We're excited to welcome San Francisco Giants First Base Coach and retired MLB outfielder Antoan Richardson to this week's podcast. Antoan speaks about his path from the Bahamas to Vanderbilt to the Big Leagues - and also shares some insights on how we can best prepare baserunners and outfielders.
How Antoan became the 6th Bahamian to play in the big leagues and what the process is for young ballplayers in the Bahamas looking to progress their baseball career
What the baseball culture of the Bahamas is like, and how the game is growing on this island from the roots of softball
Why Antoan is heartbroken when foreign players are married to the idea of signing contracts as the only means to make their baseball dreams a reality and how he is working to educate the youth of the power baseball can have for their future
How Antoan became an all-state caliber baseball player in Florida after being cut from his 7th grade softball team in the Bahamas just years earlier
How Antoan has used his passion for baseball to be an ambassador for the Bahamas and pave the way for future generations of Bahamians to grow through the sport
Why Antoan chose to attend junior college out of high instead of accepting scholarships to play collegiate sports or pursuing early professional baseball pursuits
How Antoan earned the opportunity to play at Vanderbilt out of junior college in 2003 and what role he played in laying the foundation for Vanderbilt to develop into the powerhouse it is today
What differentiates Vanderbilt baseball and Tim Corbin from other universities in the country and how has the tradition of the baseball program progressed to and sustained greatness over the recent decades
How Antoan was able to defy traditional wisdom and reduce the number of times he was caught stealing as he progressed through the ranks of pro ball
What lessons Antoan has for young base stealers looking to sharpen their baserunning skills
What it was like scoring the game winning run on Derek Jeter’s walkoff hit in his final game as a New York Yankee
Why Antoan has learned to value the empathy, adaptability, and individualization needed to find success with each player with whom he works
What core competencies Antoan works to establish in the baserunners with whom he works
What skills Antoan emphasizes as important for outfielders, and why he stresses owning the first steps and remaining athletic
What struggles minorities face in baseball and how coaches can better serve the needs of all their athletes
What Project Limestone is, and how individuals can help the next generation of kids in the Bahamas
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!
We’re excited to welcome sprint training expert Derek Hansen to this week’s podcast for a great chat on fundamental of sprinting training, his unique approach to managing hamstrings injuries, and much more. Derek shares some general principles as well as specific applications to baseball preparation. CSP-MA Director of Performance John O'Neil takes the lead as a guest host as well.
A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you’ll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
How Derek has become the speed-focused coach he is today and how he has become involved coaching national and professional sports teams across multiple sports
How Derek designs return to play programs for hamstrings strains and what success he has found transforming recovery times from 3-4 week to 7-10 days
How his atypical, acceleration-based program works to not only recuperate the injured hamstrings but build resiliency from future setbacks
What warnings Derek has for athletes overzealous to speed through a hamstrings recovery program
How Derek recommends to specifically integrate and progress sprinting into hamstrings strain rehab and why he prioritizes stride frequency over stride length early in the rehab process
Why Derek emphasizes stride frequency when training his athletes for speed and what tactics coaches should avoid and implement to encourage quality stride frequency
What the “10x10” is and why Derek utilizes this return-to-play program as the foundation for all his rehabilitation work
How coaches can best manage the volume of their athletes’ speed work
How baseball players can preserve their speed qualities in season
How the perspective of running has been tarnished in the recent history of sports performance and how Derek is working to transform the perspective on running
Why sprinting and lifting are not competing entities and how coaches can manipulate running dosage to elicit training effects regardless of an athlete’s current circumstance
What Derek’s advice is for athletes just beginning to utilize sprint work as their primary training approach
How mastering the initial acceleration of sprinting and training short bursts of 5-7 strides can go a long way in the development of an athlete
Where long distance sprinting (30+ yards) fits into the training of baseball players
Why 100% effort does not necessary mean 100% performance and how relaxation plays a role in moving at high speeds
What drills or cues coaches can use to teach being loose and relaxed as opposed to tensed and rigid when performing high-speed movements
How sprinting distance influences the specific demands of placed on an athlete
How sprinting can be programmed to address the different demands placed on baseball players by position
Why running technique and communicating effort of exertion are crucial for maximizing speed work in any population
What Derek’s coaching philosophy is and how he has learned to adopt a process-oriented approach for simplifying movement for his athletes
How coaches and educators can maximize the retention of their training interventions and encourage self-awareness and learning that will stick beyond a single training session
What common flaws Derek sees in baseball players’ running technique
What technical landmarks Derek is looking for when evaluating an athlete’s running mechanics
How posture directly influences an individual’s ability to put force into the ground
What role the arms play in efficient running mechanics and how focusing on the upper extremities can create positive change throughout the entire gate cycle
How coaching the hands can be used specifically to improve tempo and rhythm in the running motion without overcomplicating an individual’s thought process
Why a lack of strength is a poor excuse for avoiding speed work with young athletes and how Derek integrates speed-focused, power drills into youth population’s training
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!
We're back with Episode 61 of the Elite Baseball Development Podcast. In this solo episode, I speak about considerations relating to injuries as the baseball world opens up across multiple levels.
A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Rawlings. We’re ecstatic to announce a new partnership 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.
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!
We're excited to welcome Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Lou Trivino to this week's podcast. Lou is an awesome story of a minor league breakout player who quickly became an impact player at the MLB level.
A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Rawlings. We’re ecstatic to announce a new partnership 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 being a three-sport athlete in high school impacted Lou’s early athletic development
How Lou ended up at Slippery Rock University out of high school
What transformed Lou from a Division 2 arm into an 11th round draft pick in 2013
Why Lou was unimpressive initially in pro ball but soon found himself as a transitioned from a starter to a reliever
How getting more rotational in his sparked a jump from 89 mph to 96 mph overnight
How Lou’s reason for coiling is rooted in maintaining counter rotation and feeling tension, and what thought helps Lou to coil effectively in his delivery
How Lou managed the switch from a starter to reliever
Why Lou has decided to showcase five pitches out of the pen, and what type of flexibility affords him
Why Lou cut back on throwing his cutter early in his professional career
How Lou reincorporated the cutter back into his game in 2017, at a higher rate than years prior, and how this pitch has defined his game since
Why he utilizes his cutter to gauge how in sync his delivery is, and how throwing an effective cutter is impacted by the movements earlier in the chain
How Lou taught Blake Treinen to throw his cutter and how a quality cutter is less about the perfect grip, and more about the approach behind the pitch and feel for the ball out of the hand
Why Lou oddly throws his 2-seam faster than his 4-seam fastball and how he has learned to differentiate these pitches
What Lou’s routine is for getting hot in the pen
How Lous structure his throwing in-season to remain prepared to throw in-game any day of the week
What Lou’s recovery process between outings and daily training sessions is
How Lou attacks strength training in-season without compromising his performance on the field
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!
We're excited to welcome St. Louis Cardinals second baseman and 2019 Gold Glove Award Winner Kolten Wong to this week's podcast.
A special thanks to this show’s sponsor, Rawlings. We’re ecstatic to announce a new partnership 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 the culture of Hawaiian baseball played a role in Kolten’s development
Why Kolten chose to attend the University of Hawaii instead of signing professionally out of high school
Though known as a second baseman, how Kolten became recognized as a talented catcher in high school, and why he transitioned to play center field his freshman year at Hawaii
How Kolten seemed to smoothly transition through the ranks of professional baseball and into the big leagues
How straying away from his strengths and trying to be someone he’s not led to an underwhelming first month as a rookie and a trip back to AAA
What hitting adjustments Kolten made to bounce back from his initial setbacks and return to major league baseball to earn the NL Rookie of the Month in May 2014
After being sent down again in 2015, how Kolten’s experience as an outfielder at Hawaii and his willingness to be versatile allowed him to return to MLB as the Cardinals’ center fielder
Why he returned to the infield as a second baseman in 2016 and how Kolten has progressed to eventually become the outstanding defensive second baseman he is today
How critical self-evaluation and seeking out advice from knowledgeable veterans helped Kolten turn a corner in his game and develop an edge defensively
How understanding details of the game defensively has elevated Kolten games to a new level
What Kolten’s pre-pitch defensive routine is, and how did he come to find this optimal pre-pitch set up
How defensive training fits into his offseason schedule
How Kolten has come to be passionate about teaching the game of baseball to the next generation of players
What foundational skills and fundamental lessons Kolten always tries to pass on when working with a young ball player
Why getting in front of the baseball is not always the right move defensively, and how having the ability to field with one hand is an overlooked skill in the game if baseball
What Kolten’s glove care routine is, including: how often he replaces his glove, how he goes about breaking in a new glove, and why the glove is simply an extension of the hand
How Kolten trains to remain healthy and durable through the daily demands of being a position player
Why Kolten has shifted to incorporate more yoga into his training recently and how these difficult bodyweight positions are advancing his game physically and mentally
What Kolten believes is the best defensive play of his entire baseball career
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!
We're excited to welcome Major League pitchers Adam Ottavino, Corey Kluber, Blake Treinen, Brandon Kintzler, Mike Soroka, and Steve Cishek - along with CSP-Florida pitching coordinators Brian Kaplan and Mark Lowy - for a roundtable on the two-seam fastball. This podcast featured a lot of great insights for up-and-coming pitchers, and also a lot of great back-and-forth among some of the most accomplished pitchers in the game.
A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Marc Pro. Head towww.MarcPro.comand enter the coupon code CRESSEY at checkout to receive 20% off on your order.
Because this podcast was filmed on Zoom and we featured screen shares of pitch profiles and demonstration of pitch grips, it's probably best watched on YouTube:
That said, you can also listen to it here:
Sponsor Reminder
This episode is brought to you by Marc Pro, a cutting-edge EMS device that uses patented technology to create non-fatiguing muscle activation. Muscle activation with Marc Pro facilitates each stage of the body’s natural recovery process- similar to active recovery, but without the extra effort and muscle fatigue. Athletes can use it for as long as they need to ensure a more full and quick recovery in between training or games. With its portability and ease of use, players can use Marc Pro while traveling between games or while relaxing at home. Players and trainers from every MLB team - including over 200 pro pitchers - use Marc Pro. Put Marc Pro to the test for yourself; use promo code CRESSEY at checkout at www.MarcPro.com for 20% off on your order.
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!
We're excited to welcome Nick Winkelman, Head of Athletic Performance & Science for Irish Rugby, to this week's podcast. Nick is extremely well versed in motor learning and how to best get through to athletes, and you'll see why in this interview. It's timely, as his new book, The Language of Coaching, was just released.
Where Nick’s original interest in improving the way coaches coach movement began
What observations Nick made while watching his athletes compete on NFL Combine Day – and how they transformed his perspective on coaching
What the lowest hanging fruit is in terms of how coaches can improve their communication with athletes
Why coaches need to add a column for cues in their program and how coaches plan their language to maximize their influence on athletes
How motivation influences motor learning and how language can be leveraged to create engagement, investment, and motivation
What simple tactics coaches can employ to increase buy-in and give individuals an active role in their training experience
Why coaches need to focus their time and attention on coaching the athlete and not the program
How understanding purpose – specifically more purposeful coaching – transformed Nick’s coaching philosophy, strategy, and interventions
Why Nick has learned to watch more reps and talk less, and how coaches can create a safe environment for athletes to explore movement and “fail forward”
How each word spoken and action communicated to an athlete either builds or erodes the coach-athlete relationship and how professionals can avoid the detriments of overcoaching
When the right time to communicate with an athlete is and how Nick models the timing of his coaching communication
What the difference is between short loop and long loop coaching communication
How understanding the coaching communication loop can give us a better understanding of how to teach, challenge, and progress athletes
What research states about the impact of cue frequency and cue type on performance and long-term athletic development
What simple, actionable strategies coaches can use to help concepts stick with athletes, such as recalling clients’ names and celebrating small wins
How coaches can use analogy, an athlete’s language, and emotional hashtags in the learning process to enhance memory
How emotions influence our memory and how coaches can tap into emotion to allow their interactions with athletes to be memorable
How analogy can be specifically leveraged to tie previous learned knowledge into the learning of new abilities
Why internal cueing isn’t inherently bad and where external and internal cueing fit into an athlete’s learning
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!
We're excited to welcome New York Yankees quality control coach and catching coordinator Tanner Swanson to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
How Tanner evaluates a catcher’s ability and what key competencies he analyzes to draw conclusions on players behind the plate
How Tanner’s methods for analyzing players and principles for building elite catchers have evolved as he has progressed through his coaching career
Why the focus with youth catchers should be on developing a general scope of catching-specific abilities and how this general foundation of skills allows for premium skills to be leveraged later on in development
What new age data says about the importance of receiving skills
How new metrics on receiving are changing how we define high-level catchers
How the player evaluation and scouting of catchers is evolving as more information is available on catchers beyond pop times
Why catchers’ performance is significantly impacted with runners on base and what this insight says about how we currently coach catchers
Why coaches should consider whether we are teaching catchers to receive out of their best blocking and throwing position, or to block and throw from their best receiving position
How catchers can find their optimal stance and balance functionality with comfort behind the dish
How factors stance and pre-pitch glove rhythm influence a player’s ability to receive
Why new age catching is more than a lazy set-up behind the dish on one knee and how catchers can find their best position to both block and receive
Why the toughest challenge in catching is getting caught in between pitches and how finding the most effective stance and approaching blocking as an extension of receiving mitigates this challenge
How the sheer volume and frequency of work for catchers offers a unique opportunity to watch adjustments organically play out and fine tune strategies that are meaningful for individuals
How coaches can preserve a player’s uniqueness behind the dish while still instilling the nonnegotiable characteristics of being a catcher, such as starting in a good position, mastering timing, working below the ball, and dominating the bottom third of the strike zone
Why present-day catching demands players have authority over the bottom third of the strike zone and what the increase use of high fastballs and secondary pitchers means for catchers
How catchers can best prepare to handle the physical and mental demands of their position, arguably one of the most demanding roles in sports
Why the game of baseball is moving away from catchers with weak bats and how catchers can develop a true edge at their position
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!
We're excited to welcome Seattle Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger to this week's podcast. A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Athletic Greens. Head to http://www.athleticgreens.com/cressey and you'll receive a free 10-pack of Athletic Greens travel packets with your first order.
Show Outline
How being a multi-sport athlete helped Mitch develop into the outfielder he is today
Why Mitch chose to attend Cal Poly and how his experience there shaped him into a big leaguer
How Mitch worked through the ups and downs of his college career and what key competencies he has focused on to take his game to the next level
Why smart guys often struggle with being analytical at the plate and how Mitch is working to simplify his process and focus on competing in the box above all else
How stumbling upon hitting coach Bobby Tewksbary’s work inspired Mitch to revamp his swing and what “aha” moment propelled Mitch into a breakout 2016 season
How being sent down to High A, transforming his swing to hit the ball in the air, and incorporating a leg kick ignited his career and gave him the success necessary to advance through the professional ranks
What the commonalities between the elite hitting coaches Mitch has worked with
What inspired Mitch to become such a student of the game, and how his studies influenced his preparation and daily routine for nutrition, rehab, training, and game prep
Why and how Mitch prioritizes "controlling the controllables"
Despite the nationwide shut down, why Mitch has been setting aside more time to attune his attention, focus, and mindfulness and what ways he practices mental skills on a daily basis
How players can leverage the resources they have within their organization to develop their mental skills
What Mitch’s game day routine is
How Mitch is often overlooked defensively and what skills are important in order to play great defense
How Mitch works to hone his defensive capability and what motivates him to want to be a complete player
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!
We’re excited to welcome speed training expert Lee Taft to this week’s podcast for an awesome discussion of baseball movement competencies and how to coach them. Lee is highly qualified to work across all sports, but I've found his work to be particularly impactful in the baseball world. CSP-MA Director of Performance John O'Neil takes the lead as a guest host as well.
This is a timely podcast, as Lee's popular Certified Speed and Agility Specialist course is on sale for $200 off this week. I'm a huge fan of Lee and this resource - so much, in fact, that it was filmed at Cressey Sports Performance - Massachusetts. It's now required viewing for all our staff members. You can check it out and take advantage of the great discount HERE.
Show Outline
How Lee developed into the coach he is today
How Lee approaches youth athletic development
What the 7 movement patterns of speed are and how these principles translate into sport specific results
What is a lateral run step is, how Lee teaches it, and how it’s different from a traditional crossover step
How can base stealers optimize their setup to maximize acceleration
Why an initial step back with the lead leg is not a bad move first move for a base runner and why observing an athlete’s center of mass is more meaningful when addressing acceleration
What the upper body’s role is in creating efficient running patterns and how the arms specifically work for baserunners when stealing
How can infielders can improve their setup and defensive start position
Why the traditional defensive mindset of get your glove on the ground and be as low as you can is the wrong strategy for optimizing a player’s athleticism
How initial hand position and the movement of the arms work to propel the body out of the start position to fielding the ball
How outfielders can refine their defensive setup
How the incorporation of a split step into a defensive player’s approach can create a quicker initial move to the ball and help to expand a fielder’s range
What minute but key movement competencies Lee incorporates into athletes’ training, including the dissociation of their upper and lower half and learning to run an opposite direction your eyes are looking
How Lee incorporates curvilinear speed work into his athletes’ training
How deceleration isn’t emphasized enough when discussing qualities of position players
What the common compensations Lee sees in baseball players’ running mechanics are
What mistakes coaches are commonly making when teaching and training speed in the game of baseball
What principles Lee prioritizes when incorporating conditioning into athletes’ training
How Lee would implement conditioning into a baseball program’s training calendar and how he would apply his conditioning principles to specific scenarios like managing a pitchers’ workload between starts
What the priority training qualities are when working to train power in hitters
What med ball fake throws are and why are these specifically useful when training hitters
You can follow Lee on Twitter at @LeeTaft and Instagram at @LeeTaft.
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!
