There are various technologies that have come up in the sports sector to improve the performance of players. One of the latest is the radar (radio detection and ranging) gun. This is a remote sensor that emits electromagnetic waves. It is designed to primarily measure the speed of various elements in different sporting activities in which speed is a primary element. The radar gun will help athletes and coaches to determine their speed and come up with various strategies to improve and increase their chances of a win.
There are different names for the modes on radar guns from manufacturers for various functions. The peak speed mode, for instance, will display the fastest measured speed of an athlete. The continuous speed, on the other hand, denotes the current athlete’s speed or the duration at which the athlete maintains his or her peak speed. Here are tidbits on the application of radar guns in different sports to help you make the right choice:
Baseball
The highest speed in baseball is that achieved within a foot of the ball’s release from a pitcher’s hand. This is where a radar gun is aimed and is the gun’s peak speed mode. Most radar guns in baseball are designed to lock in this speed, although a few will have an option of measuring the plate and release speeds as well. Using this peak speed, you can determine the throwing strength needed to increase the speed of your pitch. Some radar guns are set in continuous mode and will measure the first speed of the pitch and display it for about three seconds before resetting itself for your next pitch.
Motocross
Here, the radar gun is meant for the measurement of a vehicle’s current speed. If the vehicle decelerates or accelerates, the radar gun user will know the new vehicle speed without re-pressing the gun’s trigger. The display on the gun is continuously updated to reflect the new speed. In a drag strip, the gun is used to assess the highest speed a target will reach. The peak speed mode of a motorsport radar gun displays the vehicle’s continuous speed until maximum speed is achieved or the target starts decelerating.
Tennis
The radar gun in tennis works like that in baseball. However, it features a shorter range and faster top end speed compared to the one used in baseball. The gun will be aimed at the point where a player serves a ball since the highest speed of the tennis ball is at this point.
Soccer
In this sport, a radar gun will measure the velocity of your ball kicks to enable you to improve on your balance, core strength, kick speed, and agility. You will measure the speed of your right versus left foot kicks and penalty kicks and enhance the power of your team’s defensive returns to the midfield. In soccer, the gun is aimed at a player’s foot during a kick.
You now appreciate the essence of a radar gun in any sporting activity. Without one, you cannot collect the essential metrics that will enable you to improve your game. Your training will hence be largely futile since you do not know what you should improve on or maintain.
