Posted on

Why “Clustering” Is Important for Pitchers

By Mike Lembo (BS Exercise Science, Pitching Coordinator at RPP)

The Rapsodo Pitching camera provides an incredible amount of information by pitch type.  Just as relevant, however, is how each individual pitch behaves versus the others.  In evaluating our pitcher’s ball movement charts, we generally work with them to develop what we refer to as “clusters”. They form when a pitcher can consistently repeat the spin axis and direction by pitch type. Continue reading “Why “Clustering” Is Important for Pitchers”

Posted on

K-Motion, a Game Changer for Assessing and Training Baseball Players

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS)

K-Motion assessment

The world of hitting is changing and it’s changing fast. As new technology is working its way into the world of baseball at break-neck speed, the information becoming available is opening the eyes of both baseball coaches and strength coaches alike and across multiple avenues as well. But once again as in pitching, this extremely explosive sport, leads us back to anatomy and the body’s ability to move through space quickly. So explosive in fact, that we are looking at microsecond movements only measurable by motion capture technology. Continue reading “K-Motion, a Game Changer for Assessing and Training Baseball Players”

Posted on

4 Ways the RoboUmps Will Affect the Catcher Position

By Evan Klugerman (BA, Director of Hitting at RPP)

This past year, technology came to the strike zone, as MLB began to experiment with an automated strike zone with the “RoboUmp” in the Atlantic League. Although this process is still a work in progress, I begin to wonder how this may change the game from the vantage point of a catcher. Continue reading “4 Ways the RoboUmps Will Affect the Catcher Position”

Posted on

Bringing Mocap into the Trenches… Sometimes It’s What You CAN’T See

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)

Most people who have observed our movement assessment and 4-camera video analysis believe it’s about as good as you can get. Now, with the addition of our Qualisys motion capture system it’s even better.  The results speak for themselves. Continue reading “Bringing Mocap into the Trenches… Sometimes It’s What You CAN’T See”

Posted on

Pitch Design with Seton Hall’s O’Neill… How to Turn Good into Great

By Michael Lembo (BS, Pitching Coordinator at RPP)

Pitch development is a big part of the overall training culture here at RPP. Once athletes have developed a good base of body awareness in the weight room as well as throwing volume it’s time to steer the focus on getting guys out. In other words, getting pitches to move while throwing strikes.

Seton Hall’s Brennan O’Neill came to us this July, during the summer unlike anything any of us have ever experienced before.  However, even with a shortened period of time we managed to get a lot done. Continue reading “Pitch Design with Seton Hall’s O’Neill… How to Turn Good into Great”

Posted on

Patterning an Efficient Delivery with Throwing Correctives

By Nunzio Signore (BA, CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)

Earlier this year, we posted a 4-week throwing program for pitchers looking to maintain their arm health and capacity.  The weekly programs include several throwing drills to help address mechanical issues and to develop more efficient movement patterns. Many of these drills have been made popular through the work of Ron Wolforth, Randy Sullivan, Tom House and Driveline Baseball to name a few.  We’re not re-inventing the wheel here, just giving you our combination of what has worked for our athletes through trial and error over the years.  They are as follows: Continue reading “Patterning an Efficient Delivery with Throwing Correctives”

Posted on

Adding Motion Capture To Help Create Better Fixes

By Nunzio Signore (Owner/Operator RPP)

Pitching is a MOVEMENT and should be analyzed as such. In a 3D analysis such as the mocap assessment that we use here at RPP, there are many important metrics.  Specifically there are timing and angular velocity issues that you can’t see with the same amount of accuracy when using a static assessment or 2D video analysis.  Knowing WHEN these movements are happening at various points in the delivery, and for certain metrics the SPEEDS at which they are happening, can be more telling than simply looking at static positions.

But, the value of the information, like every other piece of tech we utilize, is not in the numbers, but what we do with the information, in other words… the FIXES. This is where blending tech with great coaching can be a game changer. Continue reading “Adding Motion Capture To Help Create Better Fixes”

Posted on

Why Mocap is a Game Changer in Training Pitchers and Ball Players

­By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, FMS) and Bahram Shirazi (BSEE, MBA)

Until not long ago sports-related motion capture systems (mocap) were primarily available in research labs, rehab facilities or biomechanics departments at universities.  Historically, much of the work in this arena has been performed by biomechanists who specialize in the study of movement in biological systems, including human beings. They generally use the principles of physical mechanics combined with biology to understand:

    • How biological systems move
    • How they can move more effectively and efficiently
    • Why they sometimes get injured and how to reduce the incidence of injury

Two prominent figures in the world of baseball mocap have been Dr. Glenn Fleisig and Dr. James Andrews, dating back to 1985 with their work at the American Sports Medicine Institute (“ASMI”).

But times are changing fast… Continue reading “Why Mocap is a Game Changer in Training Pitchers and Ball Players”