As we get closer to the end of another year here at RPP, it seems like a good time to reflect back on 2017, and provide you with a glimpse of where we might be headed in 2018. Continue reading “Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Headed”
Ramsey’s Ryan Vatcher… Doing What it Takes to be Exceptional
Most highly motivated and highly skilled athletes are generally also very bright. So, when it comes to learning and “buying in” to their training regimen, they’re all ears. This is called “athlete education” and nothing can be more rewarding than watching them “do what it takes to be exceptional”, while reaping great results at the same time. Continue reading “Ramsey’s Ryan Vatcher… Doing What it Takes to be Exceptional”
What May Have Caused the Noah Syndergaard Injury?
On April 30th in the bottom of the 2nd inning, just 38 pitches into his fifth start of the year, Noah Syndergaard threw a 2-1 pitch to the National’s Bryce Harper then proceeded to clutch under his arm. Something was obviously not right. The latissimus dorsi (lat) is one of the major players for stability and throwing gas, and Syndergaard just tore his. I would like to go over what may have caused the Noah Syndergaard injury.
(Noah Syndergaard Injury)
Continue reading “What May Have Caused the Noah Syndergaard Injury?”
Losing Your Legs and Your Velocity Early in the Game
It’s that time of year when I go out and watch all my guys (with a great sense of pride I might add) play ball and in doing so, get a chance to watch many other young pitchers on the mound as well. A common thread that I see with many of them is the similarities in the breakdown that happens in the later innings.
More often than not, I believe this is fatigue of the lower half. The pre-mature change in lower extremity kinematics and timing can generally be attributed to a lack of strength (or a loss of strength if they have stopped training in-season) bringing on many command problems as well as velocity issues. Today, we’ll touch on three topics. Continue reading “Losing Your Legs and Your Velocity Early in the Game”
3 Reasons for Lower Back Pain after Pitching
Unfortunately, 90% of the pitcher population cannot handle the amount of lumbar extension Tim Lincecum put his body through. It’s no mystery that low back pain can severely compromise velocity, as well as command, in pitchers. In Part 3 of this series on Pain Site vs. Pain Source, we’ll look at low back pain and some possible “sites” distally that could be causing it. We’ll also look at some things we can do from both the strength and mobility (mechanics) side that may help to relieve unwanted stress in the area. Lower back pain after pitching can be caused by many things, but for the scope of this article, we’re going to concentrate on… Continue reading “3 Reasons for Lower Back Pain after Pitching”
Work Hard, Recover Harder
When talking about a complete or comprehensive training or throwing program, the conversation has to begin and end with “recovery”.
Fatigue is the Enemy of Mechanics
Increasing Velocity and Command with a more Stable Stride Pattern
Many coaches believe that throwing strikes is more important than increasing velocity and that the two can’t be trained at the same time. I disagree. I believe that training both are equally important and can be trained at the same time. Sometimes it comes down to increasing the efficiency of an athlete’s throwing motion, so that their body works more in sync. Continue reading “Increasing Velocity and Command with a more Stable Stride Pattern”
Strength Training / Physical Therapy… Making Our Athletes and Each Other Better
I heard P.T. Mike Reinhold once say that he was a “much better physical therapist because of his knowledge in the strength and conditioning field”. I feel the same way in regards to the education I’ve received from the physical therapy / rehab community. I can’t overstate how much better of a strength and conditioning coach it has made me. The bottom line is together we make each other better. Continue reading “Strength Training / Physical Therapy… Making Our Athletes and Each Other Better”