The “kinematic sequence” refers to the relationship between the pelvis, trunk, and arm velocities during a rotational movement such as a swing or a pitch. To maximize energy transfer from the ground up to the arm we want to see the pelvis reach its peak angular velocity first, followed by the trunk, and lastly the arm. Peak Angular Velocity describes the fastest a body segment twists around the vertical axis (like a tornado). Deviations away from this pelvis-trunk-arm sequencing means a less efficient movement.
In Uplift's Pitching and Hitting dashboards, we highlight the most common sequence during an athlete's assessment, as well as the distribution of sequences they exhibited over the entire session.
What to look for:
Ideally, an athlete sequences correctly in each movement. Identifying outliers and reviewing them via video or in the the web visualizer is extremely useful for breaking down and demonstrating an athlete's mechanics during rotation.
Breakdowns in sequencing or velocities later in a session may indicate fatigue.
Peak segment angular velocities should increase from one step to the next, enabling body segments to build off each other.
The kinematic sequence section is also a great resource for improving the velocity of an athlete's movement, as it has a direct correlation with how fast a pitcher throws, or how fast a batter swings the bat. The peak velocities section can be used to monitor progress in power generation and velocity as the athlete works on their power.
Importance of the Kinematic Sequence for player development
Uplift strongly believes that understanding movement and body positioning is essential at any age, but especially for youth athletes as they're building awareness of their movement patterns. The kinematic sequence alone is essential to evaluate and develop power generating in both hitting and pitching. See this article outlining how essential and useful kinematic sequence is in player evaluation and development.