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Six Key Reasons to Train the Anterior Core

In this article, we are going to look at a few major reasons why I believe it is ESSENTIAL to strengthen and create better control in the anterior core. Below is a list of 6 topics which I consider to be pure gold when it comes to becoming more explosive while reducing the risk of injury both on the mound and behind the plate.

    1. Positive Impact on Breathing
    2. Resisting Extension / Rotation
    3. Better Force Transfer to Upper Body
    4. Reduced Risk of Injury
    5. Lower Body / Hip Function
    6. Improving Shoulder Function

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Revolution Baseball… Foundations of Strength Training and Building Elite Ball Players

Strength is the foundation of most athletic movements, and at Revolution Baseball, strength training is at the core of our travel program. Our general thinking is that you need to be strong in order to become a high-performance or even elite ball player. Whether it’s throwing a baseball, hitting one over the fence or running to field a ball, everything begins with a foundation of strength.

    • You can’t throw hard (at least not for very long) if you’re NOT strong
    • You can’t hit the ball hard if you’re NOT strong
    • You can’t run fast or change direction quickly if you’re NOT strong

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Training for Better Force Production in Ball Players… Elasticity and Acceleration – Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of “Training Better Force Production”.

While we are building the “capacity” to produce more force through overcoming isometrics and deceleration (click here for Part 1), we can also start training the second half of the force equation, which is elasticity and acceleration. This involves training the body’s ability to quickly relax and then re-activate muscles in order to allow the connective tissue to take on a larger portion of the “faster” work.

It’s all about improving elasticity and acceleration, so let’s get into it…

    1. Building Elasticity
    2. Building Acceleration

Continue reading “Training for Better Force Production in Ball Players… Elasticity and Acceleration — Part 2”

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The Infrasternal Angle: Another Tool to Help Give Athletes What They Need

infrasternal angle

The infrasternal angle (ISA) is an angle formed by the cartilage of the lower ribs and the twelfth thoracic vertebra.  This angle spans a spectrum from narrow to wide. Generally, individuals with an ISA > 90 degrees are considered “Wide”, while < 90degrees are considered “Narrow”.  It has been our experience through assessments at our facility that most “Narrows” fall between 80-90 degrees, while the “wide” guys fall somewhere between 95-105 degrees.  The ISA is a representation of a person’s breathing strategy as well as the balance of the internal and external oblique muscles, and the position of the pelvis.

It’s important to note that although we have had athletes that present as a Narrow, they have excelled on the mound with the mechanics generally found in Wide athletes and vice-versa. So, there are no absolutes in this business.  However, the ISA can still tell us a lot about an athlete’s “preferred strategy” both in the weight room and on the mound.  Let’s get into it…

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Training for Better Force Production in Pitchers and Baseball Players – Part 1

To the untrained eye, most strength programs look the same.  But when it comes to training for elite performance as a pitcher or a player, the difference between good and bad strength programs is like night and day.  Whether it be posting up on the mound, a lead leg block or first step quickness when changing direction, the rate at which a pitcher or a ball player for that matter can develop force (rate of force development) is one of the main qualities to efficiency in all three movement patterns.

Training for Strength, training for Force and training for Power are not the same thing.  But all equally important for elite performance.

So, let’s get into it…

Continue reading “Training for Better Force Production in Pitchers and Baseball Players — Part 1”

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Is Your Off-season Strength Program Working for YOU?

After 15 years of training baseball players of all ages and levels, I can tell you with the highest degree of certainty that the purpose of a great off-season baseball strength training program is to:

    • Increase explosive power
    • Create more efficient movers
    • Build more durable athletes

While different athletes will always require more of one of these adaptations than the other, when focusing on the youth population (13-18 year olds) the deciding factor is almost always:

    • Increasing lean body mass
    • Increasing absolute strength

Is your off-season strength program working for you? Let’s get into it…

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How to Improve Your Defensive Fielding… The Three Pillars

Today, I decided to get together with Dr. Ismael Gallo, DPT, the founder of the Baseball Flows™ App. As a former professional baseball player turned Doctor of Physical Therapy, Dr. Gallo specializes in effectively bridging the gap between the movements in-gym to the specific movements essential for on-field excellence.

 Many young ball players face a common hurdle.  They lack the athleticism to play defense at a high level. In order to field a ground ball or charge a bunt efficiently, movements need to be fluid and this requires what is known as agility. And, when it comes to fielding a ground ball, agility involves making these rapid movements mentioned above in constantly changing, unpredictable environments.

So, what exactly IS agility?

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Why You Should Begin Your Training in the Fall for the Next Season?

It’s no great secret by now that playing baseball year-round is not such a great idea, mentally (burn out) or physically (velo drops / injury). When we first started training baseball players around 10 years ago, just about everyone who played ball began their training in January. Athletes would show up desperately trying to get their velo up…. IN JUST 8 WEEKS! Back then trying to convince high school athletes to begin lifting weights in November was like pulling a cow through a keyhole. A few pitching coaches we worked with didn’t even believe in strength training for baseball players at all. Times have changed.  Nowadays, more and more athletes begin their training right after “fall ball”, in November.

So, here we are, ready to rock the boat once again.

Continue reading “Why You Should Begin Your Training in the Fall for the Next Season?”

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Off-Season Training for High School Ball Players, the How , the Why and the When…

Note: Please note that at the end of this article there are two webpage links with access to exercise videos referred to throughout this article for novice and intermediate / advanced athletes.

Why it is important?

According to Escamilla JSCR ’12 Young athletes participating in a strength program increased velocity in a much safer manner than those who participated in a throwing program only.

Here is why!

Continue reading “Off-Season Training for High School Ball Players, the How , the Why and the When…”

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How Strong is Strong Enough?

Why Do We Test Strength?

To better maximize our training time in the gym, we need to focus on only what the athlete needs without taking away the attributes that they are already good at.

Testing max strength helps us determine what the focus of training will be throughout the upcoming training period. This enables us to prioritize the athletes “lowest hanging fruit” when it comes to Strength (> 80% 1RM) vs Power (between 30-80% 1RM). We utilize VBT to help better pinpoint specific strength zones. Continue reading “How Strong is Strong Enough?”