Arm length and angular motion in sports

[PhysicsFan]

Last spring, I wrote on one of my blogs about an idea regarding the looping, underhand pitching motion in women's college softball. The idea is that tall, long-armed pitchers may derive greater velocity on their pitches than would shorter pitchers with shorter arms (overall body height and arm length are positively correlated).

http://collegesoftball.blogspot.com/2006/05/one-thing-that-cannot-have-escaped.html

What looks to be a similar phenomenon, in a different guise, has arisen in recent days. Namely, as part of the National Hockey League's recently concluded all-star game activities, skills competitions were held, and the winner of the hardest-shot contest was a 6-foot-9 player named Zdeno Chara, the tallest player in league history.

Below, I've put in some links to video coverage of the hardest-shot contest, a listing of results for the skills competions, and Chara's webpage with the Boston Bruins. I've run my arm length/angular motion ideas by some physicists and they haven't shot it down; however, the problem appears to be more complex than I would have imagined. I'm eager to see what readers on this board think!

Video


Results Listing
http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=866

Zdeno Chara page
http://www.bostonbruins.com/team/playerinfo.asp?playerid=431

 

[eljose79]

Dear blogger,

Thank you for sharing your interesting idea about the connection between arm length and pitching velocity in women's college softball. It's always exciting to see new theories being explored in sports science.

I find it intriguing that a similar phenomenon has been observed in the National Hockey League, with the tallest player in league history also having the fastest shot. I agree that this could potentially be linked to the length of the player's arms and the angle of their motion.

However, as you mentioned, the problem may be more complex than initially thought. There could be other factors at play, such as muscle mass and technique, that also contribute to pitching velocity and shot power. It would be interesting to see if there are any studies or experiments that have been done on this topic in either sport.

I would also be curious to hear from other readers on this forum and their thoughts on the matter. It's always helpful to have different perspectives and ideas to consider. Thank you for bringing this topic to our attention and sparking a discussion.

 

[charng]

I find this idea very interesting and worth exploring further. The concept of arm length and angular motion in sports is not a new one, as we have seen in other sports such as softball and now hockey. It is clear that arm length can have a significant impact on the velocity and power of a player's movements.

In softball, the idea of longer arms leading to greater velocity in pitching makes sense, as the longer the arm, the greater the distance traveled by the ball. This translates to a higher angular velocity, resulting in a faster pitch. Similarly, in hockey, we can see how a tall player like Zdeno Chara, with his longer arms, can generate a harder shot due to the increased distance traveled by the puck.

However, as mentioned in the blog post, this phenomenon is more complex than just arm length. Factors such as muscle strength, technique, and body mechanics also play a role in generating power and velocity. It would be interesting to see a more in-depth analysis of these factors and how they interact with arm length in different sports.

Overall, this is a thought-provoking idea that warrants further investigation. It also highlights the importance of considering all factors, not just one, when analyzing sports performance. As scientists, we should continue to explore this concept and its implications for various sports.