In last week’s newsletter our poll question asked at what age do you think kids should focus on one sport. I was happily surprised that nearly half of the responses came in at never. I say that because in my line of work I see more and more kids deciding at a young age to…
The side plank star is an advanced core exercise which strengthens your abdominals, hips, and upper body. This exercise targets the oblique muscles and helps build strength, stability, and balance. This should be performed only after you are able to successfully master a side plank, which was discussed in our newsletter two issues ago. Please…
Many players dream of the opportunity to get on a big league mound and fire fastballs past over matched hitters. God given ability will take most of these individuals only so far so almost every one of them is looking for an edge with the number one goal of gaining velocity. The big concern in…
Many athletic events require explosive movements. These explosive movements are created by the power generated from your foot all the way on up through the lower extremity chain. Many lower body exercise routines include calf raises which can be enhanced by various foot positions. The typical calf raise is performed while in a standing position…
Who do our children look up to? Who are their heroes? I was contemplating this a few weeks ago while I was watching ESPN and they were reporting the alleged drug use of Manny Ramirez. This flashed my memory back to the Alex Rodriguez saga that dominated the sports pages for weeks and it made…
By now our readers are very familiar with the importance of strengthening the core musculature of the body, which includes the abdominals, obliques, low back, glutes and hamstrings. Additionally, you know that it takes a strong core to prevent injuries to the low back as well as to maintain proper posture which will help to…
Over the years I have worked one-on-one with a lot of young players and have seen many youth league baseball games. One of the biggest fears for many of these players to overcome is the embarrassment of striking out. What this leads to is a mentality of “It’s good enough to just make contact.” More…
A healthy pair of shoulders is crucial for every baseball player that steps out on the field. Strong shoulders are crucial not only for hitting and throwing but for injury prevention as well. Pitchers need to be especially cautious with their shoulders as too much pitching as well as year-round play can have detrimental effects…
Hitting Starts with attitude Have you given any thought as to what you look like when you walk up to the plate and get in the batter’s box. How would someone describe you? Would they say, “He doesn’t look too sure of himself”, or “Wwoo! That guy looks like he means business”? The attitude you…
In terms of running speed, acceleration can be defined as the rate of change in velocity where an athlete attempts to achieve maximum velocity in minimal time. Typically, the highest rate of acceleration is achieved within the first 8-10 strides an athlete takes with maximal running speed generally reached within 4-6 seconds; this is referred…