For those athletes that can do certain basic things properly the sky is the limit. However, the reality is that the underlying foundation that enables pitchers to have good pitching mechanics and do basic things well is great strength and mobility (in other words a good movement strategy). Let me first start by saying this, there is no pitching coach on the planet that can get a pitcher into a desired position if the athlete does not physically have the strength or mobility to get into that position. Period. Continue reading “Addressing Pitching Mechanics Issues in the Weight Room”
Working on Pronation with “Half Kneeling Club Decells”
By Nunzio Signore (BA, CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)
Right around mid-December prior to starting bullpens, I like adding this “weighted hold drill” to our strength training programs. Continue reading “Working on Pronation with “Half Kneeling Club Decells””
Pitching Lab… Day 1, Building a Pitcher’s Off-Season Roadmap
By Nunzio Signore (BA, CPT, CSCS, NASM, PES, FMS)
The old saying “if you’re going to do something, do it right” couldn’t ring true anymore than when it comes to training a pitcher. Pitching is a volatile movement involving the shoulder, the most unstable joint in the body. This leaves no room for error when it comes to training. Today, I am going to give you a glimpse into the first day of the Pitching Lab Protocol (click here for more info) and how we build a roadmap for training pitchers during the off-season. This is a first session like no other, but it’s really how an off-season program should begin for pitchers. So come inside and see how each athlete’s individual off-season program is created and the blueprint for their success is drawn up. Continue reading “Pitching Lab… Day 1, Building a Pitcher’s Off-Season Roadmap”
Pitchers – Loose or Tight… Which One Are You?
By Nunzio Signore (BA, CSCS, CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)
Every time you throw, depending on genetics, you’ll either get tighter or looser in the shoulder. We really need to pump this into, not only our player’s minds, but our parents and coaches as well. Bottom line is that every arm is different when it comes to what to do, training and post throwing-wise, to a pitcher’s arm. Continue reading “Pitchers — Loose or Tight… Which One Are You?”
Strength and Stability with Tall Kneeling Wall Dribbles
By Nunzio Signore (BA, CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)
Strengthening the posterior cuff and teaching the muscles (see above) to “fire quickly” during the deceleration phase of the throw are two key factors in maintaining a healthy arm over the course of a long season. Continue reading “Strength and Stability with Tall Kneeling Wall Dribbles”
North Rockland’s Dan Wirchansky – Hard Work Paying Off
By Nunzio Signore (BA, CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)
Here at RPP, we have some great athletes who stand out as fantastic role models for aspiring young players with their efforts both on the field and in the gym. Today I’d like to talk about one of them, North Rockland’s Dan Wirchansky. Continue reading “North Rockland’s Dan Wirchansky — Hard Work Paying Off”
Healthy Shoulders and Arms (Part 3)… Training the Shoulder
By Nunzio Signore (B.A., CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)
In today’s post we are covering Part 3 of Healthy Shoulders and Arms. In case you missed Part 2 please click here.
The shoulder requires a tremendous amount of strength and mobility to function, making it inherently unstable and prone to injuries. Rotator cuff surgeries are performed on in excess of 75,000 patients per year in the US. Improving stability in this region is paramount for overhead athletes and especially pitchers given the undue amount of stress placed on the shoulder. Although the lower body (especially lead leg Internal rotation) can play a huge role in shoulder mobility and health, for this continuing article we will be dealing with the upper body only.
Continue reading “Healthy Shoulders and Arms (Part 3)… Training the Shoulder”
Healthy Shoulders and Arms (Part 2)… Training the Shoulder
By Nunzio Signore (B.A., CPT, NASM, PES, FMS)
In today’s post we are covering Part 2 of Healthy Shoulders and Arms. In case you missed Part 1 please click here.
If you want to throw 90+ MPH, there is no magic pill. It takes hard work and training to:
1) Increase your overall strength (head to toe),
2) Improve your mobility and stability in the hip, spine, arms, shoulders and legs, and
3) Take #’s 1 and 2 above and add great pitching mechanics to achieve maximum thrust on the baseball.
In case you missed it, #’s 1 and 2 are what we do at RPP.
In this second part of “Healthy Shoulders and Arms” article, we’ll cover some of the variables (as they specifically relate to #2 above) in a comprehensive shoulder program. For the scope of this article we will assume an assessment (please click here for more on this topic) has been performed and the results exhibited a generally healthy shoulder without any pain.
First, I’ll break down what I feel are a few of the biggest components of a great shoulder care program. Continue reading “Healthy Shoulders and Arms (Part 2)… Training the Shoulder”
Healthy Shoulders and Arms (Part 1)… Armed and Ready
By Nunzio Signore (B.A. CPT, NASM, FMS, PES)
This is the first installment of a series on the arms and shoulders that I will be doing over the next several weeks. Please be patient with some of the content in this first blog as it involves some brief anatomy that will make the next few installments much easier to grasp. I will make it as “user friendly” as possible without sacrificing the integrity of the blog. For those of you interested in learning about the terms you always heard and never understood this is a good read. Continue reading “Healthy Shoulders and Arms (Part 1)… Armed and Ready”
Long Distance Running For Pitchers?… “The Gift of Slowness!!”
If you want to continue attaining good strength gains in the weight room and power on the mound, sometimes it’s not only what you do, it’s what not to do. Here’s one of those things… Running Poles! Continue reading “Long Distance Running For Pitchers?… “The Gift of Slowness!!””