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12 Steps to Analyzing Hitting Mechanics

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

baseball swing

Hitting an MLB fastball requires the application of a huge amount of energy in the blink of an eye- roughly 130ms to be exact. That’s about a 1/8th of a second. Only through a coordinated series of contractions involving not only muscles but joints and connective tissue traveling up the kinetic chain into the hands and ultimately the bat/ball can we achieve adequate bat speed and quickness to hit a baseball traveling at speeds north of 90 mph.

This article is meant to familiarize many of you with the 12 positions in hitting mechanics that we look at when analyzing video at RPP (it’s not a “how-to” blog on analyzing mechanics). 

Hitting mechanics (much like pitching), can be broken down into 2 distinct Phases. Continue reading “12 Steps to Analyzing Hitting Mechanics”

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The Swing Cycle… The Rotational Phase (Part 3)

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

In review, the swing cycle is broken down into 2 phases:

    • The Stride Phase (linear)
    • The Swing Phase (rotational)

In Parts 1 and 2 we broke down the linear phase into 7 patterns/positions that I use as a point of reference when looking at mechanics.  Today, we’ll finish up this 3-part series by taking a look at the Swing Phase (rotational).

Continue reading “The Swing Cycle… The Rotational Phase (Part 3)”

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The Swing Cycle… The Linear Phase (Part 2)

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

The Swing Cycle is broken down into 2 Phases:

    • The Stride Phase (linear)
    • The Swing Phase (rotational)

In Part 1 we began breaking down the linear phase into 8 patterns/positions that I use as a point of reference when looking at mechanics.  We covered positions 1 through 4 and they can be viewed here.  Today, we’ll talk a bit about positions 5 through 8 before moving on to the rotation phase: Continue reading “The Swing Cycle… The Linear Phase (Part 2)”

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The Swing Cycle… Linear Phase (Part 1)

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

Baseball swing cycle

Hitting an MLB fastball requires the application of a huge amount of energy in the blink of an eye- roughly 130ms to be exact. That’s about a 1/8th of a second. Only through a coordinated series of contractions involving not only muscles but joints and connective tissue traveling up the kinetic chain into the hands and ultimately the bat/ball can we achieve adequate bat speed (bat head peak velocity through the zone) and quickness (time from launch to contact) to hit a baseball traveling at speeds north of 90 mph. This series is meant to familiarize many of you with the positions in the swing that we look at when analyzing video at RPP (it’s not a “how-to” blog on analyzing mechanics). Continue reading “The Swing Cycle… Linear Phase (Part 1)”

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Creating Stability and Better Energy Transfer in the Swing

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

I was sitting with our Director of Hitting Evan Klugerman yesterday and he brought up a great point regarding efficient sequencing and mechanics when looking at K-Vest data. While collecting data for our high school guys, he was surprised at how many inconsistencies there were in sequencing from swing to swing within the same player profile, as compared to the MiLB guys he had been testing last year with the Orioles. I thought it would be a great quick blog. Continue reading “Creating Stability and Better Energy Transfer in the Swing”

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Addressing Deficiencies in Rotational Acceleration

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

I recently helped our data intern out a bit with a blog he was working on during his internship here. It’s titled Addressing Swing Deficiencies Using Blast Motion Metrics, and in case you haven’t read it yet, let me first say he absolutely crushed it. But it also made me realize that this may be a great topic to expand upon a bit further. As a result, I will be releasing this blog in a few different parts.

When an athlete comes into RPP, they receive a physical assessment, as well as a full hitting analysis. This analysis along with the strength/mobility assessment makes up the critical pieces for creating the best “game-plan” for our hitters. The 4 pieces of tech that we use to assess our hitters are as follows: Continue reading “Addressing Deficiencies in Rotational Acceleration”

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NJ’s Most Comprehensive Training for Pitchers and Players

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

baseball facility

Those of you that have trained with us previously already know the breadth and depth of our training programs.  Given our recent move to Paramus, NJ, for all of our new friends and neighbors in north New Jersey, I would like to personally give you a welcome to one of the most comprehensive facilities for training and developing pitchers and baseball players. 

This off-season is already off to a fast start.  With athletes from middle and high schools all over, and professional ball players from various MLB teams (including the Twins, Padres, Diamondbacks, Orioles, Rockies, Reds and Devil Rays) already having joined us, I would have to say this is going to be our best off-season yet.

Just in case you’ve never been to RPP before… Continue reading “NJ’s Most Comprehensive Training for Pitchers and Players”

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Addressing Swing Deficiencies Using Blast Motion Metrics

By Eddie Lehr (Data Analytics Intern at RPP, Babson BS ‘19), with assistance from Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, Co-owner RPP) and Bahram Shirazi (BSEE, MBA, Co-owner RPP)

In my previous internship before RPP, part of my responsibilities included watching Minor League baseball games. After my first few games, I noticed a recurring trend, every player wore a Blast Motion sensor during the game. As I saw more organizations’ Minor League teams, not all had their players wear the sensors; however, the idea behind it was simple, data collection.

At RPP, we use Blast Motion sensors for the same purpose, and this allows us to help identify and develop athletes’ inefficiencies. The only difference is we do not have the ability to collect data from athletes’ in-game at-bats. Therefore, we collect data from batting practice at our facility and are still able to get a good picture of what an athlete does well, and what they struggle with.

Continue reading “Addressing Swing Deficiencies Using Blast Motion Metrics”

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Patrick Jones Podcast – Building Baseball Players

I wanted to bring to your attention a recent Podcast that I participated in with Patrick Jones Baseball. Patrick is one of the premier hitting coaches in the US and he has been running a podcast for quite some time. We covered a wide variety of topics but here are a few that stand out:

    • Using strength / mobility to help adjust mechanics
    • Velocity-Based Training (VBT)
    • Reading kinematic sequence charts and related information
    • Mechanical differences between loose and tight movers

Building Baseball Players with Nunzio Signore