Not all throwing and hitting motions are created equal. Some guys rely more on strength, some guys elasticity (facial tissue) and some are simply genetic “outliers” (there’s that fascia again). But close analysis, in not only numerous studies but also from my own experience at the facility, reveals that there is one common denominator why hard throwers create effortless velocity and command, as well as power hitters creating high exit velos behind the plate.
At this time of the year, after a full off-season of strength training, upcoming tryouts and practices, sitting on the bench in a kyphotic posture and waiting to get your reps on the mound are a few of the variables that can wreak havoc on an athlete’s body and more importantly his arm/shoulder. There are several considerations when you’re looking to maintain your strength and mobility with in-season baseball workouts.
Continue reading “What to Consider with In-Season Baseball Workouts”
Too many pitchers at all levels either treat their pre-throwing or warmup routine like a hassle or simply don’t do it properly. The warm-up program below is meant to provide you with a comprehensive protocol similar to that being done by top professional ball players. Arm care for pitchers and a proper warm-up program before a game should take 20-25 minutes. It’s in six parts as follows: Continue reading “Arm Care for Pitchers: Warmup Routine”
Imagine this, a pitcher’s body that throws a baseball at 80-90+ mph achieves that speed from hand break to finish in 1.5-2 seconds. That’s comparable to some of the fastest Italian sports cars out there. Given the nature of this explosive movement, arm care for pitchers has to be at the top of list for every athlete. However, I think a lot of folks don’t totally understand how to go about it. In this article, we are going to give it a try by discussing the shoulder and how we attempt to bullet proof it through our training programs. Continue reading “Arm Care for Pitchers: Bullet Proofing the Shoulder”
The pitching police tend to fall into one of 2 categories. You have those that believe:
Continue reading “Throwing 1x per Week Simply Doesn’t Cut it”
There is tremendous misinformation in the market place about weighted baseball training and I certainly don’t want to create a social media frenzy. This article isn’t about the pros and cons of weighted ball programs. However, there are many weighted ball programs out there with no regard for the anatomical side of things. This article is about the importance and reasons why you should include and implement a monitored strength and conditioning program alongside a weighted ball program. Continue reading “Weighted Baseballs and Strength Training… You Can’t Have One Without the Other”
In the pitching world the word velocity has become how most pitchers are initially judged. Unfortunately, there is no single thing I could tell you to do to increase velocity as every pitcher is different. What may work for one pitcher may not work for another. Every pitcher is built differently and trying to get there from a different starting point. This leaves no single way to map out a game plan to increase your. However, in this blog I would like to touch briefly on 10 different topics on how to increase pitching velocity in the weight room.
Continue reading “How to Increase Pitching Velocity in the Weight Room”
Every off-season I see dedicated athletes spinning their wheels and settling for ineffective baseball strength training programs, simply because the location is convenient, or they’re feeling pressure from the travel coach. The reality is that often they’re experiencing mediocre gains or no gains at all when they should be improving dramatically. Bottom line is if your performance has remained the same year-over-year your training probably SUCKS! A customized baseball strength training program goes a long way towards improving your level of performance. Continue reading “Baseball Strength Training at RPP, Why and How it Works”
There are many factors to consider when putting together a great arm care program. For example:
The first trip to the disabled list can leave a young athlete searching for answers. Any athlete worth his weight loves to compete, so when that part of your life gets affected in a negative way, it’s important to get your head together and keep marching. Unfortunately, the “you should just stay out of the weight room for a while” slogan that some (not all!) doctors deliver doesn’t give the athlete much incentive to keep the rest of his body in shape while the injury is healing. After all, we can still make significant improvements in strength without moving the injured limb. Continue reading “TJ, Taking a Negative Situation and Running with IT”
