P ERFORMANCE CONDITIONING WHAT S? INSIDE BASEBALL/SOFTBALL A NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO IMPROVING BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PLAYERS

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1 P ERFORMANCE BASEBALL/SOFTBALL CONDITIONING A NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO IMPROVING BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PLAYERS Testing Index of One The trend toward indexing, comparing testing results to "large population norms" is gaining popularity. Comparing an athlete to "standards" is an exciting recruiting measure with the hope of winning that college scholarship. But I think coaches should also consider the use of testing for the benefit of the individual athlete to achieve their optimal personal athletic potential and improve the performance of the team by instilling a positive work ethic. A Review of the Testing Process and Outcome What tests are best? Why are they important? What do the results mean? Correct answers to these important questions are important for measuring improvement. The wrong answers can lead to frustration and delusions that can cause you to miss your intended performance goals. Testing is a continuum that works like this: TEST>ANALIZE DATA TO ID ATHLETE'S NEEDS>ESTABLISH AND CONDUCT PROGRAM, AD DRESSING INDIVIDUAL NEEDS>RETEST TO EVALUATE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS> ADJUST PROGRAM>REPEAT... This scenario should be repeated throughout the athlete's career to ask the right questions and determine the right answers so that optimum performance can be achieved by the athlete. Testing the right answers: 1) They show you where you stand. This is important so that you can set realistic goals as to what you need to do physically to play at the next level. 2) They measure the on going effectiveness of an overall conditioning program. You need to take a look at how you are doing every six to eight weeks. Are you improving or stuck on a performance plateau? 3) They provide you warning of possible overtraining which can lead to injury. 4) They provide important data in case of an injury to tell you that you have recovered from the injury completely and are totally ready to play. Volume 15, Number 2 WHAT S? INSIDE Inside the Bermuda Triangle of Chronic Shoulder and Elbow Pain Part IV: Does the Risk Out Weight the Reward of these Common Exercises? How to Maximize Reward without Risk Lisa Bartels 5 1 The Coordinated Conditioning of the Latin American Baseball Player Developing the Intangibles Through Strength and Conditioning Rachel Balkovec Movement Prep to Movement Skills Before Muscle Training Dr. Michelle Feairheller 7 Establishing Testing as a True Reward System Testing can provide a great motivational tool for the athlete. But rather than comparing the results with "national norms" or even "team norms" why not reward improvement on an individual basis. Rather than a reward of an exclusive 30 inch vertical jump club why not have a 5% vertical jump improvement club. This takes out the pitfalls of genetic comparison and focuses on hard work within the individual potential of the athlete and no one else. An index of ONE. Something to Seriously Think About Ken Kontor 12 Exercise Menu Builder: Medicine Ball Leg Strength Exercises Reading Research: Effects of Three Recovery Protocols on Range of Motion, Heart Rate, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Blood Lactate in Baseball Pitchers During a Simulated Game Warren, Courtney D.; Szymanski, David J.; Landers, Merrill R.

2 Fit NEW! it to a Fit to a T the Ultimate Conditioning Experience from the Ultimate Baseball/Softball Conditioning Authority What is Fit to a T? No two conditioning programs are alike. If something "fits to a T" then it's perfect for your purpose and no one else. Our 7 T system guides you to fit your program to a T to get your athletes fit to perform at their best. What makes us the authority? Over 480 Articles 183 Authors for over 12 years! Largest, Most Comprehensive Baseball Softball Conditioning Library in the World. Offical publication of the Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society of Major League Baseball. HERE S WHAT YOU GET Fit to a T Designing Your Own Conditioning Program Quick Starter Kit using the 7 T system: T 1 Training Age/History T 2 Time T 3 Tools T 4 Teaching T 5 Testing T 6 Total Workload T 7 Team Position Plus Get: Weekly updates putting our achieves to work for you on: 1. Program design 2. Baseball/Softball athletic skill development (improve hitting, pitching, base running; speed, power, durability, mobility, balance/stability). 3. Resource center: baseball/softball specific injury prevention, nutrition, training psychology sport medicine and science and much more. 4. Softball Only information specific to the softball player. 5. Professional Baseball information from MLB and minor league conditioning coaches. Access to our weekly updated library. One year subscription to Performance Conditioning Baseball/softball 7 issues, a $26.00 value FREE! (only available on the Do It for a Year package) SUBSCRIBE NOW Try it for a month $19.95 Do it for a year $99.95 GO TO: conditioning library/baseball/

3 P ERFORMANCE BASEBALL/SOFTBALL CONDITIONING A NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO IMPROVING BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PLAYERS Volume 15, Number 2 Inside the Bermuda Triangle of Chronic Shoulder and Elbow Pain- Part IV Does the Risk Out Weight the Reward of these Common Exercises? How to Maximize Reward without Risk Lisa Bartels, Member SMPC, Doctorate of Physical Therapy, Cross Roads Physical Therapy, Lincoln, NE Presented by USA Volleyball Sports Medicine and Performance Commission USA Volleyball Sports Medicine and Performance Commission mission is to serve volleyball coaches and athletes through the assimilation, generation and dissemination of information in the areas of sports medicine and performance and to coordinate future research in these areas. Lisa was introduced to the science of Postural Restoration as a patient under the Lisa Bartels care of Ron Hruska. She had suffered from long standing injuries sustained during her collegiate volleyball career and found success with the treatment techniques she learned at the Hruska Clinic and later received from the Postural Restoration Institute. Lisa returned to practice physical therapy at the Hruska Clinic Restorative Physical Therapy Services in Lincoln, Nebraska after completing her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Lisa is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association. In our last article we presented the third part of the Bermuda, Scapula Protraction and Upward Rotation Why It's Important and How to Do. Net Link: To read the this article click HERE. In this issue we look at common exercises that create potentially more risk than the reward that might provide the overhead athlete and solutions to the issue. Ken Kontor, Pulisher S BGN houlder and elbow injuries are becoming more and INT more common in our overhead athletes. Frequently ADV coaches get a lot of the blame for overuse injuries, but counting pitches and reducing the number of volleyball swings will only go so far to help manage the problem. In my opinion, popular weight room exercises are a major causative Symbols to Success Articles preceded by: BGN indicate author believes content is for beginning level athletes with training age of 0 to 2 years. INT indicates author believes content is for sport (intermediate) level athletes with training age of 2 to 4 years. ADV indicates author believes content is for expert level athletes with training age of over 4 years. NOTE: Training age year is continuous year round conditioning beyond just playing baseball/softball. R following articles indicates the content has been reviewed by the editorial board. O following articles indicates the content is the sole opinion of the author. Article preceded by a T + a number 1 7 indicate the article is relevant to one or more T s in our 7 T system of program design. T 1= Training Age (see above)/history T 2= Time T 5=Testing T 3= Tools T 6=Total Workload T 4= Teaching T 7=Team Position To find out more about Fit to a T program go to: conditioning library/baseball Official Publication of: Brought to you in cooperation with: NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION and NATIONAL FASTPITCH COACHES ASSOCIATION PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACHES SOCIETY

4 BERMUDA TRIANGLE OF CHRONIC SHOULDER AND ELBOW PAIN Transverse Ligament Coracoid Process Biceps Brachii (long head) Biceps Brachii (short head) Brachialis Photo 1 factor. This discussion is part 4 of a series that has described shoulder joint anatomy, good and bad rotator cuff biomechanics, and corrective exercise for subscapularis, posterior deltoid, and serratus anterior. The purpose of this article is to summarize the series and discuss safe versus risky exercises. Brachioradialis 6 Common and Very Risky Exercises Latissimus pulldowns (lats) Bench press Push ups Dips Weighted biceps curls Styloid Pull ups Process (These exercises need to be used sparingly if not completely avoided in overhead athletes) Ulna Figure 1 Medial Epicondyle Fibrous Laceratus I can t think of a faster way to create shoulder impingement in an overhead athlete than to combine the following training scenario go to the weight room and turn on the lats and pecs with bench press, lat pull downs and pull ups, then immediately go to practice and take 200 swings, throws. Why? There are three primary shoulder girdle muscles that are frequently overused relative to weaker shoulder muscles in athletes experiencing shoulder and/or elbow pathology; the anterior chest wall (pectoralis major + pectoralis minor), biceps brachii, and the latissiumus dorsi. The six listed exercises heavily recruit these muscles. Adaptive shortening of the pectoral muscles (pec major and pec minor) can pull the scapula into a forwardly rotated position which will produce a forward or rounded shoulder appearance. Pec major can also cause translation of the humeral head forward. If the translation is significant enough, the length tension relationship of subscapularis is changed. Subscapularis is the anterior aspect of the rotator cuff and it is supposed to function as the primary shoulder internal rotator The long head of the biceps enters the joint below the shoulder capsule via an extension of the synovial membrane and wraps around the anterior superior aspect of the humeral head and inserts into the labrum (the fibrocartilage ring surrounding the glenoid...see Figure 1). What this means is that the long head of the biceps can contribute to the stability of the joint but if the posterior capsule is significantly restricted, the subscapularis is dysfunctional and not able to control humeral anterior translation, the biceps will attempt to function as the rotator cuff a tremendous demand it was not designed for. If you have a biceps muscle that is trying to function as the anterior aspect of the rotator cuff, performing weighted biceps curls is going to exacerbate the problem. Anterior chest wall tightness in conjunction with a forward position of the scapula orients the humerus (arm bone) inward and increases the mechanical advantage of latissimus to assist with shoulder internal rotation. The latissimus is now recruited as a powerful internal rotator that has a more distal attachment on the neck of the humerus than the subscapularis. This leverage allows the humeral head to be pulled or translated forward as the latissimus internally rotates the shoulder; this further promotes adaptive shortening of the posterior shoulder capsule and anterior subluxation. (Photo 1 note the difference between shoulders). PAGE 2 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2

5 BERMUDA TRIANGLE OF CHRONIC SHOULDER AND ELBOW PAIN The Solution Implement a strength program that emphasizes the triceps, posterior deltoid, subscapularis, serratus anterior, and lower trapezius muscles, and a flexibility program that continually manages the length of the anterior chest wall, the latissimus, and the posterior shoulder capsule. Safe exercises that are sport specific. 1. Subscapularis isometrics (ball drops burmuta triangle article # 2) with shoulder internal/external rotation (Photos 2a and 2b). Photo 2a Photo 2b As the athlete regains strength in the subscapularis and flexibility in the gleno humeral capsule they should achieve degrees of pure internal rotation, meaning the resting position of the ball and socket is congruent and the athlete has good flexibility of the gleno humeral capsule. Now the athlete can be progressed to more sport specific shoulder activities. 2. Supine hook lying weighted triceps curls (Photos 3a and 3b). Chick HERE to see on YouTube. Figure 2 Acromion Photo 3a Photo 3b Triceps Brachii (lateral head) Triceps Brachii (long head) Olecranon Process Anconeus PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2 PAGE 3

6 BERMUDA TRIANGLE OF CHRONIC SHOULDER AND ELBOW PAIN Triceps has significant attachment to the posterior aspect of the humerus as well as the inferior aspect of the glenoid (see Figure 2). Triceps is a primary elbow extensor and shoulder extensor. An athlete needs this muscle to be strong enough to help oppose anterior translation of the humerus, by opposing the anterior chest wall and the biceps. 3. Serratus anterior facilitation Rockerboard progression The rocker board should be a precursor to a push up as well as many open chain shoulder exercises such as dumbbell shoulder press, punch matrix, etc. If your athlete can not demonstrate end range protraction ability in quadruped on a rocker board they do not have appropriate strength for a push up. During any pushing activity or arm elevating exercise an athlete should feel push power from the serratus. (Photos 4a and 4b). Look at the size of this muscle, it is comparable to the size of pec major (see Figure 3). Photo 4a Photo 4b Superior View Serratus Anterior Serratus Anterior IMA Sternoclavicular Joint Clavicle B Figure 3 A Photo 5a 4. Functional shoulder flexion/abduction (wall wash, D2 flexion, dumbbell press, etc.) Specifically a healthy shoulder should demonstrate 180 degrees of shoulder abduction as the result of 120 degrees of GH motion and 60 degrees of scapulothoracic upward rotation. 60 degrees of scapular motion is a lot. Many athletes do not have enough ST motion because they do not know how to correctly move and manipulate their scapulae with serratus anterior. (Photos 5a and 5b).Chick HERE to see on YouTube. PAGE 4 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2 Photo 5b

7 CHRONIC SHOULDER AND ELBOW PAIN / DEVELOPING THE INTANGIBLES In review and conclusion, the primary function of latissimus dorsi Photo 6a and the sternocostal head of pectoralis major is shoulder adduction and extension, in other words pull the arm down on the body or pull the body up to the arms. Throwing athletes must be able to do the exact opposite. They must fully abduct. Full shoulder flexion/abduction should be degrees. I frequently screen volleyball players that stop at degrees of flexion because the lats and pecs are that overdeveloped and tight. (Photo 6a the tight, Photo 6b the normal) This is a massive loss of functional range of motion needed for their specific sport. Photo 6b There is no way this athlete can correctly recruit posterior deltoid and the rotator cuff, specifically subscapularis, with a throwing motion. They literally can t get their arm up! Pushing a bar off a chest, pulling a bar down, pulling the body up to a bar, etc. None of these popular weight room activities resemble anything an overhead athlete must do! Why are overhead athletes performing exercises that reproduce the demands of climbing a rope or playing football?!? O More Information Please! Contact Lisa at lisa_bartels@hotmail.com References Figures 1, 2 and 3: Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System Foundations for Physical Rehabilitation, Donald A. Neumann Presents Members F rum The Coordinated Conditioning of the Latin American Baseball Player Developing the Intangibles Through Strength and Conditioning Rachel Balkovec, MS, CSCS, RSCC, Latin American Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Houston Astros Rachel Balkovec joins the Astros for her first season as strength and conditioning coach for the GCL Astros after spending the last two years with the Cardinals as the club s minor league strength and conditioning coordinator. Prior to PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2 PAGE 5

8 DEVELOPING THE INTANGIBLES THROUGH STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING her time with St. Louis, Balkovec spent the offseason as a strength and conditioning coach with the Chicago White Sox. She is the first female strength and conditioning coach in the history of professional baseball. Balkovec began her career in pro baseball with a stint as a minor league strength and conditioning coach with the Cardinals in She then went to work in marketing and promotions for Los Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League, before serving as a strength and conditioning coach with the Arizona Fall League. Balkovec also served a stint as a volunteer assistant strength and conditioning coach with Arizona State University. Balkovec graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2009 with a bachelor s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. She received her Master s degree in Sports Administration from Louisiana State University, where she also served as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning Rachel Balkovec coach. PC: What are your responsibilities of this new position as the Latin American strength and conditioning coordinator for the Houston Astros? RB: As the Latin American Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, I am responsible for the strength and conditioning of all the Latin American teams. The position was created to make the transition smoother for these players. I oversee the three teams where the coaching is the most involved and the need is the greatest. The players are 15 to 20 year olds mostly from the Dominican Republic, with Venezuelan, Panamanian, and Columbian athletes sprinkled in. These kids often come from broken homes or have a poor education. They struggle with things we take for granted like information retention and English language proficiency. My job is to assist the Major League Strength Coach and our Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator in creating a directed initiative to help these players transition to the United States. We are trying to educate these players to buy into the concept of strength and conditioning to improve their performance. This is a dream job for me. When the Astros called and asked if I wanted the job, I jumped on it! People ask if I would like to be a Major League strength coach. The answer is this: Being at the Majors would be nice someday, but I really love working with the Latin players; they have so much to learn and the experience is very rewarding. I am perfectly happy and excited with this position. It is not the physical skill that stop the Latin American players; it has more to do with the mental and emotional things going on that result in their inability to reach their full potential. PC: What is the geographic make up of the three teams? RB: The lowest level of minor league play is domestic the Gulf Coast League. I will be this team's strength coach beyond my coordinating duties. I will also travel back and forth to the Dominican Republic at our academy where there will be two additional teams and three strength coaches. PC: What is the first step you will take in organizing the program? RB: The first step is to lay the foundation of our mission statement and our core values for Latin American strength and conditioning. We do not want to stray away from the Astros mission statement on strength and conditioning, but rather to add one that is specific to this population and culture. The first step with the three strength coaches and athletic trainers is to create an intention for everything that we do. We want to develop the person from the inside out, not only on the field, but every area of their life. PC: Expand on your personal coaching philosophy. How do intangible coaching principles relate to the physical side of strength and conditioning? RB: I do not believe that if you do your carioca a certain way, you will have a better season. I do believe in making a habit of doing things the right way and being disciplined. I recently read Pete Carroll s book, Win Forever, in which he emphasized that idea that you are either competing or you are PAGE 6 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2

9 DEVELOPING THE INTANGIBLES / MOVEMENT PREP not. I follow this idea in my daily activities, including my workouts. Either you re getting better, or you re getting worse. The smallest details are important. In a running drill, are you running to the line, or cutting it short? The few inches of cutting the drill short is not the difference maker in performance, but the mental practice of doing it right every time. If you told me that my only job as a strength coach is to get an athlete stronger, I would quit. The true goal is mentoring young men and being a leader to them. I want to challenge them in ways that will serve them after baseball is done. The athlete will work harder if they are more disciplined. The physical outcome is a product of what occurs mentally. PC: What else do you focus on with the young athletes? RB: Educating players on the why is paramount. Many of these kids only go to school until they are 12. Parents push baseball more than getting a good education. We need to really educate them on the importance of physical development and taking care of their bodies even from a health and hygiene standpoint. Also, at times, we take on leadership and even parenting roles for these young athletes. We want to teach them how to be productive young men, not just good ball players. PC: Talk about your role as coordinator and getting everyone on the same page. How do you accomplish this? RB: This is my second time being hired in a coordinator position. At 28 years old, I am still learning how to be a leader. I focus on being a better leader sometimes more than I focus on the actual strength and conditioning. Involvement is key when you are young in a leadership position. In order for them to buy in and take ownership, they have to have a voice. I constantly ask what they think. I want to create an open forum, and I appreciate negative feedback because that means they are honest with me. If they give me negative feedback it means that we have created a culture of trust in which our egos are set aside and they know that I just want us to get better as a group. Getting everyone involved and asking for opinions is something I do almost to a fault. The strength coaches and athletic trainers I will be working with have been there several years. I want their ideas on how we can get on the same page. An important part of this is to involve the trainers, since we will also be working with them every day. PC: How do you create buy in with the strength coaches? RB: At times, the common practice in baseball doesn t allow for creativity at the affiliate level. What the coordinator or director writes is what is done organization wide. That model doesn t always create ownership for the minor league coaches. There is no buy in, and the players sense this. There are too many variables in baseball (such as travel and varying facilities) for the coordinator to dictate everything. The strength coach must have the freedom to change things. I do not work with the players every day, but they do. I expect the strength coaches to be involved in the programming. We start with a baseline and go from there. They have the freedom to change it because I trust them. Coach Moffitt at LSU taught me that if you are in a position to be in charge of people, you must have trust, which makes things so much easier. It is never my way or the highway. With all the travel in baseball, this trust is even more important because as coordinators we are not around the players. It is our program, not Rachel's program. This creates accountability because you hold yourself to it. It is not about set and reps it is about people. Move Information Please! Contact Rachel at Rachel@damselinthdugout.com Damsel In The Dugout: Empowerment Through Athletics! Please visit my website for further information about my journey and vision: damselinthedugout.com Movement Prep to Movement Skills Before Muscle Training Dr. Michelle Feairheller MPT, DPT, OCS, CSCS Michelle is the director of the Adolescent Sports Medicine Program at Kinetic Physical Therapy in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Scranton and is a multi sport athlete at the international level. The Adolescent Sports Medicine Program at Kinetic Physical Therapy focuses on injury rehabilitation and prevention, return to sport, and performance enhancement with a special emphasis on the principles of adolescent growth and development. The program was designed by a multidisciplinary team utilizing an evidence based approach to evaluate and treat the young athlete. Michelle has a special interest in educating athletes, parents, coaches, and the community on appropriate strength, conditioning, and injury prevention for young athletes. Please contact Michelle at michellef@kineticptpa.com or with questions. Check out our website at PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2 PAGE 7

10 MOVEMENT PREP TO MOVEMENT SKILLS BEFORE MUSCLE TRAINING W BGN hat is the difference between athletes who are successful at the collegiate and professional INT levels versus athletes who reach their maximum potential in high school? Long term ADV success is most certainly connected to moving better and having good functional strength. Although some athletes may be gifted with natural talent, they often reach their peak early. They may retire from their sport due to injury or losing their spot to a bigger, faster, stronger, or more skilled teammate. If athletes are attempting to progress to the collegiate level, they far too often do not have the movement skills and exercise technique necessary to succeed, requiring them to be sidelined or red shirted their freshman athletic season. Learning to move is vital to an athlete s success at higher levels and learning how to train movement properly is not only necessary but is paramount to a successful and long athletic career. Proper movement patterns are skills we master as infants and small children. If you have spent time around young kids, watch their innate ability to maintain a deep squat position for extended periods of time while reaching and playing. They can easily pull or push their body to a standing position and can regain stability after a wobble often easier than adults. It isn t until adolescence that we begin to lose these abilities we once had. These skills can be trained and should be achieved successfully prior to mastering sport specific skills. Unfortunately, the focus on adolescence is placed on skill development and often significant asymmetries may form as a result. The longer these asymmetries are present, the harder they become to correct as these habits become well ingrained in our movement patterns. When trying to integrate functional movement patterns into the routine of a young athlete, don t hesitate to return to the basics such as crawling, rolling, deep stooping, Dr. Michelle Feairheller and skipping. Below you will find some suggestions to address movement before muscle as a functional movement training integration strategy in the young athlete to prepare them for higher level athletic participation. 1. Master body weight exercises prior to weight training Athletes of all ages, especially young athletes, should practice good quality movement patterns without weight prior to adding any resistance. Knee control in all planes, postural awareness, scapular control, and core activation are the most important components to achieving improved body awareness and mechanics with functional movement pattern training. The athlete and observer (parent, coach, personal trainer, training partner) should be aware of key points during each movement to execute the movement properly and effectively. A mirror is often helpful initially to observe for faulty mechanics. Ideally, body awareness should be good enough that it is not necessary to rely on the mirror for feedback as this demonstrates improved readiness to participate in a functional strength training program. These are a few of the basic movement patterns that should be mastered prior to increasing the difficulty of a functional movement or strength training program: 1. Prone and side plank (static hold) with good form and endurance 2. Push up with good core control 3. Double and single leg squat 4. Single leg balance (eyes open and eyes closed) 5. Lunge 6. Pull up 2. Movement Prep: Achieve adequate flexibility and mobility for your sport It is absolutely necessary for all athletes, especially young athletes, to build a foundation prior to initiating a strength training program. Athletes are rapidly growing, placing increased strain on their growth plates and joints. Between the ages of 9 12, growth plate injuries are the most commonly seen injury. Although it is often assumed these injuries are traumatic in nature (which many are), a lack of flexibility and strength places increased strain on these growth centers, making them more susceptible to trauma when it does occur. A phase of rapid growth occurs between the ages of 10 15, in females prior to males, with steady growth prior to this and a gradual decline after this. Since bone growth occurs first, muscle flexibility struggles to keep up, unless flexibility is a priority (which it usually is not). If you then attempt to start a functional training or strength training program, form and body mechanics may suffer, causing injury to the compromised joints. For young athletes between the ages of 5 9, the focus should be on achieving adequate mobility and flexibility with the gradual development of agility, speed, strength, and power. Strength development becomes most important for athletes between the ages of with continued focus on mobility and transition to sport specific skills. The development of functional movement patterns is necessary prior to progressing to strength training to decrease the risk of injury. When implementing flexibility and mobility exercises into a training program, you must take into consideration the specific demands of the sport and the athlete. For example, a gymnast should have phenomenal flexibility and mobility, however if they do not, this can lead to tremendous faulty movement patterns. An ice hockey player should also have good flexibility and joint mobility however they are much more likely to have asymmetries. Ice hockey is an asymmetrical rotational sport, requiring rotation to one side more than the other. If this is not addressed, injuries such as sports hernias or hip labral tears may occur. Hip and trunk flexibility and mobility exercises should be the focus of a training program for the hockey player to avoid overuse type injuries. These demands are very different when compared to a cross country runner or endurance based athlete where straight plane flexibility is more important than multi directional mobility. Below you will find an example of 5 good general mobility exercises for high school athletes. PAGE 8 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2

11 MOVEMENT PREP TO MOVEMENT SKILLS BEFORE MUSCLE TRAINING Top 5 general mobility exercises: Thoracic Spine Rotation Start on your hands and knees with your elbow bent and hand behind your head. Take a deep breath and on the exhale, gently rotate up towards the bent elbow until a gentle stretch is felt in your upper back. Rotate from your spine without over rotating from your shoulder. Repeat 10 times each side. Pigeon Stretch Start positioned with one leg in front of the other with front knee bent and back leg straight while face down on forearms. Gently lean trunk forward. If you don t feel a good stretch, move front leg into figure 4 position further away from your body. Then lean forward onto your front leg to increase the stretch. Hold 30 seconds, 3 times each. Kneeling Hip Flexor Couch Stretch Start on hands and knees and place your foot up against a wall, box, or couch. If you are on hard floor, place a mat or pillow under your knee. Bring your other leg up in front of you for support. If you are already feeling a strong stretch, squeeze your glute hard, drive the front of your hip towards the ground, and hold this position for 1 minute. If not, lift up your torso with your glute still engaged. Hold this position for 1 minute. If you still do not feel a good stretch, bring your torso completely upright (with your glute and abdominals engaged) until your glute is flush with your heel. Hold for 1 minute. Hamstring Floss with Mobility Band Wrap a mobility band around the upper most portion of your right thigh and face away from the attachment site. Walk forward to create tension in the band. Position your right leg slightly more forward than your left. Fold forward from the hips, keeping your back flat and your belly tight. If you can t reach the ground without rounding your back, position a box or bench in front of you. Straighten out your leg and drive your hips back. Keep your weight on your heel and bend your knee. Continue straightening and bending times. Complete on both sides or only your involved leg as instructed. Pec Smash Take a tennis or lacrosse ball and place it between your chest and a wall. Lean into the wall so ball pushes into chest. The ball should be positioned in a sensitive location. Gently tilt head away from the ball. Reach your arm gently backwards so palm is nearly facing the floor. Slowly rotate arm between a palms up and down position. Repeat for 2 minutes on each side. PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2 PAGE 9

12 MOVEMENT PREP TO MOVEMENT SKILLS BEFORE MUSCLE TRAINING 3. Movement Prep: Focus on dynamic balance and stability The core consists of the muscle groups throughout the front and back of the abdomen, chest, hips, and shoulders. Without good core muscle activation, we cannot safely complete activities such as kicking a ball, sprinting, changing direction, or squatting. All well controlled movements are initiated from proper core stability. If the core muscles are not activated correctly, it is very difficult to properly perform movements, especially complex movements required for sport or for strength training such as heavy weighted squats. For example if an athlete cannot control their core during a push up, their low back will sag which will cause compensatory changes throughout the back, neck, and shoulders. Proper push up form therefore cannot be achieved. A strong core has to be the foundation for good movement. Without core development and strength it s like building the foundation of your house on sand as the waves of a hurricane are crashing upon the house. If adequate core stability is achieved at a young age, this may prevent back and neck pain throughout the remainder of the athlete s life. The core is not effectively strengthened via sit ups for example and should include correct activation of the transversus abdominis to protect the spine during weight training especially when bending, lifting, or twisting. Gaining functional activation of the core, glutes, and scapular stabilizers is the key component to beginning a functional movement training pattern. This is often the missing link in training programs at the high school level. As a result, the collegiate level strength and conditioning coach must often start from scratch when working to develop appropriate strength and conditioning in a freshman athlete. Weight as well as the complexity of exercises should not be progressed until body weight dynamic stability exercises can be completed with good control and form. Here are a few general stability exercises that should be mastered prior to progressing to more difficult functional movement patterns: Top 5 general stability exercises: Scapular Swimmers Lie on your stomach with 2 small cones, cups, or objects at shoulder height and a small towel roll under your forehead. Start with your arms by your side, palms facing the floor. Pinch your shoulder blades down and in without hiking shoulders up towards your ears. Move your arms slowly from down by your side to up overhead while maintaining a good shoulder blade pinched position. Once your arms are overhead, reverse the motion, moving your arms back down to your side. Continue this for 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat 3 5 cycles or until fatigue. Scap Push ups Start in a push up position. Draw the back of your head up towards the ceiling into a chin tuck. Pinch shoulder blades together and draw them downward. Pause for 3 seconds. Do not let your low back arch. Reach your chest away from the floor to round shoulders. Pause for 3 seconds. Your mid back should not hunch the movement should only come from your shoulder blades. Complete 3x10. Tall Kneeling Chops Start in a half kneeling position with cable column handle, tubing or a medicine ball in your hands. Make sure tubing is securely attached high towards standing head height. Keep abs tight and chest upright. Pull tubing from high to low, pausing at chest height. Do not hold your breath. Slowly return to the starting position, stopping at chest height again. Repeat times. PAGE 10 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2

13 MOVEMENT PREP TO MOVEMENT SKILLS BEFORE MUSCLE TRAINING Lateral Band Walks Keep abs tight by gently drawing belly button up and in. Maintain good posture with a resistance band around your knees. Sit hips down and back into a small squat. Rotate knees out into the band and hold them there throughout the exercise. Take small steps to the side. Try to keep tension on the band. Don t lean to the side as you move. Repeat 20 steps to the right and then 20 steps to the left x 3 laps. Clocks Stand on one foot in a squat position (sit hips backwards with chest up). Maintain good upright posture with abdominals drawn tight. Imagine you are standing on a clock. Slide your other foot to tap the numbers on half of a clock. If you are standing on your left leg, move your right foot forwards towards 12 o clock, back to midline, to 1 o clock, back to midline, etc until you slide from 12 o clock to 7 o clock. Your bent knee should stay pointing forward at all times (do not let it turn inwards) and should not come forward past your toes. Repeat standing on the right leg and moving your left leg from 12 o clock backwards through 5 o clock. Repeat 5 10 cycles on each leg. This is best done on a hardwood or tile floor in socks. If you do not have access, use sliders or pick up your foot, tapping it on each number. 4. Start young (although it s never too late) and go back to the basics As previously stated, if you can start a functional movement training program before an athlete goes through puberty, the results will be more substantial and completed in a more time efficient manner. The athlete may spend less time in a lean and lanky state with poor body control and they will also develop movement confidence sooner than their teammates. Depending upon the athlete, their sport, and their level of body awareness, it may be beneficial to find out some general information on their growth and development. Many infants skip crawling, transitioning directly from scooting right to walking. Unfortunately this is not ideal for their motor development as crawling is a vital skill that must be mastered. Go back to the basics and teach your athlete how to crawl reciprocally, bear crawl, roll, skip, and gallop. Often the development of their core control, balance, vision, and body awareness is affected by these skills. You will be surprised how many athletes cannot master these skills easily. Another example of functional movement training is the Turkish Get Up. Diamond Link: Click HERE for how to. Try it and see if you can achieve these skills successfully! 5. Do not neglect functional movement training throughout the season Functional movement patterns are safe to be completed at any point in the season (pre season, in season, and off season) and they should be an important part of training all year long. Although functional movement patterns and functional exercises can cause muscle fatigue and soreness just like any other training program, appropriate muscle activation and control can be lost with rest. These exercises are most effective when completed as part of a gym training program but can be completed after practice as well. Adjust the number of repetitions and sets based on the athlete s ability to maintain good form. Remember, if you don t use it, you lose it! Be consistent with functional movement pattern training and huge gains in control and strength will be evident during sport specific activities. In order to maximize the potential and longevity as a high level athlete and beyond, it is necessary to develop good quality functional movement patterns. Good functional movement patterns and strength are important to ensure good body awareness, speed, agility, strength, balance, and to decrease the chance of injury at the high school, collegiate level, and beyond. If an athlete reaches the collegiate level, they must have a sound foundation in strength and stability to complete a higher level strength training program. When this foundation is not present, the athlete often must be red shirted for a season to develop in the weight room. To avoid this, an athlete can address asymmetries and deficits in functional movement patterns prior to entering college. This will help them develop as an athlete both on and off the field to ensure improvements in performance which will automatically occur with improvements in functional movement, control, and symmetry. O PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2 PAGE 11

14 MEDICINE BALL LEG STRENGTH EXERCISES Exercise Menu Builder Medicine Ball Leg Strength Exercises Medicine Ball Single leg Squat a. Grasp med ball with both hands and place on the neck. b. Balance on one foot. c. Lower body as much as possible without losing balance. d. Keep other leg extended out front. e. Make sure balancing foot stays flat on the floor, and knee stays over the toes throughout lift. f. Maintain a tight abdomen and neutral back throughout the lift. Click HERE Medicine Ball Lateral Lunge a. Grasp med ball with both hands and place over head, feet shoulder width apart. b. Step sideways far enough to allow knees to extend over the toes, but not beyond. c. Trail leg remains straight with ball of the foot in contact with the floor. Click HERE Medicine Ball Giant Circles with Squat a. Start with the ball located at the waist, feet positioned approximately shoulder width apart, and the toes angled slightly outward. b. Rotate the ball in a giant circle squatting as the ball moves towards the floor. Make sure the knees track the toes during the squatting movement by keeping the knees directly above the feet avoiding knockknee. c. Keep the low back locked in with the core tight. The body will follow the ball as it transitions upward until the ball is directly above the head with arms fully extended. d. Repeat for desired number of repetitions before changing directions to the other side and repeat the same number of repetitions. Click HERE PAGE 12 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL, VOLUME 15, NUMBER 2

15 PERFORMANCE CONDITIONING BASEBALL/SOFTBALL EDITORIAL BOARD SENIOR EDITORS Gene Coleman, Ed.D., RSCC E, FACSM Professor of Exercise and Health Science, University of Houston Clear Lake Strength and Conditioning Consultant, Texas Rangers Frank Velasquez Former Strength & Conditioning Coach, Pittsburgh Pirates ATHLETIC SKILL DEVELOPMENT speed/acceleration agility mobility footwork recovery eye/hand coordination READING RESEARCH EFFECTS OF THREE RECOVERY PROTOCOLS ON RANGE OF MOTION Reading Research: Effects of Three Recovery Protocols on Range of Motion, Heart Rate, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Blood Lactate in Baseball Pitchers During a Simulated Game Warren, Courtney D. 1 ; Szymanski, David J. 2 ; Landers, Merrill R. 3 Abstract Warren, CD, Szymanski, DJ, and Landers, MR. Effects of three recovery protocols on range of motion, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and blood lactate in baseball pitchers during a simulated game. J Strength Cond Res 29(11): , 2015 Baseball pitching has been described as an anaerobic activity from a bioenergetics standpoint with short bouts of recovery. Depending on the physical conditioning and muscle fiber composition of the pitcher as well as the number of pitches thrown per inning and per game, there is the possibility of pitchers fatiguing during a game, which could lead to a decrease in pitching performance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 3 recovery protocols: passive recovery, active recovery (AR), and electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) on range of motion (ROM), heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and blood lactate concentration in baseball pitchers during a simulated game. Twenty one Division I intercollegiate baseball pitchers (age = 20.4 ± 1.4 years; height = ± 8.4 cm; weight = 86.5 ± 8.9 kg; percent body fat = 11.2 ± 2.6) volunteered to pitch 3 simulated 5 inning games, with a maximum of 70 fastballs thrown per game while wearing an HR monitor. Range of motion was measured pre, post, and 24 hours postpitching for shoulder internal and external rotation at 90 and elbow flexion and extension. Heart rate was recorded after each pitch and after every 30 seconds of the 6 minute recovery period. Rating of perceived exertion was recorded after the last pitch of each inning and after completing each 6 minute recovery period. Immediately after throwing the last pitch of each inning, postpitching blood lactate concentration (PPLa ) was measured. At the end of the 6 minute recovery period, before the next inning started, postrecovery blood lactate concentration (PRLa ) was measured. Pitchers were instructed to throw each pitch at or above 95% of their best pitched fastball. This was enforced to ensure that each pitcher was throwing close to maximal effort for all 3 simulated games. All data presented represent group mean values. Results revealed that the method of recovery protocol did not significantly influence ROM (p > 0.05); however, it did significantly influence blood lactate concentration (p < 0.001), HR (p < 0.001), and RPE (p = 0.01). Blood lactate concentration significantly decreased from postpitching to postrecovery in the EMS recovery condition (p < 0.001), but did not change for either the active (p = 0.04) or the passive (p = 0.684) recovery conditions. Rating of perceived exertion decreased from the postpitching to postrecovery in both the passive and EMS recovery methods (p < 0.001), but did not decrease for AR (p = 0.067). Heart rate decreased for all conditions from postpitching to postrecovery (p < 0.001). The use of EMS was the most effective method at reducing blood lactate concentration after 6 minutes of recovery during a simulated game (controlled setting). Although EMS significantly reduced blood lactate concentrations after recovery, blood lactate concentrations after pitching in the simulated games were never high enough to cause skeletal muscle fatigue and decrease pitching velocity. If a pitcher were to throw more than 14 pitches per inning, throw more total pitches than normal per game, and have blood lactate concentrations increase higher than in the simulated games in this study, the EMS recovery protocol may be beneficial to pitching performance by aiding recovery. This could potentially reduce some injuries associated with skeletal muscle fatigue during pitching, may allow a pitcher throw more pitches per game, and may reduce the number of days between pitching appearances. R Copyright 2015 by the National Strength & Conditioning Association. Moving? Subscription Question(s)? Write: Performance Conditioning Baseball/Softball, PO Box 6835, Lincoln, NE Call: e mail: condpress@aol.com arm velocity rotational as well as general stability/ balance and explosive power Frank Velasquez Former Strength & Conditioning Coach Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh, PA SPORTS SKILL DEVELOPMENT base stealing/running hitting fielding throwing/pitching catching Rhonda Revelle Head Softball Coach University of Nebraska Lincoln, NE Carol Bruggeman Head Softball Coach University of Purdue West Lafayette, IN Iran Novick Head Baseball Coach El Dorado High School Placentia, CA NUTRITION Michele Macedonio R.D. Editor Pulse Nutrition Newsletter Loveland, OH INJURY PREVENTION Joan Scherbring A.T.,C. Head Softball Coach/Athletic Trainer Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE Sharon Panske A.T.,C. Head Softball Coach/Athletic Trainer University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI SUPPORT SCIENCES Vision Mechanics Mental Dr. Gene Coleman Conditioning Coach, Houston Astros Houston, TX STAFF Ken Kontor CAE, C.S.C.S. Publisher Ann Kontor Editor, Proofreader Joe Kontor Office Manager, Layout & Design PUBLISHING STATEMENT Performance Conditioning for Baseball/ Softball Newsletter (ISSN ) is published 7 times a year, August/September, October/November, December/January, February, March, April/May, June/July, in cooperation with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and the National High School Baseball Coaches Association by Performance Conditioning, Inc., Ken Kontor CAE, C.S.C.S., publisher. Subscription price $29 per year, $26 for coaches and athletes in U.S. Canada add $5, other countries add $10. U.S. funds only for all transactions. NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS: Credit card orders only dial or order by check or money order to P.O. Box 6835, Lincoln, NE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND EDITO RIAL OFFICES: POSTMASTER Send address changes to Performance Conditioning Baseball/Softball Newsletter P.O. Box 6835, Lincoln, NE This newsletter is intended to provide general information and is not intended to provide individual conditioning and/or medical advice. Any individual should consult with his or her physician or trainer to determine if these methods are appropriate. Performance Conditioning, Inc All rights reserved.

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