An EXTREMELY common question I hear from parents of new young pitchers is, “How often should my daughter pitch? How many pitches should she throw?” You may have started noticing a pattern in my answers to these types of questions: there is no “right answer” or solid number I can give you that works for everyone. There are, however, guidelines you should take into account, and that’s what we’re going to discuss today.
Read MoreMake this fall and winter a proactive off-season! If your arm was hanging this summer, if you had to miss games because of shoulder pain, you can take action this winter to get your arm feeling better than it ever has. Here is my five step plan shoulder and elbow injury prevention plan for softball players.
Read MoreIt’s no secret that windmill pitching is not easy. It requires not only a tremendous amount of practice and aptitude for the skill, but also a tremendous amount of strength and stability. Core strength is something that is lacking in many—if not most—young female pitchers, yet it is absolutely essential to pitching with sound mechanics.
Read MoreHow much softball is too much? Does your daughter play all year round along with other seasonal sports? This type of schedule might enhance skills temporarily but ultimately will lead to overuse either physically or mentally. I’m not going to convince too many parents that they should give their daughter some time off, but I can do my best to help athletes stay healthy and prevent injuries if they are playing all year round. Here are a few examples of at-home workouts that give you NO EXCUSE not to start an exercise program as soon as possible!
Read MorePreparation for the spring season starts NOW. Here is a five-month leg strength development program for middle school and high school softball players. It requires only the athlete’s bodyweight and one additional piece of equipment that can be purchased through our store.
Read MoreHow do you warm up? Do you jog out to the fence and back? Follow that up with toe touches and shoulder circles? If that’s the case you are under-preparing your body, and seriously undermining your performance. Warming up might be the last thing you want to spend time on (that goes for you too, coaches), but I’m here to demonstrate how you can literally turbo-charge your athletes in just ten minutes.
Read MoreDo you need to improve your flexibility? Could you actually be TOO flexibile? This week I’m offering a free assessment and exercise plan for anyone who submits their video of this simple, three-exercise test!
Read MoreWhat upper body exercises are safe for softball players? In this post, Joe explains which exercises are the safest and most effective for building upper body strength.
Read MoreAre you looking for a softball specific workout? What exactly do you think makes a workout softball specific? In this post, Joe explains how some “sport specific” exercises are not the best choice for athletes and will actually lead to worse performance on the field.
Read MoreHave you ever watched an amazing athlete and thought “Wow, it looks like they’re not even trying”? Or have you seen a pitcher who looks completely relaxed even though she’s delivering a 65mph fastball? Using a simple analogy, Joe will explain how and why this happens. He will also describe how athletes and coaches should design strength training programs to promote effortless, optimal performance.
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