3 Biggest Keys to Power Generation

What is a common goal of just about every hitter, regardless of age or skill level? To generate more power, hit the ball harder and hit the ball further. While there are a ton of things that go into power generation, today I want to discuss what I consider the 3 biggest keys to getting more power out of your swing.

1. Putting More Force into the ground

   
   

   What is the common theme that ties all power generation in sports together? Force generation through the ground. Simply put, the more force that a hitter can put into the ground, the more potential that hitter has to generate power. I will often equate the way a hitter uses the ground to the engine of the swing. The amount of energy a hitter puts into the ground is the pool of energy they have to move up the chain and eventually into the bat create bat speed. Therefore, putting more into the ground allows hitters a better opportunity to generate power.

   
   

2. Stretch

   
   

The human body is made up of connective tissue (muscles and fascia) that needs to be stretched to create maximal power. Think of this connective tissue as a system of rubber bands. In order to get the most power out of the body, these bands need to be stretched at the right time. While this can be a very intricate process, the more important stretch we look for is in the launch position. We tell hitters to picture a rubber band between the knob of the bat and the front hip. At the launch position, we want this band to be at maximal stretch. Check out this video of some of the best hitters in the game. Notice how the hands move back as the body moves forward.

3. Sequencing Correctly

Sequencing simply refers to the order that the body segments rotate in during the swing. In a nutshell, the body should rotate from the ground up. This means that omnce the stride foot lands, the hips should fire first, followed by the torso, follwed by the arms, and lastly the hands. Each segment is responsible for transferring energy to the segment above which is the most efficient way to move energy from the ground into the bat to generate power.