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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We're excited to welcome Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks 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
Why Kyle chose to move across the country out of high school and attend Dartmouth College
How Kyle has developed his ability to manipulate the baseball to create movement
How Kyle worked diligently to develop his changeup and how players can better develop this feel pitch
How throwing a quality changeup actually helped Kyle learn to throw a two seam fastball
How grip, specifically pinky position on the baseball, impacted the effectiveness of his changeup
What Kyle’s thought process is when throwing his changeup and how late hand speed out front trumps early, forced pronation with the pitch
How Kyle developed a cut changeup, which is differentiated from his “regular” changeup
How Kyle approaches attacking hitters and why he emphasizes throwing first pitch strikes and controlling counts against hitters
Why Kyle’s four seam fastball usage increased in 2016 and why this change allowed him to have more margin for error and improve the effectiveness with his fastball
How Kyle learned to read swings and bat paths in pro ball and how this has influenced how he competes against hitters
How Kyle prepares by utilizing coaches’ scouting reports along with video to develop a plan for success against the opposition
Why Kyle has always been intrigued by the mental side of baseball and how he has used it to develop an edge in the game
How simplification has revolutionized Kyle’s ability to master his mentality, control the game, and play to his highest ability
Why Kyle works to find a balance between using analytics and relying on his intuition
What pitch clicks in the bullpen when Kyle is set to have a great game and how Kyle knows when he is locked in
How Kyle attacks throwing his various pitches in his daily throwing progression
How individuals who lack elite velocity can identify their strengths and learn to separate themselves from the competition
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 Philadelphia Phillies utility player Brad Miller 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
Why Brad chose to attend Clemson University out of high school even though he was drafted by the Texas Rangers
What key competencies Brad lacked coming out of high school that made collegiate baseball the appropriate decision for his career
How high level collegiate baseball compares to the ranks of professional baseball
How Brad transitioned into affiliated baseball so smoothly out of college
What memorable moments and insightful lessons Brad recalls from playing in the big leagues for seven different organizations
How Brad became the valued utility player he is today after being drafted as a shortstop out of Clemson
How the athleticism needed at shortstop impacts a player’s ability to move into a utility role
How the perspective of a utility player has transformed in recent years in Major League Baseball and what opportunities this type of role offers a player, coach, and organization
What the hardest position was for Brad to learn as he moved into a utility role
How Brad was able to learn the ins and outs of being an outfielder as a ballplayer who grew up playing in the infield
How Brad prepares in-season to be ready to play any defensive position on any given day
What injuries Brad played through during the 2018 season that eventually led to him needing core muscle surgery and a hip labral surgery in order to come back for healthy for 2019
How asking for advice from former teammates and players who have gone through similar injuries proved to be influential in Brad’s rehab
What lessons Brad would give to any athlete who is about to have hip surgery
Why Brad chose to adjust his weight post-surgery to ease the pain on his joints and improve the longevity of his career
What players Brad likes to watch and learn from both defensively and offensively
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!
We're excited to welcome Brandon McDaniel, the Los Angeles Dodgers Director of Athletic Development and Performance Science, to this week's podcast. In this episode, we discuss the how the role of the MLB strength and conditioning coach has changed over the past decade, and Brandon offers suggestions to both up-and-coming players and strength and conditioning professionals.
A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Marc Pro. Head towww.MarcPro.comand enter the coupon code CRESSEY at checkout to receive 10% off on your order.
Show Outline
What Brandon’s journey was to become an MLB strength coach, and how he
has ascended to his current role with the Dodgers
How Brandon’s versatility in strength training and baseball related skills impacted the progression of his career and why coaches should strive to wear multiple hats as a professional
Why young coaches should work to be generalists and bring value to the organizations they work for by being open to opportunities and striving to understand multiple facets of their work experience
What Brandon’s biggest areas for growth were as he progressed to be a big league strength coach
What the biggest adjustment was that Brandon had to make as he transitioned from working in the private sector into professional baseball
How has the role of strength and conditioning and the world of professional baseball changed in recent years
What areas should strength coaches strive to understand outside their field of expertise
Why coaches need to delineate between sports tech and sports science and how coaches can use information collected by technology to intervene effectively with athletes
How Brandon integrates the implementation of technology and data alongside quality communication and a solid athlete-coach relationship to monitor workload and formulate a recipe for success with each of his athletes
Why coaches should avoid being extremist when incorporating sports tech with their players and allow players to explore and find their sweet spot for workload and stress management
How strength coaches can handle the challenges they face as athletes return from their off-season
What the Dodgers are doing to make the organization a perennial playoff contender
How the Dodgers have created consistency and continuity throughout their organization
How Brandon and the rest of the Dodgers staff manage the demands of travel for the team throughout the year
What wisdom Brandon always try to impart on his professional ballplayers, specifically in nutrition and strength and conditioning
What the most impactful lesson Brandon has learned from his athletes is
For more information about the Los Angeles Dodgers Strength and Conditioning Symposium, click 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 with their new "Try Before you Buy" program, and use promo code CRESSEY at checkout at www.MarcPro.com for 10% 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 physical therapist Eric Schoenberg to this week's podcast. Eric has extensive experience working with individuals from all walks of life, but specializes in working with baseball players. He'll serve as the physical therapist at the soon-to-open Cressey Sports Performance location in Palm Beach Gardens, FL starting on November 1 as well. In this episode, we discuss the typical challenges baseball players can see movement-wise, as well as how the rehab process can be improved across all populations.
A special thanks to this show's sponsor, Marc Pro. Head towww.MarcPro.comand enter the coupon code CRESSEY at checkout to receive 10% off on your order.
Show Outline
How Eric has evolved as a physical therapist since graduating from PT school
How learning to never settle for mediocrity and working to be more familiar with the world of strength and conditioning through CSP has allowed Eric to advance his physical therapy career
How being a high quality physical therapist involves appreciating the art of physical therapy as much as the science of the field
How Eric became an early adopter of Shirley Sahrmann’s work on movement system impairment syndromes
Why young physical therapists and health professionals should work to create their own philosophy for analyzing movement proficiency and how having a model for analyzing movement can help them make better decisions for their clients
Why has Eric deviated from the standard time-restricted, semi-private PT model and instead adopted a one-on-one, private model
Why the rehabilitation world should move away from its generalist perspective and encourage practitioners to specialize and refer out to others who have more experience rehabilitating a specific injury
Why experts need to drop their ego and be open to working with other professionals across the scope of health and human performance
What the most common movement impairments Eric sees in baseball players are
Where the biggest mistakes occur in the interaction between rehab specialists and strength and conditioning coaches
How being a father has influenced Eric’s perspective on youth athletics, the little league experience, and lifelong movement health
What big mistakes Eric is seeing in post-op baseball cases
How Eric manages transitioning athletes from being completely in the rehab setting back to training at full health over the course of the rehab process
What research Eric has been studying to continue to advance his career, and what books he recommends to all health professionals
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 with their new "Try Before you Buy" program, and use promo code CRESSEY at checkout at www.MarcPro.com for 10% 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 St. Louis Cardinals Major League Hitting Coach Jeff Albert to this week's podcast. Jeff's one of the most innovative coaches in the game, and this interview features lessons for players, coaches, and parents alike. I should note that we had some audio difficulties on this call, but did our best to clean it up so that the great information wasn't wasted. Thanks for your patience and understanding in advance on that front!
How Jeff’s motivation to be the best player he could be and determination to answer the question "why" propelled him into a career of coaching
How Jeff’s graduate research put his foot in the door in professional baseball despite minimal professional playing experience
Where young coaches are falling short on making the most of their early coaching career and what these individuals should be doing to be able to capitalize on opportunities in pro sports
Where Jeff recommends young coaches look for more information on quality movement
What industries outside of baseball have been most influential on Jeff’s coaching career
What professionals outside of the world of professional baseball don't understand about the changing environment of the industry
What traits Jeff looks for when hiring new coaches
How Jeff approaches development in the hitting lifespan of a ball player
What the biggest limitations Jeff sees in youth and high school hitters are
How learning to optimize a hitter’s movement with as few words as possible has revolutionized the way Jeff coaches hitting
How establishing solid positions and learning to have a good swing path lay the foundation for future swings in young hitters
How the fundamentals of a swing do not change as a hitter matures, but clarifying a hitter’s approach, transforming one of their weaknesses, or building around one of their strength aids in taking them to the next level
Why being exposed to failure is important for developing great baseball players
Where Jeff sees baseball trending in the coming years and how hitters will be combating the transformations in the world of pitching
You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @JeffMAlbert and on Instagram at@JeffAlbert28. And, you can learn more about this November's SlugFest clinic at which we'll both be speaking at www.SlugFestConference.com.
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 Washington Nationals relief pitcher Aaron Barrett to this week's podcast. Aaron is one of the most impressive comeback stories you'll ever hear. 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
What major injuries and setbacks Aaron experienced that removed him from competitive baseball from 2014 to 2018
What the medical priorities and overall rehab process were for recovering from this freak injury
How Aaron managed his psychology as he endured a major setback
How he incorporated and began to increase his hand speed as he progressed throw his rehab throwing program
When in Aaron’s rehab protocols he felt more consistent and confident as he began throwing in professional baseball games once again
What recovery modalities Aaron utilizes to help his arm bounce back
How Aaron modified his routine after enduring these setbacks
How Aaron remained process oriented and focused on his goals for the long haul of a four-year rehab period
What lessons has Aaron learned after experiencing the workload of being a reliever in a major league bullpen
How Aaron manages his throwing volume and intensity in-season
What Aaron’s gameday routine is
What the characteristics of coaches and rehab professionals that have been the most impactful on his career
What Aaron’s next step is for his career as he transitions from this incredible recovery from injury to being a consistent performer for the Washington Nationals
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!
I came across this awesome still-frame of Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin on the Nationals instagram the other day. This positioning at the top of his leg lift offers an important reminder of how the transverse plane can be your biggest ally or enemy in the pitching delivery.
As you can see, Corbin has some "coil" to his leg lift, which creates more internal rotation on the trailing hip right as he starts to progress into his hip load (hinge/flexion). This pre-tensioning allows him to store a little extra elastic energy as he heads down the mound toward front foot plant. It also can provide a bit more deception to make the hitter's job more challenging. And, perhaps most importantly, it sets up more of a "sweeping" slider, similar to what we see with pitchers like Chris Sale and Steve Cishek. All good, right?
Well, the challenge is that being this rotational can also give some athletes problems. It's a slightly more high maintenance delivery because you have to take all that transverse (rotational) motion and convert it into a more linear motion at ball release so that you are getting through the baseball, not just around it. And, if you can't stop this rotation at the hips, it gets transferred up to the spine. This is where optimizing strength, mobility, and timing of the lead hip is essential: it's a torque converter (rotational to linear).
Understanding this should make you realize that just coaching knee extension on the front leg isn't a useful strategy; it ignores the hip. And, just calling it lead leg blocking is insufficient, as "blocking" doesn't appreciate the rotational component that the lead hip can take on. That's why we talk a lot about "front hip pull-back" and select exercises that challenge it to accept forces in all three planes of motion.
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!
Episode 25 of the podcast features a collaborative effort between Cressey Sports Performance - Massachusetts Director of Performance John O'Neil and me. We go in-depth on the topic of planning out an effective baseball offseason for high school, college, and professional players. This week's episode is brought to you by Joovv Red Light Therapy. The research on the wide-ranging health benefits of red light therapy are compelling, and Joovv is at the forefront of delivering this technology to improve your health and performance. Head to www.Joovv.com/eric and enter coupon code CRESSEY to get a special gift with your purchase.
Show Outline
How John and Eric model their training programs to optimize an individual’s off-season
What John’s off-season training priorities are when working with high school, college, and professional athletes
How having a single sport high school athlete impacts off-season training
What factors high school ball players should consider when deciding to play fall ball
Why consistency is the most important aspect of a training program and how John emphasizes this message to his youth athletes
Why health and performance are not mutually exclusive in the world of performance enhancement
How coaches can find success with athletes by identifying the duration of time they have them, honing in on low-hanging fruit in their development, and working backward to drive favorable changes in their abilities
What training qualities John focuses on developing early in an individual’s offseason and how these strategies are progressed as an athlete transitions to being in-season
Why building a robust aerobic base is of high priority early in the off-season and how this idea transforms into more power related development as the off-season progresses
How John conceptualizes his sprint progressions for athletes
Why off-season training slowly builds athletes to move more explosively as they approach the season and how John specifically translates general motor potential into skill specific activity
What a typical professional off-season training program looks like
How John and Eric model off-season training programs around throwing programs to make sure their baseball players are prepared for all facets of their sport
You can follow John on Instagram at @oneilstrength and Twitter at @oneilstrength, and reach out to us at cspmass@gmail.com for offseason training inquiries.
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!
I'm flying solo for this week's podcast, as I wanted to tackle a controversial topic in the world of baseball development: distance running. Before we get to it, though, 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
Why “traditionalism” is so rooted in baseball, leading to distance running becoming commonplace
How athletic performance is a multifactorial equation and coaches should avoid pinpointing success to one specific methodology and being married to the n=1 training approach
Why skill coaches need to appreciate the dynamic nature of exercise science and understand that what we know about training athletes is remarkably different from decades prior
How the athletes playing baseball have grown to be bigger and heavier over the decades and what the implications are for using outdated training practices with this new breed of baseball players
How physiological adaptations are incredibly specific
Why coaches need to better understand the energy system demands of baseball and employ methodologies that build an aerobic base rather than thrash their athletes and end up training the players anaerobically
Why clearing lactic acid is a poor excuse for using distance running and what the real reasons are for feeling fresh after long distance, low intensity running
Why building an aerobic base is necessary for athletic performance and vital for acute and chronic recovery
How training an aerobic base requires a much lower intensity than most athletes and coaches think
Why using a low amplitude, low variability movement, like distance running, is insufficient for training a high amplitude, low variability movement, like pitching
How coaches can implement more practical methods, such as mobility circuits, to drive adaptations, preserve strength and power qualities, and optimize recovery
When the ideal time is to target the aerobic system – and how these benefits can best be preserved throughout a season
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!
