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”
Addressing and Treating Trunk Tilt at Foot Strike – Part 1
Many times, when analyzing video of our young pitchers, I’ll come across an excessive lateral trunk tilt at foot strike. It’s quite common in younger throwers and is characterized by an excessive lean (tilt) contralaterally towards your left side at ball release (if you’re a right-handed pitcher and vice versa). The head becomes tilted, facing away from the driveline and gives the appearance that the athlete is getting ready to launch the ball over a three-story building.
Continue reading “Addressing and Treating Trunk Tilt at Foot Strike – Part 1”
Analyzing Baseball Spin Rate and Training Pitchers
There is no doubt that the pitching world is being taken over by new information. MLB’s Statcast system, Trackman radars and Rapsodo cameras and devices are showing up everywhere measuring velocity, baseball spin rates, spin axes, among other things. And pitchers and coaches are digging in to see how to include all this information in their preparation and training. Continue reading “Analyzing Baseball Spin Rate and Training Pitchers”
Strength Training and Throwing Programs
The increases in pitching velocity and the distance guys are covering when they go yard tells one thing for sure… Guys are getting in the gym and getting bigger, faster and stronger. Period.
That’s great. As a matter of fact, nothing could make me happier as a strength and conditioning coach. But let it be said, with training comes a responsibility on educating athletes as to how and when is the best way and time to incorporate it. This gets especially tricky when it needs to be integrated with a throwing program. What I’m really saying is that a great program should incorporate throwing and strength training as ONE program and not viewed as two separate entities. This is the premise of the closed loop training which we provide at the Pitching Lab here at RPP. Let me try and briefly explain why one hand washes the other. Continue reading “Strength Training and Throwing Programs”
The Top Secret Part I Left out from the Secret Sauce
My prior article on our Secret Sauce at RPP (click here) ended with this “Oh, and making our pitchers as strong and explosive as we can, in all the right places”. In this article, I would like to go a little further and review why and how we have been successful in training high performance athletes. The truth is, it’s all about mass customization. Strength training is science but it’s also art. I have heard my partner, Nunzio Signore, say to clients a million times “the body is connected in all parts and ways, a potential issue in one location may very well be due to an issue somewhere else”. The reality is that every athlete that walks into our facility needs a different road-map to be the best they can be. So here we go with the Top Secret stuff… Continue reading “The Top Secret Part I Left out from the Secret Sauce”
Interview with Pitching Lab Coach and Cleveland Indians RHP Robbie Aviles
We are here with right-handed pitcher Robbie Aviles with the Cleveland Indians. We are very excited that he is joining us at the Pitching Lab. By way of background, Robbie is from Suffern. He was a high school phenom having received multiple offers from multiple colleges for multiple sports, including football, basketball and baseball.
At graduation from Suffern, Robbie was ranked 21st overall in the country by Perfect Game and was gunned at 94 mph just prior to graduation. He was also 2010 Rawlings-Perfect Game 1st Team All-American. He was on his way to being a 1st Round draft pick. However, unfortunately just before the 2010 MLB Draft, Robbie found out that he would need Tommy John surgery. He was ultimately drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 7th Round where he has been playing for the past seven years. Robbie is the real deal and he knows his craft. Continue reading “Interview with Pitching Lab Coach and Cleveland Indians RHP Robbie Aviles”
Parents… Stop Wasting Your Money (Pitchers) – Part 2
When I wrote Part 1 of this series on wasting money, I didn’t think that there would be a Part 2 (click here for Part 1) or a Part 3. But then we were provided with several years of showcase results and data by a showcase operator. So, I am going to tell you what it takes to be seen (as showcases like to say) and actually get noticed, here we go with “Stop Wasting Your Money – Part 2” related specifically to pitchers.
Continue reading “Parents… Stop Wasting Your Money (Pitchers) – Part 2”
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’s Your Secret Sauce?
Many pitchers who haven’t been to our facility often ask “What’s your secret sauce?” Now, please remember I am not a strength or pitching coach. I am just a guy with an Electrical Engineering degree, an MBA, 30 years of business experience and a dad. So, much of my commentary is based on what I observe up close in our facility and as a parent of 2 boys growing up playing ball. Frankly, over the years I have seen it all, from the straight up hitting and pitching facility to the strength and conditioning place. RPP is different in every way. And here’s why… Continue reading “What’s Your Secret Sauce?”
What is Velocity-Based Training? What Are the Benefits?
Athletes who are able to recruit higher ratios of Type II “fast twitch” muscle fibers have shown to be able to produce more power. For ballplayers, this means that they are more likely to throw harder off the mound or have a higher exit velo at the plate. Genetics do come into play, but many times they only give us a better “starting point”. By no means should they dictate a definitive “end-point”. After reading a copy of Dr. Bryan Mann’s book on velocity-based training (VBT) a light went off in my head as to how elements of VBT could be implemented here at RPP. Continue reading “What is Velocity-Based Training? What Are the Benefits?”