New Jersey’s Most Comprehensive Baseball Training Facility

RPP Baseball is a high performance baseball training facility located in Paramus (Bergen county), New Jersey. From the weight room to our pitching and hitting programs, we utilize the latest in technology, in a holistic and data-driven approach which allows us to assess, train and re-assess players on an ongoing basis. Our athletes are walking testimonials as to the power of our highly customized programming. Below is a summary of our extensive services for pitchers and baseball players:

• • Strength Training

1. 1. 1. Philosophy
      2. Movement, Strength and Power Assessment
      3. Strength Programs
      4. Arm Care

• • Pitching Program

    1. Philosophy
    2. Pitching Programs
    3. Video Review and Analysis
    4. Motion Capture Analysis
    5. Pitch Design and Analysis
    6. Throwing Programs
    7. Back to Throwing Programs

• • Hitting Program

    1. Philosophy
    2. Hitting Programs
    3. Video Review and Analysis
    4. Kinematic Sequence Analysis
    5. Swing Plane Analysis
    6. Swing Plane Program

Below is an expanded summary of each program.

Strength Training

• • Philosophy – When you’ve been training athletes as long as we have been, then you better have an approach and a philosophy with the athlete’s long term development in mind.  With that said here is a summary:
    1. Training athletes with an eye on their “Long Term Athletic Development”
    2. Coaching fundamental movement patterns (squat, hinge, jumping, hopping, sprinting, push, pull, single-leg, core stability)
    3. Energy system development (conditioning)

• • Movement, Strength and Power Assessment –  Our assessment is an extensive evaluation of the athlete’s overall strength and mobility. Physical limitations and imbalances from a strength and mobility standpoint, can have profound effects on the athlete’s ability to perform. The assessment covers a variety of topics, including mobility, stability, strength, power and force production, all of which directly correlate to performance on the field.

• • Strength Programs – Our world-class strength training programs are 100% designed around the highly specialized and explosive nature of baseball.  They are the cornerstone of who we are, and are designed to go hand-in-hand with periodization of our pitching and hitting development programs. Athletes train with us between two to five times per week (depending on level and type of program). You need to be at least 13 years of age to take part in our strength training programs.

• • Arm Care  – When talking about a comprehensive program, the conversation has to begin and end with arm care. When an area of the body is fatigued or sore, movement is compromised throughout the entire chain, causing a negative effect on bio-mechanics and increasing the risk of injury.  Our manual therapy protocols, and pre-and post-throwing routines are designed around pitchers and ball players.  Needless to say, we go to great lengths to make sure that all athlete’s learn how to take care of their arms.

Pitching Program

• • Philosophy – In an athletic movement where action begins and ends in less than a couple of seconds, there are several topics that we believe must be incorporated into any development program
    1. Healthy pitching mechanics
    2. A proper kinematic sequence to efficiently transfer velocity and acceleration up from the ground
    3. Sufficient mobility to get into successful positions on the mound in order to better perform the task
    4. Sufficient strength to both stabilize and accelerate the body and maximize velocity at the point of release

• • Pitching Programs – We offer a variety of different pitching programs throughout the year.  Each geared towards very specific objectives.

Summer Elite Pitching Development Program generally involves college-level pitchers working on improving their velocity and ball movement with pitch design.  The daily program includes weighted balls and a daily throwing routine and weekly mound time.

Fall Pitch Design programs focus on younger pitchers (middle and high school) working on overall mechanics, delivery and ball movement with pitch design.  We use a variety of pitching correctives as well as Rapsodo and high -speed video to help improve overall movement patterns.

Winter Elite Pitcher Development Program (Pitching Lab) generally focus on preparing our pitchers for the spring and summer seasons beginning with a ramp-up, a pitching protocol which covers pitch varieties, pitch selection, high-intent throwing, game situations and command and control.  Given that all our programs are combined with strength training, our pitchers generally also improve their throwing velocities as well.

• • Video Analysis / Pitching Mechanics and Delivery – Our 4-camera video system for pitchers is a state-of-the-art technology that captures delivery from 4 different angles simultaneously.  It is an invaluable tool, not to mention a big part of how we evaluate our pitcher’s timing and postural disconnects from both a movement and mechanics standpoint.

• • Motion Capture (“Mocap”) Assessment – Our mocap system allows to evaluate pitchers in a more comprehensive fashion.  Simply put, a static assessment can provide a very comprehensive picture, but there are gaps in the information.  And in a movement pattern that takes 1.5 seconds, the mocap system allows us to fill most of these gaps.  Parsing through the different parts of a delivery, you can effectively reduce the relevant data points to a more manageable data set.  The following is a very brief snapshot of what we consider to be some of the relevant metrics calculated during a mocap evaluation:

• • • • Elbow Extension Velocity
      • Shoulder Horizontal Abduction (scap load)
      • Torso Angular Velocity
      • Shoulder Abduction (from Foot Plant to Ball Release)
      • Hip-Shoulder Separation Timing
      • Front Knee Angular Velocity
      • Peak Pelvis to Peak Torso Timing

Installing a mocap system into a commercial facility like RPP is like throwing gas on a fire…

• • Pitch Design – Pitching is about many things. But, the advent of technology is also demonstrating that the point of release is just as relevant in being successful as a pitcher as anything else. Our highly advanced Pitch Design programs are based a thorough and deep understanding of the concepts and using cutting edge technology and incorporating data analytics and high-speed video capture to help pitchers develop their pitch movement patterns.

• • The advent of technology such as high speed video cameras can provide imagery and visualization which is essential in helping pitchers assess and improve their ball movement patterns.  Whether it’s your 4-seam, 2-seam, change-up, curveball, cutter or slider, improving pitch repertoire and ball movement is a must in today’s environment.

• • Throwing Programs – Our Throwing Programs cover several different objectives including producing a higher velocity ceiling, throwing/arm maintenance and back-to-throw programs (rehab). Our programs are designed to build arm strength, durability and athleticism by gradually exposing your arm to the intensity levels that you will face while creating a higher velocity ceiling. The program incorporates throwing correctives, precision long toss and weighted balls, along with pitcher specific warm-up, post-throw and recovery protocols.

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• • Back-to-Throwing Program – This program is done in conjunction with physical therapy to progressively and safely create a structured lifting/throwing program to help throwers come back from injuries such as TJ, labral issues as well as impingement and shut-downs from inflammatory issues due to poor mechanics and over-use.

Hitting Program

• • Philosophy – Our hitting philosophy is based on four basic tenants which we believe should be the foundation to any hitting development program, regardless of level of play:
    1. A healthy swing
    2. A proper kinematic sequence to efficiently transfer velocity and acceleration from the body to the bat
    3. Sufficient mobility to perform the task
    4. Sufficient strength to accelerate the body and maximize power at contact

• • Hitting Programs – We offer a variety of different hitting programs throughout the year.  Each geared towards very specific objectives.
    1. Elite Summer Hitting Development Program generally involves college-level player working on improving their hitting mechanics and performance at the plate.  The hitting program includes extensive work on kinematic sequencing and swing plane analytics and improvements.
    2. Fall Hitting Development Program programs focus on younger players (middle and high school) working on overall mechanics, kinematics, swing path metrics and correctives, and overall plate performance.
    3. Winter Hitting Development Program (Hitters Rx) generally focuses on preparing our players for the spring and summer seasons.  Sessions are 2x per week and incorporate kinematics, swing plane correctives and game-type situations.

• • Kinematic Review and Video Analysis – For those old enough to be able to repeat much of their mechanics (generally 16 years old), we will test their kinematic sequencing with a K-Vest, a motion capture system designed for measuring and assessing hitters’ movement patterns. Based on the results, we will prescribe hitting correctives to improve their sequencing, optimizing the most efficient force transfer from the pelvis to the torso, to the arms and then the hands. While every player has a different swing mechanics, they all should have efficient sequencing.

• • Swing Plane Analysis – Technology is making it easier and easier to analyze high speed movements like a baseball swing.  Blast Motion sensors allow us to evaluate and break down a swing into many components including the Attack Angle (degrees), Early Connection (degrees), Connection at Impact (degrees), Time to Contact (seconds), On Plane Efficiency %, Vertical Bat Angle (degrees), Power (kW), Rotational Acceleration (g), Bat Speed (mph) and Peak Hand Speed (mph).  Every player in programs hits with a Blast Motion sensor and we frequently use the metrics to analyze each player’s swing.

• • Swing Plane Program – Ensuring players have an optimal swing plane is a significant part of the program.  Our hitting assessment covers a wide variety of topics related to the swing plane, including among others Attack Angle, Rotational Acceleration, Power and Bat Speed.  Through visually guided tee work and instant feedback from motion capture sensors, we begin to guide each player’s swing towards an optimal plane for contact.  Every pitch has a downward descent angle.  It so happens that this angle is generally between 6-12 degrees depending on level of play and type of pitch.  Assisting players to be on plane with the incoming pitch is the only way to help improve consistency at contact.

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