Legendary baseball player Ichiro Suzuki (my childhood hero, and I am sure he was respected by many Japanese) is well known for one of the best lead off man.
But did you know he was also pretty good at stolen bases?
He has record of 95.8% stolen base success rate in 2006 (attempt 47 and failed 2)
I thought his technique was worth mentioning because this explosive start spirit skills is not only for baseball.
Starting point is not too far from the 1st base
Taking a lead with big distance is the best. That’s what normally baseball players think. But Ichiro said he doesn’t.
Why?
Taking a lead too much makes him think about going back to the first base because a pitcher would be so cautious, then he wouldn’t be able to start off to the second base.
So his lead is not too big but not too short where he is able to go back to 1st base comfortably. In this way, he can concentrate on stealing 2nd base.
Positioning
Squatting, bending over low is considered to be the best. But he said bending over too low makes him not start smoothly, plus he is not able to generate the explosive power from there.
Yet too high like your torso is vertically too straight is bad either, wasting time of transforming a ducking position.
You are in the slightly lower than middle, that could duck from there, gives him great momentum for explosive start.
h4 running straight as possible
Obviously, running straight to the 2nd base is the fastest way.
But how?
He said the starting position has to be not on right on the 1st base to 2nd base straight line. He steps back slightly, then the first step which is his left leg will be on the straight line.
The famous quote from my favorite anime Ajin.
“作戦は奇を以て良しとすべし the strategy should be executed when the timing is right.”
I think Ichiro had both the strategy and technique to succeed and they are so important to achieve something.
This is the link for the video (all in Japanese)