Dr. James Andrews is a world famous sports orthopedic surgeon who, in this interview, weighs in on the current state of competitive youth sports. Dr. Andrews brings up some very disturbing trends in youth sports including the rise in injuries and coaches trapping athletes into playing one sport all year round.
Read MoreIf we haven’t made it clear enough, strength training is NOT OPTIONAL if you want to be a serious softball player, especially if you have aspirations of playing in college. I’ve also lived through a teenaged softball career, and I remember clearly how busy I often felt and how when I was feeling overwhelmed, the workout was often the first thing to go. Though it’s a little late for my pitching career, I’m now working out more than ever, and I’ve come up with a simple little system that keeps me from slacking off.
Read MoreAs spring approaches, many of my athletes are worried about ‘how much running’ their coaches will have them do during tryouts. As a former athlete, I remember this fear all to well. What do the mile-run or post-practice conditioning have to do with a speed and power sport like softball? Coaches, are preseason fitness tests hurting your athletes?
Read MoreIn this week’s video blog, I explain why Olympic lifts are extremely beneficial and safe for softball athletes when coached correctly. I’ve also included a video from the UMass Lowell softball team’s off season workouts. This is the best collegiate softball training video I’ve seen to date.
Read MorePoor exercise technique can contribute to poor hitting and pitching habits. In these videos, I explain how to correctly perform medicine ball exercises to improve hitting and pitching power while also reinforcing proper hitting and pitching mechanics.
Read MorePut down the tubing and light dumbbells. In these two videos, I explain why old school exercises like pull ups and rows are the best upper body exercises to reduce softball shoulder injuries.
Read MoreOne of the main concerns young females have about starting a lifting program is that they will get “bulky”. To be clear, lifting weights does not make you bulky. However, I know it’s going to take a lot more than me saying it to convince hundreds of female readers that it’s true. Maybe a message from Miss America 2013 will help?
Read MoreFemales tend to be more flexible than males which makes stability training an specific consideration for female strength and conditioning programs. In these videos, I explain and demonstrate stability exercises for a critical area of the body: the hips.
Read MoreOver the past few weeks, many Fastpitch Power followers have demonstrated their support for our website. Knowing this, I’m still deciding to change the format of my posts in 2013. I explain exactly why in this week’s video and kick start this new style of content with three videos that reveal a VERY different perspective on core training.
Read MoreThinking of going for a run to stay in shape? Think again. Running is not the best option for softball athletes! Here is a better strategy to create more complete, effective softball conditioning workouts and three example routines.
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