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All the way back in 2011, I wrote up a detailed article about the New Balance Minimus, a shoe that had just been released and really caught my attention as the best option in a sea of minimalist sneakers that had flooded the market. That review - alongside my work with professional baseball players - actually led to a consulting deal with New Balance, and it's been a great partnership for the past nine years.
One of the biggest initiatives as part of that collaborative relationship was to find ways to continually improve the Minimus. Over the years, Cressey Sports Performance's staff and athletes have provided regular feedback to New Balance to fine-tune the designs. Those collaborations led to the release of the limited edition Minimus 20v6 Cressey Trainer in 2017. It sold out in a matter of days - and we've had people asked for a new CSP Minimus every day for years.
Well, we're happy to announce that we've come through for you. The Minimus Prevail CSP is now available for sale:
This is a very limited edition shoe; only about 1,000 pairs were produced. With that in mind, if you'd like to pick up a pair, don't delay! You can check them out at the following links:
In the United States: https://www.newbalance.com/pd/minimus-prevail-csp/MXMPV1-32159-M.html#style=MXMPCSP&width=D
In Canada, they'll be available at http://www.NewBalance.ca and in select Canadian New Balance stores on February 1, so keep an eye out.
We hope you like them! Thanks for your continued support of Cressey Sports Performance!
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Here's a little recommended reading and listening from around the 'Net:
How to Talk to Your Clients About the Latest Netflix Nutrition Documentary - Julia Malacoff wrote up this excellent article for Precision Nutrition. It's a topic that has come up quite a bit around our facility of late, so I was glad to see PN cover it in great detail.
3 Reasons Why I Choose to Treat PT Clients in the Midst of a Busy Gym - This was a guest post from Andrew Millett, who works as a physical therapist at our Massachusetts facility.
Physical Preparation Podcast with Radley Haddad - Radley Haddad is the Major League Coaching Assistant and Bullpen Catcher for the New York Yankees, and a retired CSP athlete who also trained with Mike at IFAST. I especially liked his insights on the transition from playing to coaching, and the importance of using data not just to help athletes learn how they can better, but verify why they performed successfully.
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I just wanted to give you a heads-up on one-day seminar with me in Kansas City Saturday, August 22, 2020. Important note: this is a reschedule of the event that was originally planned for April 18.
We’ll be spending the day geeking out on shoulders, as the event will cover Shoulder Assessment, Corrective Exercise, and Programming. The event will be geared toward personal trainers, strength and conditioning professionals, rehabilitation specialists, and fitness enthusiasts alike.
Agenda
9:00AM-9:30AM – Inefficiency vs. Pathology (Lecture)
9:30AM-10:15AM – Understanding Common Shoulder Injuries and Conditions (Lecture)
10:15AM-10:30AM – Break
10:30AM-12:30PM – Upper Extremity Assessment (Lab)
12:30PM-1:30PM – Lunch
1:30PM-3:30PM – Upper Extremity Mobility/Activation/Strength Drills (Lab)
3:30PM-3:45PM – Break
3:45PM-4:45PM – Upper Extremity Strength and Conditioning Programming: What Really Is Appropriate? (Lecture)
4:45PM-5:00PM – Q&A to Wrap Up
Location
Elite Sports Mall
2115 East Kansas City Road
Olathe, KS
Continuing Education Credits
This event has been approved for 0.7 CEUs (7 contact hours) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Cost: $149.99 Early Bird (through July 22), $199 Regular (after July 22)
Note: we'll be capping the number of participants to ensure that there is a lot of presenter/attendee interaction - particularly during the hands-on workshop portion - so be sure to register early, as previous offerings of this evan have sold out well in advance of the early-bird registration deadline.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Questions? Please email ec@ericcressey.com. |
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We're excited to welcome Dr. Greg Rose to this week's podcast to talk about evaluating and training rotational power across multiple sports. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 20-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens. It’s an all-in-one superfood supplement with 75 whole-food sourced ingredients designed to support your body’s nutrition needs across 5 critical areas of health: 1) energy, 2) immunity, 3) gut health, 4) hormonal support, and 5) healthy aging. Head to www.AthleticGreens.com/cressey and claim my special offer today - 20 FREE travel packs (valued at $79) - with your first purchase. I use this product daily myself and highly recommend it to our athletes as well. I'd encourage you to give it a shot, too - especially with this great offer.
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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For this week's podcast, in lieu of a guest, I'm going to do a Q&A on a collection of baseball training questions that were submitted by listeners.
A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Rawlings. We've got an awesome new partnership in place between Rawlings and Cressey Sports Performance, and they've set up a 20% off discount code on select products for our listeners. Just head to www.Rawlings.com and enter coupon code CRESSEY20 and you'll receive 20% off on your order. Certain items are excluded, but there's still a ton of great baseball training gear to make you a better player and coach.
Show Outline
- What the high-low model is and how can pitchers optimize their training on a 7-day rotation
- What the specific considerations are when looking to implement blood flow restriction techniques into training and rehabilitating throwing athletes
- What different demands sidearm and submarine pitchers impose on their body compared to more traditional, over-the-top pitchers, and how should these unique throwers adjust their training strategies to address these specific differences
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Rawlings. If you want to develop faster, and train better, you need the best gear. Well, we have some good news for you. The #1 baseball brand in the world, Rawlings, has partnered with Cressey Sports Performance to make getting the best training gear for you more affordable. Simply head to www.Rawlings.com and use the code, CRESSEY20, at checkout and you’ll save 20% off your order! This offer is only valid on select items, but there’s a ton of great gear you’ll save 20% on that will help you become a better player, so shop now!
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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Registration is now open for the 2020 Cressey Sports Performance Collegiate Elite Baseball Development Program. This event takes place at our Hudson, MA facility, and runs from 6/1/20 through 8/8/20.
This will be the fourth year we've run the program, and each year, we've had pitchers move to Massachusetts from all around the country. This summer, we anticipate another awesome collection of motivated athletes who'll push each other to get better in conjunction with the same training opportunities and expertise we provide to our professional athletes.
This program is a good fit for pitchers who need to prioritize development over just getting innings or exposure. In other words, it's a suitable replacement for those who still need to throw, but also need to gain 20 pounds, learn a new pitch, sort out old aches and pains, or improve their mobility.
Each athlete will begin with a thorough initial movement and pitching assessment that will set the stage for individualized strength and conditioning and throwing programs, respectively. These programs correspond to six days a week of training. Generally, four of the six training days per week are double sessions, with throwing in the morning and strength and conditioning in the afternoons. A typical training week would look like the following:
Monday: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
Tuesday: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
Wednesday: Late AM throwing and movement training (at field)
Thursday: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
Friday: AM throwing, PM Strength and Conditioning
Saturday: Optional AM Mobility Work and Recovery Session, AM Throwing and movement training
Sunday: Off
In our throwing programs, we integrate weighted ball work, long toss, and bullpens (including video analysis). We'll utilize detailed pitching analytics breakdowns (spin rates/efficienciencies/axes) and high-speed camera work in these bullpens as well. Pitchers also have opportunities to throw live to hitters, and we even placed a few arms in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League late in the summer in light of the improvements they'd made.
All the athletes will receive manual therapy with our licensed massage therapist or physical therapist, as well as nutritional guidance throughout the program. Also to help with recovery, athletes have access to MarcPro, Normatec, and red light therapy.
Last, but not least, we'll incorporate a regular educational components to educate the athletes on the "why" behind their training. Last year, this consisted of not only staff presentations, but also conference calls and meetings with Major League players and established coaches from around the country.
The best part is that it'll take place in a motivating environment where athletes can push each other to be the best they can be. By optimizing the situation, you can help change the person.
Interested in learning more? Email cspmass@gmail.com - but don't delay, as spaces are limited; this offering sold out last year, and we'll be capping the group size.
In the coming weeks, we'll be highlighting some case studies from last year's group that should give you a better feel for how the programs work. You might also like to hear a bit about the experience from our pitching coordinator, Kyle Driscoll, who spoke in depth about the ten-week training initiative at the conclusion of last year's event. He was a guest on the CSP Elite Baseball Development podcast:
Again, if you're interested in learning more, email cspmass@gmail.com today.
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We're excited to welcome Cleveland Indians pitcher Brad Hand to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Rawlings. We've got an awesome new partnership in place between Rawlings and Cressey Sports Performance, and they've set up a 20% off discount code on select products for our listeners. Just head to www.Rawlings.com and enter coupon code CRESSEY20 and you'll receive 20% off on your order. Certain items are excluded, but there's still a ton of great baseball training gear to make you a better player and coach.
Show Outline
- How Brad grew up as a multi-sport athlete in Minnesota and why he chose to prioritize baseball despite being from a hockey state
- How Brad navigated the challenges of the long Minnesota winters as he prepared for the season and gaining exposure as a young ball player
- How Brad was surprisingly unaware of how coveted a prospect he was
- What differentiated Brad as a pitcher and made him such a high draft pick in 2008
- How Brad’s skills evolved as he progressed through MiLB and into the big leaguer he is today
- How finding a simple approach to his mechanics on the mound allowed him to find a more repeatable delivery and develop more consistency as professional
- Why Brad moved away from throwing curveballs as his secondary pitch and transitioned to throwing a slider
- How Brad learned to throw his slider, and what his mindset is when throwing this pitch to make it consistently effective
- Why Brad’s seemingly apathetic delivery makes him so hard to hit
- How Brad specifically exploits tempo to facilitate late arm speed and create a delivery that hitters dread to face
- How Brad transitioned from a starter to a reliever in 2015 and what adjustments he had to make to his throwing protocols to properly manage this new workload
- How Brad approaches attacking hitters as a reliever
- How Brad plans and performs his in season training to account for the fact he needs to be ready to throw on any given day
- What Brad’s game day routine is
- How Brad deals with the pressure of being a big league closer
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Rawlings. If you want to develop faster, and train better, you need the best gear. Well, we have some good news for you. The #1 baseball brand in the world, Rawlings, has partnered with Cressey Sports Performance to make getting the best training gear for you more affordable. Simply head to www.Rawlings.com and use the code, CRESSEY20, at checkout and you’ll save 20% off your order! This offer is only valid on select items, but there’s a ton of great gear you’ll save 20% on that will help you become a better player, so shop now!
Podcast Feedback
If you like what you hear, we'd be thrilled if you'd consider subscribing to the podcast and leaving us an iTunes review. You can do so HERE.
And, we welcome your suggestions for future guests and questions. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com.
Thank you for your continued support!
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes!
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Happy New Year! Here are a few good listens and reads to kick off 2020:
Eric Cressey: Fatherhood and Forward Thinking - I was a guest on the Art of Coaching podcast with Brett Bartholomew and really enjoyed it. Here's the finished product.
When and How Static Stretching Can Actually Work - Dean Somerset kicked off 2020 with an outstanding post that highlights just how challenging it can be to get static stretching to work for you. Hint: set aside a loooooooong time.
Power Moves - I just finished up this quick audiobook by Adam Grant, and it was outstanding. I'd highly recommend it regardless of the industry in which you work. It's only available as a listen, and I actually think it's better in this medium than as a book.
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In 2019, I finally took the plunge in starting a long overdue CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast. It's been a ton of time and effort, but the awesome feedback has made it worth it. Here are our top five episodes from the year:
1. Sparing the Spine with Dr. Stuart McGill - This might be a baseball podcast, but the world's most prolific spine researcher won't disappoint on any medium! Stu was outstanding and this is one for the ages.
2. To Ice or Not to Ice with Gary Reinl - Icing is a hot (terrible pun) topic in the sports medicine world. Gary touched on where this common practice began, and how we need to rethink its use.
3. Corey Kluber - The two-time Cy Young winner was our first podcast guest and didn't disappoint.
4. Making Nutritional Changes Stick with Dr. John Berardi - JB is one of the brightest nutritional minds out there, but he's also one of the best at understanding how to get through to people to create behavioral changes and, in turn, long-term success.
5. Building a Better Throwing Program with Alan Jaeger - This was a really fun discussion with Alan Jaeger that covered not only how to construct individualized throwing programs, but also how athletes can be advocates for their careers.
We're back to the regular EricCressey.com content this week. Thanks for all your support in 2019! We've got some great stuff planned for 2020.
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With baseball athletes being the largest segment of the Cressey Sports Performance athletic clientele, it seems only fitting to devote a "Best of 2019" feature to the top baseball posts from last year. Check them out:
1. Vertical Shin and the Pitching Delivery - Vertical shin can be a powerful coaching point in the weight room, but it also has applications to putting pitchers in the right position to be successful on the mound. Check out this article to learn more.
2. Baseball Athleticism: It's Probably Not What You Think It Is - Not all "great athletes" make great baseball players, and not all great baseball players are what you'd call "great athletes." I did a little deeper on this topic in this article.
3. Should You Chase Shoulder External Rotation - And If So, How? - I often get questions on how pitchers can increase shoulder external rotation for throwing. The answer really depends on a few things, so here's a video to walk you through them.
4. Pitchers vs. Swimmers - I evaluated a baseball pitcher and swimmer on the same day in August. The markedly different assessment findings served as a great reminder that not all overhead athletes are created equal – both in terms of the demands of their sports and the way they adapt to those demands.
5. Coil in the Pitching Delivery: Friend or Foe? - Recently, I came across a picture of Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin at the top of the leg lift in his delivery, and it got me to thinking about how the transverse plane can be your biggest ally or enemy in the pitching delivery.
We've got one last "Best of 2019" list running tomorrow, so stay tuned for the closer!
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LEARN
HOW TO
DEADLIFT
- Avoid the most common deadlifting mistakes
- 9 - minute instructional video
- 3 part follow up series
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