Ah, crow hopping. This topic has been causing frustration and controversy among windmill pitchers, softball coaches, parents, and probably umpires for years. MANY pitchers—even many elite pitchers, some of whom you may have seen on television—do it, yet it’s illegal according to the rules of fastpitch softball. Over the next two posts, I’m going to talk a bit about what crow hopping is, what causes it, and how to fix it.
Read MoreSoftball pitching performance is determined by a combination of technical mastery and physical development. In this post, I unveil the physical contributors to softball pitching performance according to recent research. You will learn which muscles to strengthen to improve pitching velocity, and the exercise principles you must consider when designing softball specific workouts.
Read MoreIn this video, I explain and demonstrate proper technique for throwing medicine balls to improve pitching performance. Simply twisting and throwing heavy medicine balls is not enough to improve pitching-specific capacity. These exercises should reinforce proper pitching mechanics, and improve pitching-specific mechanics that many young pitchers struggle to command.
Read MoreDoes your pitcher seem to lack extension or power as she drives away from the rubber? In these videos, Joe explains how lack of strength and flexibility contribute to poor execution and acquisition of drive through mechanics, and demonstrates four exercises that every pitcher can benefit from.
Read MoreIf you’re a female athlete, parent, or coach, this post should scare you. Females inherit a number of physical deficits that predispose them to sports-related injuries. These deficits manifest during puberty, which is also a time when sports responsibilities tend to increase. Here is a review of what adolescent females must overcome if they want to reach their athletic potential, while avoiding major or chronic injuries.
Read MoreThe technical aspects of the skills involved in fastpitch softball have been studied and developed for a very long time. Yet with all we know now about biomechanics and the development of athletes, I still don’t think there is a great enough emphasis on strength and conditioning, more importantly the RIGHT kind of strength and conditioning, among pre-college softball players. I hear a lot of questions along the lines of, “What can my daughter do to strengthen her throwing arm?” My short answer to that is NOTHING, specifically. A lot of people fall into the trap of trying to strengthen the individual parts of their bodies that they believe are most integral to whatever they’re trying to do. Really though, whenever you focus your workouts on only one or two areas of concern, particularly when those areas may already be overdeveloped from the natural imbalances that occur from playing a sport, you’re asking for trouble. To achieve your maximum potential as a softball player or as an athlete of any sport, it is absolutely critical to strengthen your entire body, including the parts that you may think you don’t really need to use. And to train effectively, it is ESSENTIAL to be evaluated by a strength and conditioning professional.
Read MoreAs the high school season comes to an end, summer travel teams are ramping up. In order to keep your throwing shoulder healthy thoughout the season, you must be PROACTIVE, continuing to keep your shoulder loose and strong before and after you pitch. In my last post, I demonstrated self-massage exercises that you can do if you have two tennis balls and a softball. In this week’s video, I give you my 4 favorite shoulder strengthening exercises that combat the fatigue you accumulate over your season.
Read MoreIn this post, I demonstrate a two-circuit, total body workout using only Valslides, a Cook Band, and your own bodyweight. This routine can be done at home, in a hotel when traveling, or you can take theses portable pieces of equipment to your gym. Throughout the videos, I explain the softball-specific and female-specific physical benefits of each exercise.
Read MoreHow exactly does a strong core allow you to track properly and throw harder? In these two videos, I continue to define how the core muscles contribute to softball pitching performance and demonstrate three exercises using the Valslide that reinforce pitching specific core control.
Read MoreIn this week’s video, I explain in more detail the role of the core muscles in maintaining optimal posture throughout the windmill pitching delivery. I redefine what “the core” is and demonstrate why old fashioned exercises like sit ups and crunches are a BAD choice for softball pitchers. I also give you three pitching specific, KILLER core exercise progressions.
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