scholarly journals Changes in Muscle Activity among College Pitchers Using 5- to 12-Oz Weighted Baseball

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 23-33
Author(s):  
Won-Ho Choi ◽  
Yun-A Shin

OBJECTIVES Several studies have reported that weighted baseball (WB) training is effective in improving ball speed; however, the weight of the ball suitable for training remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the changes in muscle activity during pitching using 5- to12-oz WBs and to provide basic data for training programs to improve pitching speed.METHODS The subjects of this study were 10 overhand pitchers who had more than 5 years of experience. Muscle activity was measured and analyzed at 70–85% of throwing baseball maximum effort (TBME) during soft toss (ST) and TBME was evaluated using electromyography.RESULTS As the ball weight increased, muscle activity also increased in all pitching phases. Muscle activity was higher during ST with WBs heavier than 10 or 11oz than during TBME, indicating that the loads on the shoulder and elbow joint muscles increased. Conversely, muscle activity during ST with 5- to 7-oz WBs was lower than that during TBME, although phase and muscle group differences were observed.CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that training with 8- to 10-oz WBs could increase muscle strength and activity, although the effect may vary with fitness level and muscle strength.

2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Po Huang ◽  
You-Li Chou ◽  
Feng-Chun Chen ◽  
Rong-Tyai Wang ◽  
Ming-Jer Huang ◽  
...  

Context: Bench-press exercises are among the most common form of training exercise for the upper extremity because they yield a notable improvement in both muscle strength and muscle endurance. The literature contains various investigations into the effects of different bench-press positions on the degree of muscle activation. However, the effects of fatigue on the muscular performance and kinetics of the elbow joint are not understood fully. Objective: To investigate the effects of fatigue on the kinetics and myodynamic performance of the elbow joint in bench-press training. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: Motion research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 18 physically healthy male students (age = 19.6 ± 0.8 years, height = 168.7 ± 5.5 cm, mass = 69.6 ± 8.6 kg) participated in the investigation. All participants were right-hand dominant, and none had a history of upper extremity injuries or disorders. Intervention(s): Participants performed bench-press training until fatigued. Main Outcome Measure(s): Maximal possible number of repetitions, cycle time, myodynamic decline rate, elbow-joint force, and elbow-joint moment. Results: We observed a difference in cycle time in the initial (2.1 ± 0.42 seconds) and fatigue (2.58 ± 0.46 seconds) stages of the bench-press exercise (P = .04). As the participants fatigued, we observed an increase in the medial-lateral force (P = .03) and internal-external moment (P ≤ .04) acting on the elbow joint. Moreover, a reduction in the elbow muscle strength was observed in the elbow extension-flexion (P ≤ .003) and forearm supination-pronation (P ≤ .001) conditions. Conclusions: The results suggest that performing bench-press exercises to the point of fatigue increases elbow-joint loading and may further increase the risk of injury. Therefore, when clinicians design bench-press exercise regimens for general athletic training, muscle strengthening, or physical rehabilitation, they should control carefully the maximal number of repetitions.


1993 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 643-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Horvat ◽  
Ron Croce ◽  
Glenn Roswal

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the magnitude and reliability of strength measures on the Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester for individuals with mental retardation. 17 subjects were given six trials with the dominant and nondominant flexor and extensor muscle groups. No significant differences were found between dominant and nondominant muscle groups by side or by muscle group. Interclass correlations ranged from .96 to .98 for six and three trials, respectively. It was concluded that the test was appropriate for reliably assessing strength in this population and that these individuals can achieve a sufficient magnitude on three trials for a reliable measure of strength.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Ngo-Tung Mak ◽  
Ivan Pui-Hung Au ◽  
Mavis Chan ◽  
Zoe Yau-Shan Chan ◽  
Winko Wenkang An ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1675-1693
Author(s):  
Joyce B. Weersink ◽  
Silvano R. Gefferie ◽  
Teus van Laar ◽  
Natasha M. Maurits ◽  
Bauke M. de Jong

Background: The supplementary motor area (SMA) is implicated in both motor initiation and stereotypic multi-limb movements such as walking with arm swing. Gait in Parkinson’s disease exhibits starting difficulties and reduced arm swing, consistent with reduced SMA activity. Objective: We tested whether enhanced arm swing could improve Parkinson gait initiation and assessed whether increased SMA activity during preparation might facilitate such improvement. Methods: Effects of instructed arm swing on cortical activity, muscle activity and kinematics were assessed by ambulant EEG, EMG, accelerometers and video in 17 Parkinson patients and 19 controls. At baseline, all participants repeatedly started walking after a simple auditory cue. Next, patients started walking at this cue, which now meant starting with enhanced arm swing. EEG changes over the putative SMA and leg motor cortex were assessed by event related spectral perturbation (ERSP) analysis of recordings at Fz and Cz. Results: Over the putative SMA location (Fz), natural PD gait initiation showed enhanced alpha/theta synchronization around the auditory cue, and reduced alpha/beta desynchronization during gait preparation and movement onset, compared to controls. Leg muscle activity in patients was reduced during preparation and movement onset, while the latter was delayed compared to controls. When starting with enhanced arm swing, these group differences virtually disappeared. Conclusion: Instructed arm swing improves Parkinson gait initiation. ERSP normalization around the cue indicates that the attributed information may serve as a semi-internal cue, recruiting an internalized motor program to overcome initiation difficulties.


Author(s):  
Pyeongon Kim ◽  
Haneul Lee ◽  
Wonho Choi ◽  
Sangmi Jung

This study aimed to identify the effect of anti-gravity treadmill training on isokinetic lower-limb muscle strength and muscle activities in patients surgically treated for a hip fracture. A total of 34 participants were randomly assigned into two groups: anti-gravity treadmill training group (n = 17) and control group (n = 17). The isokinetic muscle strength and endurance of hip flexor and extensor and the activities of the vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), gluteus maximus (GM), and gluteus medialis (Gm) muscles were measured before and after 4 weeks of the interventions. Significant improvements were observed in isokinetic muscle strength and endurance of hip flexors and extensors in both groups (p < 0.05); however, no significant differences were observed between the groups (p > 0.05) except for muscle strength of the hip extensor (d = 0.78, p = 0029). Statistically significant increases in the muscle activity of VL, VM, GM, and Gm were found before and after the intervention (p < 0.05), and significant differences in muscle activities of GM (d = 2.64, p < 0.001) and Gm (d = 2.59, p < 0.001) were observed between the groups. Our results indicate that both groups showed improvement in muscle strength, endurance, and activities after the intervention. Additionally, anti-gravity treadmill training improved significantly more muscle strength at 60°/s of the hip extensor and gluteus muscle activities than conventional therapy, which may be appropriate for patients with hip fracture surgery.


Vascular ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-95
Author(s):  
Tomoyasu Kadoguchi ◽  
Masahiro Horiuchi ◽  
Shintaro Kinugawa ◽  
Koichi Okita

Objectives Heterogeneity and homogeneity in the flow-mediated dilation of the human body's individual extremities are not fully understood, and the relationship between flow-mediated dilation and local muscle activity is unclear. We assessed the flow-mediated dilation of four individual extremities and sought to determine the contribution of local muscle activity (evaluated as muscle strength) to the flow-mediated dilation in each extremity. Methods Thirteen healthy young right-handed nonactive males participated. The flow-mediated dilation in the brachial and popliteal arteries at both arms and legs was assessed by ultrasound Doppler. Muscle strength was evaluated as the grip strength and knee extension. Results There was a significant difference in the brachial artery (BA)-FMD values between the subjects' dominant and non-dominant sides (8.0 ± 2.8 vs. 5.5 ± 2.2%, p < 0.05), whereas the two sides showed similar popliteal artery (PA)-FMD values. There was no significant correlation in flow-mediated dilation between the dominant brachial artery and popliteal artery. The BA-FMD was significantly correlated with the grip strength in both upper extremities (dominant: r = 0.562, non-dominant: r = 0.548; p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusion These results demonstrated heterogeneity in the flow-mediated dilation of individual extremities. We observed that local muscle activity can affect the local vascular function. Measurements of vasodilatory function in individual extremities should thus be carefully considered.


2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Bandholm ◽  
Lars Rasmussen ◽  
Per Aagaard ◽  
Bente Rona Jensen ◽  
Louise Diederichsen

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1079-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeongok Yang ◽  
Joongsook Lee ◽  
Bomjin Lee ◽  
Seounghoon Kim ◽  
Dongho Shin ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 522-529
Author(s):  
Mottakin Ahmed ◽  
G. D. Ghai

Purpose of the Study: This study aims to describe the muscle activity and its role in the upper extremity in Badminton Strokes and also investigates the Kinematics differences of Badminton forehand overhead shot, i.e., precise, smash and drop in wrist joint, elbow joint, and shoulder Joint from a biomechanics perspective. Methodology: Total [n=10] numbers of male badminton players were randomly selected from the badminton match practice group of L.N.I.P.E. Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. The match practice group consisted of (n=78) players who at least participated in Inter-University badminton competition, and their age ranges from 17-25 years of old. Go Pro HERO 7, 2D camera was used. A video camera was mounted on a tripod at a height of 1.05 meters from the ground. 2D data of wrist joint, elbow joint, and shoulder joint were put in Kinovea 0.8.27 software. One way ANOVA was used. Principal Findings: The results of the finding demonstrate that Brain vibrations, paradoxically, are critical to the stability of movement and high performance. There are significant muscle activity and kinematics differences among forehand clear, forehand smash and forehand drop-in shoulder joint angle, elbow joint angle, and wrist joint angle. Applications of this Study: The Study may use by the badminton Players as well as coaches for the successful execution of badminton Skill. This study will provide the mechanical area of movement of badminton Players. The same kind of study may use in other games. Novelty/Originality of this Study: The Study explores the mechanical advantages of badminton forehand overhead Skill. It will give the reader new ideas to think of a similar kind of study in different games.


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