How to Throw or Hit Harder - the Role of the Hips
To throw or hit with greater velocity or speed, the arm, bat (or other sports implement) does need to move with greater force and speed. However, just moving your arm faster is a recipe to create shoulder pain, problems and surgery. The ideal way to increase arm, bat (or other sports implement) speed starts with a fast turn of the hips.
How to Hit or Throw with Greater Velocity?
Fast Hip Turn = Increased velocity or Speed
When the hips turn fast they can increase the force and speed of the arm to hit or throw harder and faster.
How Hip Turn Increases Arm Speed
Elastic Stretch & Energy
The body has muscles and other elastic tissues that stretch and build up elastic energy in them which can be used when the elastic energy is released.
Sling Shot Analogy
In a sling-shot, when you pull the rubber sling back, the stretch of the rubber tubing increases elastic energy in the band. When you let go of the band, this elastic energy is released to propel the object in the sling forwards in the opposite direction, with great force and speed.
The Body’s Elastic Tissues
There are two main tissues in the body that are elastic and can be used to hit a volleyball harder, starting with the turn of the hips:
- Muscles
- Fascia
Muscles
Muscles are elastic tissues which stretch, load and can release elastic energy.
The same muscles and other elastic tissues in the body work the same way in the golf swing.
Doesn't matter which rotational sport we look at, the same muscles and other elastic tissues in the body work the same way regardless of the sport.
Fascia
Underneath the skin and on top of the underlying muscles is an elastic tissue called fascia.
Body’s Elastic Sling
Both the muscles and fascia are part of the body’s own elastic sling.
It’s important to understand that in different parts of the body, there are bands of elastic tissues that tend to create more elastic energy than in other areas.
Lateral Line (band)
One of these bands is connected on the front side of the left thigh & pelvis, and moves up diagonally across the abdomen (stomach area) and then connects to the right side of the rib cage (and around the back of the upper body).
Volleyball Hitter
When the hitter’s shoulders turn to their right and/or their hips turn to their left, this movement stretches the body's "built-in" elastic band (the abs and other core muscles and elastic tissues) which builds up elastic energy in the core.
When the athlete steps forwards and the pelvis turns to the left, this movement triggers the release of elastic energy built up in core and it automatically turns the rib cage, chest and shoulders back to the hitter’s left, fast and with explosive power.
Because the arm is attached to the shoulders, when the rib cage, chest and shoulders turn back to the athlete’s left fast, this creates a whip-like movement of the right arm & hand which moves the arm and hand through the ball with increasing power and speed.
Watch the video below the see a professional volleyball athlete who creates explosive arm-whip from the turn of fast, powerful hips and body.
Golfer
When the golfer’s shoulders turn to their right and/or their hips turn to their left, this movement stretches the body's "built-in" elastic band (the abs and other core muscles and elastic tissues) which builds up elastic energy in the core.
When the golfer shifts their weight and the pelvis turns to the left, this movement triggers the release of elastic energy built up in core and it automatically turns the rib cage, chest and shoulders back to the golfer’s left, fast and with explosive power.
Because the arms are attached to the shoulders, when the rib cage, chest and shoulders turn back to the athlete’s left fast, this creates a whip-like movement of the arms which moves the arms, hands and club through the ball with increasing power and speed.
Watch the video below the see a professional long drive golfer creating explosive arm-whip and club head speed from the turn of fast, powerful hips.
Baseball Athlete
When the hitter’s shoulders turn to their right and/or their hips turn to their left, this movement stretches the body's "built-in" elastic band (the abs and other core muscles and elastic tissues) which builds up elastic energy in the core.
When they stride forwards and the pelvis turns to the left, this movement triggers the release of elastic energy and it automatically turns the ribs, chest and shoulders back to their left with explosive power.
Because the arms are attached to the shoulders, when the rib cage, chest and shoulders turn back to the athlete’s left fast, this creates a whip-like movement of the arms which moves the arms, hands and bat through the ball with increasing power and speed.
Watch the video below the see a professional player creating explosive arm-whip and bat speed from the turn of his fast, powerful hips.
Training the Hip Turn
Most young developing athletes (and many mature adults) have no idea the difference between their hips or their pelvis. Even worse, tell them to "turn their hips" and they have no idea how to do that. So the athlete needs to learn how to turn the hips, with power and speed.
How Athletes Learn Sports Movements
Athletes learn sports movement fastest when they can FEEL the correct movement you want them to learn. We have created our own proprietary training systems & related training methodologies using harnesses and resistance bands that allow athletes to FEEL how to turn their hips, while they are actually performing their sports movements.
Powercore360 Hip Training System
Teaches, trains and strenghtens the speed of the hip turn for sports.
Using FEEL to Teach Hip Turn
Put a PC360 Hip Harness over the athlete’s hips (their pelvis), and then connect a resistance band to the harness and the athlete can immediately FEEL how to turn the hips.
Volleyball Hitting
We first train volleyball hitters to perform a throwing movement with a band assisting their hip turn. They will immediately feel how to turn their hips (pelvis) as part of the throwing motion.
Next, we instruct them to turn their hips the same way and hit a ball versus throwing it. Immediately, with the assistance of the hip harness and resistance band, the athlete will learn how to turn the hips.
Golf Swing Club-Head Speed & Shot Distance
We instruct golfers to clear (turn) their left hip out of the way in their downswing.
Immediately, with the assistance of the hip harness and resistance band, the golfer will learn how to turn the hips efficiently to increase body torque and club head speed.
Baseball Swing for Power & Bat Speed
We train hitters to FEEL the hip turn using a band to assist their hip turn. They will immediately feel how to turn their hips (pelvis) in the swing motion.
Strengthening and Speeding the Hip Turn
The faster the hips turn, the faster will be the resulting arm and ball speed. To make the hips turn even faster, so they can hit even harder, the athlete needs to strengthen the muscles that TURN the hips.
We use the PC360 Hip Harness to resist the turn of the hips as they perform their hitting or throwing motions. This will turn these muscles on (activate them) and will strengthen them at the same time.
Volleyball Hitting
We instruct the athlete to hit the ball five times in a row (against the resistance of the band on the hip harness) and then we remove the band and tell them to hit again. After 5-10 hits against the hip resistance, the athlete's hips will automatically fire and turn much faster.
Golf Swing (Club Head Speed)
We train golfers to perform a backswing movement with a band resisting their hip turn to their right.
They will immediately feel how to turn their hips (pelvis) and create elastic energy to turn the hips and body into their backswing. This action also strengthens the muscles around the hips and pelvis to fast increase club-head speed and distance.
We instruct them to then hit five balls in a row (against the resistance of the band on the hip harness) and then we remove the band and tell them to hit again. After 5-10 hits against the hip resistance, the athlete's hips will automatically fire and turn much faster.
Baseball Swing (Power and Bat Speed)
We strengthen the muscles responsible for turning the hips with power and speed.
Immediately, with the assistance of the hip harness and resistance band, the hitter learns how to turn the hips faster while actually hitting balls.
We instruct them to then hit five balls in a row (against the resistance of the band on the hip harness) and then we remove the band and tell them to hit again. After 5-10 hits against the hip resistance, the athlete's hips will automatically fire and turn much faster.
Adding More Power & Speed - The Torso Harness
Once the athlete is turning their hips faster, the next step is to move up into the muscles of the upper body to strengthen them. We do that using our PC360 Torso Harness and Resistance Bands and that will be the subject of one of our next articles.
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