T-Spine Mobility: How, What, & Why??
Chances are if you have invested in your development as a hitter you have heard the term “T-Spine” mobility. 21st century hitting has become notorious for creating pretentious hitting coaches ( I’m guilty of this at times).
However, the coaches that seem to have taken a more mundane, pragmatic approach do value a hitters ability to create separation. Regardless of your physical stature or desired offensive profile, hitting the ball harder is a good thing, simply put, the harder you hit the ball, the more likely you are to reach base. So how does “T-Spine Mobility” effect a hitter’s ability to hit the ball harder… Let’s take a look.
A hitters “T-Spine” or Thoracic spine is made up of the 12 vertabrae T-1 — T-12.
Obviously, when people to refer to the T-spine and associate it with mobility they aren’t talking about the actual spine, rather the muscles that influence the movement of the thoracic spine (Spinal Erectors, Rhomboids, and Middle Trapezius).
Lets talk hitting.
First, how do you test for sufficient T-Spine mobility? On Base U has you covered but this video is pretty straight forward and accessible.
How do we assess in video? Here are some clips to help.
In all of the clips we use the belt loop (blue lines) as a reference for what the pelvis is doing and the effect its rotation is having on the torso (the red line indicates very little effect). These videos also show every hitter starting to go into rotation before front foot strike but can save that for another rainy day.
So, essentially T-Spine mobility has a huge effect on a hitters ability to separate the lower body from the upper body creating a loss of potential force production.
Poor T-Spine mobility can also have a direct effect on a hitters ability to maintain their direction. As the hips turn if the hitter can’t separate and resist the rotation, their torso will be pulled East and West and the barrel will follow.
Should also note that if a hitter lacks T-Spine Mobility, the body will usually compensate with lower back rotation (not the function of the lumbar spine, more to stabilize), huge increase in injury risk.
Here is another tidbit that is very important, specifically for high level hitting that requires adjustability. I want you to pay attention to the bottom video of Bailey Hemphill adjusting (WAY OUT FRONT) to an off-speed pitch. Watch the shoulder almost look like its reaching (scapula protraction or scap working around the ribcage)
I understand more things are occurring that enables her to adjust to this pitch however for the sake of this topic we are going to talk about how T-Spine mobility allows her to make this adjustment.
Basically, for the shoulder to go into flexion or that “reach”, the scapula (back of shoulder) has to protract. In order for this to happen the T-Spine area has to extend, if you lack mobility it simply cannot and will not do this.
Here is a good video to help understand that scap movement.
So, how can you improve T-Spine mobility? Add it to your daily prep before you get into the cage, videos are available on TPI or Youtube.
#HappyHitting
