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Training Force- vs. Velocity-Deficient Athletes… Giving Them What They Need

Knowing the adaptation that needs to occur and knowing what adaptation will occur are powerful decision-making tools when designing a program for an athlete. You need to first decide what effect you want the body to produce and then match it with an appropriate stimulus.  This is referred to as the “SAID” principle. It stands for “Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands” and is the blueprint that we build off of when programming for our athletes here at RPP.

The first question that needs to be answered is “what does the athlete need?”.   Continue reading “Training Force- vs. Velocity-Deficient Athletes… Giving Them What They Need”

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5 Things I Would Have Done Differently Raising My Young Ball Player

They say hindsight is 20-20.  Well, it’s true.  There are always things we could have done better.  I wish I knew back then what I know now.  When I look back at some of the mistakes I made raising my son in the world of youth baseball, frankly it bums me out.  Don’t misunderstand me, he did very well and played ball at a relatively high level. But, looking back there are definitely a few things I would have done differently.  Here we go… Continue reading “5 Things I Would Have Done Differently Raising My Young Ball Player”

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Physics of Baseball… Ball-Bat Collision

physics of baseball

With a Rapsodo Hitting camera finally here at RPP, it’s time to start talking physics of baseball on the hitting side.  We’re going to start this series of articles by going over the point of contact, where the bat meets the ball.  We all know that a baseball hit hard at the right place can do a lot of damage.  But the art and skill of doing so can be a difficult process.  So, let’s review what happens at the point of collision, where 90 mph pitches meet 90 mph bat speeds. Continue reading “Physics of Baseball… Ball-Bat Collision”

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Training the Force-Velocity Curve with VBT… How it Works – Part 2

velocity based training

As far as athletic performance goes, it’s getting clearer and clearer that strength, speed and power are king (click here for Part 1). That’s why maximizing training protocols for a sport with movements as quick and explosive as baseball is paramount. Increasing strength and power involves:

    • Increasing muscle fiber size and structure
    • Increasing the activation and rate of firing time of motor units

Continue reading “Training the Force-Velocity Curve with VBT… How it Works — Part 2”

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In-Season Training… Starting Strong, Finishing Stronger

Getting strong in the off-season to prepare for great performance on the field is paramount, but let’s not forget that it’s the athlete that finishes the season as strong as he started that usually reaps the most reward. Drops in velo, both on the mound and off the bat, as well as injuries, can all be a result of not training during the season. Pros do it, collegiate players do it.  You should as well.  So, you basically are the creator of your own destiny. Continue reading “In-Season Training… Starting Strong, Finishing Stronger”

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Single Most “Over-Looked” Factor to Increase Performance

Let’s face it, baseball is all about being explosive. To excel in this sport, remain healthy and stay at the top of your game, you must be able to move explosively through space. To do that requires an optimal level of power (a solid amount of muscle) and a minimal level of dead weight (fat). This muscle to fat ratio is known as Lean Body Mass (LBM) and it is today’s topic. Continue reading “Single Most “Over-Looked” Factor to Increase Performance”

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How to Maximize Your Training… The System is Flawed

As coaches and trainers, we have a big responsibility to fully develop our athletes, so they can perform at their best.  At the same time, we are expected to keep them healthy to give them the best chance to play at the highest level. But, while arm injuries continue to rise in baseball players (specifically pitchers), we’ve come to realize that pitchers are the worst prepared athletes to step on an athletic field. Take note I didn’t say worst athletes, I said worst prepared. Bottom line, the system is flawed. Continue reading “How to Maximize Your Training… The System is Flawed”