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How to Use Blast Motion and HitTrax Info to Improve – Part 1

Blast Motion

Earlier this spring we added a HitTrax machine to our hitting program and we’ve been busy incorporating it into how we assess and train our players.  Now in this 3 part article, we’re going to review what pre-contact metrics from Blast Motion and post-contact data from HitTrax tell us about a hitter and his aptitudes:

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How to Improve Blast Motion Plane Score (Contact)

Blast Plane Score

Blast’s Plane score measures the percentage of time during which your swing is on plane (on-plane efficiency %) and the angle you make contact relative to the horizontal (attack angle). According to Blast, this metric is relevant because players that stay longer on plane:

    • Consistently barrel up balls
    • Can better adjust with their body
    • Are more consistent with exit velocity and launch angles

There are several potential physical impediments that could lead to an undesirable Plane Score.  Issues could range from lower body weaknesses, limitations on t-spine disassociation and even weaknesses in the shoulder region. Continue reading “How to Improve Blast Motion Plane Score (Contact)”

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How to Improve Blast Motion Rotation Score (Power)

Blast Rotation Score

Given the rotational nature of hitting a baseball, there are variety of potential physical impediments that could lead to an undesirable Rotation Score (rotational acceleration and bat speed).  Issues could range from the bottom of the kinetic chain to the top, including lower body weaknesses, hip mobility limitations, t-spine related issues and even weaknesses in the upper extremities. Continue reading “How to Improve Blast Motion Rotation Score (Power)”

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How to Improve Blast Motion Connection Score (Consistency)

blast connection score

Blast’s Connection score links together what your body and your bat are doing prior to and at the point of contact.  It uses Early Connection and Connection at Impact metrics as the basis for your score.  Maintaining good connection at impact (90 degrees) for all pitch locations is an indicator of dynamic adjustability.  According to Blast, players with good Connection score:

    • Display better swing adjustability in all pitch locations
    • Have better plate coverage
    • Generate more power to all parts of the field

There are variety of potential physical impediments that could lead to an undesirable Connection score, with Early Connection having slightly different potential set of issues that Connection at Impact.

Continue reading “How to Improve Blast Motion Connection Score (Consistency)”

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How to Improve Deficiencies in Blast Motion Baseball Metrics

blast motion baseball

This webpage and the associated pages have been prepared as a part of our partnership with Blast Motion to integrate our performance training content into Blast Solution.  For further details, you can reach us here at RPP or contact Blast directly.

Blast Motion Baseball sensors are an easy to use piece of equipment and provide a tremendous amount of valuable swing-related information at a very reasonable cost.  Their scoring system includes metrics on several topics, including:

    • Rotation (power)
    • Plane (contact)
    • Connection (consistency)

The problem is not everyone knows how to address the issues highlighted by the sensors, and not every issue is a skill-related one. Deficiencies in Blast metrics can be also caused by mobility, strength and postural related issues, up and down the kinetic chain. Continue reading “How to Improve Deficiencies in Blast Motion Baseball Metrics”

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Blast Motion Partners with RPP Baseball

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Blast Motion Partners with RPP Baseball to Integrate Performance Training Content into Blast Solution…

(Carlsbad, California – 5/13/21) – Today, Blast Motion, the leader in swing analysis, player development and improvement, announced a partnership with Rockland Peak Performance (RPP or RPP Baseball) to provide high quality strength and mobility training content to athletes and coaches. This partnership provides Blast customers with a more complete training approach, allowing players to target the development of their physical performance and swing fundamentals based on their Blast Motion data. Continue reading “Blast Motion Partners with RPP Baseball”

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3 Most Common Kinematic Sequence Flaws in Baseball Swings

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Having assessed hundreds of hitters at RPP, we have been exposed to all types of athletes and swings. As a part of our hitting assessment, one area we focus on is the player’s kinematic sequence and how energy transfers up the chain.  Generally, we look for an efficient transfer of power up the kinetic chain in the following order, pelvis, torso, upper arm and hand.  Although we have observed a large variety of different sequences, here are the 3 most common flawed sequences we observe among young hitters on K-vest: Continue reading “3 Most Common Kinematic Sequence Flaws in Baseball Swings”

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How to Create the Best Prescription for Power

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When I first started training, I like many others believed that if we just keep improving absolute strength our athletes would continue to get bigger, faster, and stronger. Fast forward to many years later, and I can tell you with a great degree of confidence (and experience) that most metrics crucial to sport such as speed, explosive ability, and change of direction can only be improved for about the first year simply by increasing absolute strength, as in getting stronger, by utilizing big compound lifts under high load.  However, Continue reading “How to Create the Best Prescription for Power”