A noted baseball coach recently stated that the half squat with the feet in a wide position is the key to all athletic movement and especially for speed. Can this statement however, be substantiated?
The answer is a resounding No since the half squat with the feet wide is a very stable position that resists movement. It is a great position for preventing side movement or counteracting any forces acting on you coming in from the side. This is especially true in sports like football, soccer and lacrosse where you can easily get hit from the side
For substantiation of this position we must look to biomechanics or physics. In a discussion of stability — resistance to movement — you’ll find that the best position is one in which your center of gravity is low and your base of support is wide. To be less stable you would have to a assume a more upright body position and narrower stance.
In a low and wide stance position, you create what is known as resting inertia. This requires an outside force to overcome the inertia and put you into motion. The more stable your body, or the greater the amount of inertia, the greater is the force that is required to initiate movement. Since the half squat and wide stance create considerable resting inertia, this position requires even more force to get you in motion, and consequently, even take more time.
If you wish to initiate movement and be as fast as possible, as for example when stealing a base in baseball in which you start with a sideward movement, you must have a high center of gravity and a narrow base of support. This is the opposite of what is commonly believed!
Thus, the best stance to initiate sideward movement is to keep the hips high by having a slight bend in the knees and keeping the feet relatively close together. Once you begin movement of the hips forward, you will quickly lose your balance which in turn, will force you to step out and go into motion almost immediately.
Players that I have worked with who have learned this technique are amazed at how much faster they get into motion and into the running stride. It just takes a little bit of convincing before they attempt this change in their basic stance.
The principles outlined above can be applied to many different situations in many different sports. If you use your imagination based on solid information regarding stability and what it takes to get into motion, you can probably come up with different positions for players who play different positions. Sometimes the biggest obstacle may be convincing the coach or player that a different position or technique is more effective.
For more information on this topic see Build a Better Athlete.