So, if your swing becomes too much upward, you should not have consciousness for making downward swing. In this case, you should correct your conscious phase and urge your swing to be corrected naturally. Namely, problem of unconscious phase should be corrected by correction of conscious phase. And this is the most useful and instant correction method. Or rather, it is not too much to say that is an invariable principle. And in short, unconscious-phase is the untouchable zone. Therefore, you should not bring your consciousness in that untouchable zone. In other words, more simply, untouchable zone means "swing" itself.
2) Improve the physical function
To make a good hitting form demand us to have a good physical function. Mechanical theory doesn't have unlimited effect. So, for the unlimited improvement, improvement of flexibility and strongness become an important theme. As for this theme, to repeat a swing in large numbers is also important. Because great number of swings make your body to become a "baseball-kind-body". Baseball-kind-body has characteristic flexibility and strongness. Ultimately, baseball-kind-body can't be made by any other exercise. It can be made only by repeated baseball mortion because it relates muscle memory. Therefore, some kind of player who is in the early stage of leaning hitting skills has need to "cope" with great number of swings. As for in this stage, quality of swing is a next matter. That kind of players need elapsed time and great number of swings.
As for in this theme, besides the swing practice, some kind of exercise are effective for the getting a baseball-kind-body. In this section, I will write about principle of exercise for improvement the quality of muscle memory and getting a baseball-kind-body.
First, muscle's switch over from contraction to relaxation and from relaxation to contraction improve the blood flow. As a result, flexibility of muscles are improved, and farther result, range of motion of joint is expanded. Therefore, active or dynamic stretch are agreeable more than static stretch. And needless to say, flexibility is one of the most important ability for baseball players. So, exercise for baseball players should be a kind of using the muscle's switch over. That is, it need to be accompanied with good rhythm. As for also weight training, "momentum" should be used positively. because momentum motion causes good rhythm and good rhythm means smooth switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation.
Next, in the above point of view, swing practice is very effective. Because to swing quickly is caused by stretch reflex and stretch reflex means switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation. In addition, while a swinging, our body receive the load due to high speed acceleration. This load means centrifugal force and inertial force. And these forces that is only seen in baseball swing have characteristic magnitude and direction due to high speed acceleration by characteristic motion and tool. That is, It can best be said as "baseball force" and it makes baseball-kind-body. Therefore, swing itself is an ultimate exercise for baseball players. Incidentally, the next is short distance dash.
~summary~
1) Switch over of muscle's contraction and relaxation causes improvement of flexibility. And for that, exercise should be accompanied with good rhythm.
2) As for weight training, momentum should be used positively because momentum enable to keep a flexibility. And flexibility should be regarded as important theme more than muscle hypertrophy.
3) Swing itself is the best exercise for the making baseball-kind-body. However it need to be accompanied with high speed acceleration because it causes to generate the baseball-force.
4) Active or dynamic stretch are agreeable more than static stretch.
5) Short distance dash is very effective training because it is accompanied with stretch reflex and high speed acceleration.
3) Unnecessary consciousness
It is needless to say for everyone who red above article that unnecessary consciousness in your swing like "don't open the shoulder" causes your swing to lose flexibility. So above all, you should not have consciousness about partial body motion on your swing. However and of course, some kind of "unnecessary consciousness" sometimes brings you a good feeling certainly. For example, consciousness of "don't open my shoulder" sometimes brings a good result. However, I am sure that that kind of effect doesn't continue so long because it's just a unnecessary consciousness after all. That is, the "progress" consists of several stages which are classified based on degree of progress. So, as for in the middle stage of progress, consciousness about partial body motion often brings you a good feeling. But as time goes by, demerit of conscious muscle contraction becomes apparent and it causes deterioration of quality of muscle memory. As a result, that hitter will begin to search for another "partial-consciousness". But it's a same as repeating same mistake over and over again. In other words, that state is similar to medicine drug dependent. As a result of studying the hitting mechanics from point of scientific view, I can say that many hitters have stopped stepping up the stage of progress at the middle stage. Because, if they have stayed at the middle stage, they can feel a some of good feeling to some extent. But at the same time, I want to say that besides being difficulty of batting, that is a charm of batting. Because, as a result of that, we can see various hitting forms. Be that as it may, "Hit hard with empty mind" is a secret of taking back a health by overcoming medicine drug dependent. And it will refresh your muscle memory. So, I have taught the phrase "Hit hard with empty mind" even to kids or beginners because that's one of the most fundamental "skills" of batting. By the way, big leaguer who hit a home run often says that kind of simple phrase in a interview. But that simple phrase doesn't express his genius. Genius is not a reason why he can hit with so simple consciousness. Or rather, realizing the simpleness of hitting mechanics made him become genius. That state is similar to that Buddha brought his enlightenment of empty after hard ascetic practices.
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