I received an email recently from a coach asking me to clarify my recommendations for upper body strength training for softball players. Specifically, he wanted to know how many sets and repetitions of exercises like push ups, pull ups, and rows his athletes should be completing. I think week’s article, I give you my response.
Read MoreLessons on success, my biggest regret as a ball player, and how sports can prepare you for a great life after your final game.
Read MoreThis week I’m forwarding you to an absolutely awesome article. To be completely transparent, I know who “holds the deck” when it comes to youth athletic development: college coaches. So, when a group of coaches publicly sound off on what they look for in prospective student-athletes, I think it’s fair you might want to take a look.
Read MoreIn this week’s video, I review a new research study whose authors examined the relationship between performance in core stability exercises and shoulder dysfunction in collegiate overhead athletes. In this video, I summarize and clarify the important take-away messages from the results of this study and hope to show trainers how to read research a little more carefully in order not to jump to one way conclusions.
Read MoreA real issue many athletes face during the season is playing through pain or with minor injuries. In this video, I demonstrate an exercise routine for athletes (and parents) with back pain. At best, it addresses specific issues that could be contributing to your pain. At least, it is a total body workout you can do at home or at the gym to stay active and fit in case you need to take time off from softball.
Read MoreEveryone wants to eat healthier, but following a diet is rarely fun or practical. Healthy diet decisions become more difficult during the softball season when teams have to travel and make pit-stops at “quick and easy” restaurants. In this week’s video, I show you different ways to upgrade your diet, from THE EASIEST way to monitor what and how much you are eating to THE SIMPLEST action steps that you can start using today.
Read MoreWhen I moved to Westchester, New York in 2009, I thought youth “sport specialization” was an issue exclusive to affluent communities where parents could afford the travel and private “tutoring” of athletes. Either I was wrong, or this problem has incomprehensibly metastasized across the country since. This week, I’m forwarding you to a must-read article on this subject and its hard, cold consequences for adolescents.
Read MoreThis week, I continue my theme of in-season exercise ideas for softball players and teams. In this video, I explain and demonstrate a routine of exercises to warm up the shoulder properly before practices, games, and pitching lessons. More important than the exercises is the message of this video: begin to install more stability or strengthening exercises into your warm ups in lieu of half-focused jogging and “stretching”.
Read MoreThis week I’m sharing an article from U.S. News regarding the benefits of lifting weights for females. Honestly, I know this is a softball training site and I try my best to tailor my advice to the goals of a softball player. However, I haven’t emphasized enough that strength training is not just for young athletes; it’s a cornerstone for a fit, healthy body.
Read MoreAs a follow up to last week’s in-season team conditioning video, here is an in-season softball team strength training workout. This workout is space efficient, time efficient, and requires two pieces of equipment, your body and a Cook Band.
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