| TheSquealer |
04-02-2017 10:00 AM |
Sports and genetics has long been a fascination of mine.
Baseball is actually one that has some genetic requirements with respect to being a world class hitter... where major league batters have an inordinately high concentration of macular cones in the retina, giving them a more or less "HD" image of the ball at its release point allowing them to better see the finger positions at the release point of the pitch, the first few rotations of the ball and the pattern the stitches make (an indicator of the type of pitch) etc etc. Generally, i think the general range in people for cones present in they eye is something like 25,000 to 300,000 with pro ball players being above 200k (don't recall the exact numbers) but their are simple eye tests to tell you if you have a chance at being a major league hitter or not. Since the ball is crossing the plate on a fast ball before the brain is consciously aware of the pitch, its quite important to have that information being that the swing is being initiated within about 120-150 milliseconds after the release and the brain has to make an educated guess as to what kind of pitch it will be, where it will be and guess its velocity, then program and execute the swing before its 1/2 way to the plate.
Basketball is dominated by blacks because the single most common determining factor in success in basketball is the wingspan to height ratio and it all traces back to specific genes in equatorial Africa. Longer limbs dissipate more heat in hotter environments. (the same genes are also still present in the Baltic states which is why you have a disproportionate representation of success from Lithuania, Estonia etc etc etc etc). The shortest NBA players have a disproportionately greater wingspan to height ratio.
Distance running is one where there are multiple genetic factors (the length of limbs / size of feet, muscle mass in legs and factors relating to VO2 max, all of which help determine running economy). The genetic components aren't that uncommon and its often overlooked that Kenyans win the marathons because they not only have all the genetic components but live a many miles above sea level and run as a mode of transportation for most of their lives.
Sprinting has very specific genetic requirements. Sprinting has little to do with moving your legs faster, it is about how much force you can apply to the ground with each stride. I think that generally you are looking at something like ~1000 pounds of force with each step or around 5X body weight. This requires muscle, shorter limbs and a strong aerobic system. In addition to physiological requirements to be successful, nations like Jamaica are disproportionately represented in sprinting because genetically, most trace back to West African slaves from a couple specific tribes and where they all have the genetic trait for sickle cell anemia. This trait makes them more resistant to malaria which is why it persists in that region. The downside to having the trait for sickle cell anemia is that the aerobic system for energy is basically non-existent as cells distort in low oxygen environments and lose their ability to transport oxygen - leaving them with only the anaerobic system for energy. Relying on the aerobic system, their bodies also developed far more super fast twitch muscle fibers (type 2b).
Generally speaking, every sport has a body type which is most successful in it or common physiological/genetic traits which lead to more success than not. That said, generally speaking, in any area of expertise (chess, racing a motorcycle, flying a fighter plane or whatever) its really just about repetition and determination to learn. If you want to become a Chess Grandmaster, you can. Anyone can. The majority of world class chess players are at average or below average intelligence. This has been proven time and time again. It's just a simple matter of understanding how the brain learns, wanting to learn and training correctly.... and putting in the many years of intensely focused effort required to get there.
/sunday morning boredom
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