Yesterday, the Division 1 North Baseball Semi-final here in MA between Lincoln-Sudbury (20-2) and Lawrence (20-2) got rained out - and postponed to today. As many of you know, we deal with over 30 players from the LS high school baseball program, plus several in middle school and multiple graduates who are now playing college baseball.
With no game, local reports were left looking for something about which to write, so an interview with Coach Kirk Fredericks took place - and one of the topics that was brought up was the effect of strength and conditioning on the program. Here's an excerpt from the article:
Meanwhile, L-S has been on recent offensive tear, which includes putting up 10 and 16 runs in its first two tournament contests, respectively. As a team, the Warriors have 25 home runs this season and 62 (14, 11, 12, 25) in their last four seasons. In Fredericks' first five seasons with the team, L-S combined for 19 (5, 1, 5, 2, 6) home runs."In the last four years, we've been working with Eric Cressey, our personal trainer, and he's really made a difference," said Fredericks. "We've also played at the same fields and the kids have been dedicated to getting stronger. The numbers don't lie."
I moved to Boston in 2006, so this is the fourth season I've gone through with the L-S guys - and while I knew power numbers had increased, I didn't realize that they had virtually quadrupled. I did, however, get my first hint of what was happening when we saw seven pitchers hit 80mph on the radar gun on the first day of tryouts this year. This is a pretty big deal for any high school, and certainly one in Massachusetts that has to compete with nasty winter weather and the draw of lacrosse, track, tennis, golf, and volleyball during the spring season. It's also significant because the competition in the area has improved quite a bit; L-S actually faces many of the players from other schools that we train - and they've gone 85-10 since the start of the 2007 season (when they won the state championship).
Needless to say, it was pretty cool to be able to put some numbers with the trend we'd been observing. And, it serves as a great reminder that - contrary to what a lot of "old school" coaches will try to tell you - a strength and conditioning program is absolutely essential for high school baseball players to not only perform at a higher level, but stay healthy in the process. In this four-year period, LS baseball has had only one arm surgery, and it was in early 2008 on a player who had been misdiagnosed on ulnar nerve issues since middle school. He's now playing Division 1 baseball. The guys understand that arm care is about more than just some foo-foo rotator cuff exercises.
This is what happens when the players in a program dedicate themselves to something and are consistent with it over the course of several years.
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A while back, I had the privilege to experience Thomas Myers in seminar for the first time. For those who aren't familiar with Myers, he is the author of Anatomy Trains and a pioneer in the world of bodywork and fascial research.
There were a wide variety of attendees present, and Myers made dozens of interesting points - so the take-away message could easily have been different for everyone in attendance as they attempted to fit his perspective into their existing schemeta.
While I enjoyed all 150 minutes of his presentations, the portion of Myers' talk that jumped out at me the most was his list of the eight means of improving "fascial fitness:"
1. Use whole body movements
2. Use long chain movements
3. Use movements including a dynamic pre-stretch with proximal initiation
4. Incorporate vector variation
5. Use movements that incorporate elastic rebound - this consists of cylic motions of a certain speed (for instance, cycling wouldn't count)
6. Create a rich proprioceptive environment
7. Incorporate pauses/rest to optimize hydration status
8. Be persistent, but gentle (prominent changes can take 18-24 months)
A big overriding them of Myers' lecture was that the role of the fascia - the entire extracellular matrix of the body - is remarkably overlooked when it comes to both posture and the development of pathology. He remarked that he doesn't feel like we have 600+ muscles in the body; he feels like we have one muscle in 600+ fascial pockets because they are so interdependent. And, in this fascia, we have nine times as many sensory receptors as we've got in muscles.
Think about what that means when someone has rotator cuff problems - and treatment only consists of ice, stim, NSAIDs, and some foo-foo rotator cuff exercises. Or, worse yet, they just have a surgical intervention. It overlooks a big piece of the puzzle - or, I should say, the entire puzzle.
For me, though, these eight factors got me to thinking again about just how atrocious distance running is for pitchers. I have already ripped on it in the past with my article A New Model for Training Between Starts, but this presentation really turned on a light bulb over my head to rekindle the fire. Let's examine these eight factors one-by-one:
1. Use whole body movements - Distance running may involve require contribution from the entire body, but there is not a single joint in the body that goes through an appreciable range of motion.
2. Use long chain movements - Pitching is a long chain movement. Jumping is a long chain movement. The only things that are "long" about distance running are the race distances and the length of the hip replacement rehabilitation process.
3. Use movements including a dynamic pre-stretch with proximal initiation - This simply means that the muscles of the trunk and hips predominate in initiating the movement. While the hips are certainly important in running, the fundamental issue is that there isn't a dynamic pre-stretch. This would be a dynamic pre-stretch with proximal initiation:
4. Incorporate vector variation - A vector is anything that has both force and direction. Manual therapists vary the force they apply to tissues and the directions in which they apply them. There are obviously vectors present in exercise as well. Here are 30,000 or so people, and pretty much just one vector for hours: forward (to really simplify things):
Incorporating vector variation into programs is easy; it just takes more time and effort than just telling someone to "run poles." Take 8-10 exercises from our Assess and Correct DVD set and you've got a perfect circuit ready to roll.
5. Use movements that incorporate elastic rebound - Sorry, folks, but even though the stretch-shortening cycle is involved with jogging, its contribution diminishes markedly as duration of exercise increases. And, frankly, I have a hard time justifying bored pitchers running laps as "elasticity."
6. Create a rich proprioceptive environment - There is nothing proprioceptively rich about doing the same thing over and over again. They call it pattern overload for a reason. Pitchers get enough of that!
7. Incorporate pauses/rest to optimize hydration status - Myers didn't seem to have specific recommendations to make regarding work: rest ratios that are optimal for improving fascial fitness, but I have to think that something more "sporadic" in nature - whether we are talking sprinting, agility work, weight training, or dynamic flexibility circuits - would be more appropriate than a continuous modality like jogging. This is true not just because of duration, but because of the increased vector variation potential I outlined earlier.
8. Be persistent, but gentle - This one really hit home for me. Significant fascial changes take 18-24 months to really set in. I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of injuries I see in mature pitchers are largely the result of mismanagement - whether it's overuse, poor physical conditioning, or improper mechanics - at the youth levels. Poor management takes time to reach the threshold needed to cause symptoms. In other words, coaches who mismanage their players over the course of the few months or years they coach them may never actually appreciate the physical changes - positively or negatively - that are being set into action.
Distance running might seem fine in the short-term. Overweight kids might drop some body fat, and it might make the practice plan easier to just have 'em run. Kids might not lose velocity, as they can compensate and throw harder with the upper extremity as their lower bodies get less and less powerful and flexible.
However, it's my firm belief that having pitchers run distances not only impedes long-term development, but also directly increases injury risk. Folks just don't see it because they aren't looking far enough ahead.
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Q: I've been going through some research, and your articles about training between starts, and I was wondering what kind of approach you take with college pitchers who are playing summer ball. Do you treat them as in-season and try to keep them fresh for their starts, or are you more aggressive with them since it's not their primary season?
A: My answer is - as always - it depends.
If you have a younger player who is weak, scrawny, and altogether physically unprepared, he is going to train hard. The long-term benefits of that training far outweigh any short term decrements in performance (which, as I'll note in a second, can easily be attenuated markedly).
If we are talking about a more advanced player for whom summer ball performance may be extremely important (e.g., an unsigned draft pick in the Cape Cod League during the summer after his junior year who is trying to get his signing bonus up), you have to treat things quite a bit differently. And, within this category, we manage starters and relievers differently.
For starters, it's pretty easy, as they generally have predictable seven-day rotations. I outlined my thoughts with the 7-day rotation component of A New Model for Training Between Starts: Part 2. Here it is:
Day 0: pitch
Day 1: challenging lower body lift, light cuff work
Day 2: movement training only, focused on 10-15yd starts, agility work, and some top speed work (50-60 yds); upper body lift
Day 3: low-Intensity resistance training (<30% of 1RM) circuits, extended dynamic flexibility circuits
Day 4: full-body lift
Day 5: movement training only, focused on 10-15yd starts, agility work, and some top speed work (50-60 yds)
Day 6: low-intensity dynamic flexibility circuits only (or off altogether)
Day 7: pitch again
I treat relief pitchers as if they are position players - but if we know that there is a good chance that they'll throw in the next 24-36 hours, we'll markedly drop the volume and intensity and just focus on them leaving the gym feeling "refreshed." If they have a longer outing (more than an inning), we'll get some really good weight-room work in the next day, as we know they won't have to pitch that night. If it's a shorter outing and they may be expected to throw two days in a row, we'll go easier (potentially even pushing things back a day).
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used by Cressey Performance Pitchers after they Throw!
We just received this great feedback on Optimal Shoulder Performance:
"I just recently finished the Optimal Shoulder Performance DVD's. Without a doubt, that was the best $100 I've spent on a home based CEU opportunity.
The material was very well presented, the talks cut to the chase, and provided tons of practical ideas that I have already put into practice with my baseball and softball players."In addition to the downloadable PowerPoint slides PDF, I took tons of notes because both of you offered up such great information.
"I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a quality shoulder DVD to add to their professional library.
"Thanks, guys, for a very high quality practical product!"-Kevin Collins, MS, ATC
1. It's been a while since I published a Random Friday Thoughts blog, but in reality, it's by design. You see, if I just publish every Friday, it isn't very "random," is it?
2. Pretty cool stuff: Cressey Performance and Lawrence Academy athlete Tyler Beede was featured on the cover of ESPN Rise magazine this month. Tyler's headed to Vanderbilt on a baseball scholarship.
3. After seven years, I'm switching from Sprint to Verizon for my cell phone. I feel liberated...like an old man busting a move. That's a random - but awesome - way to kickstart your weekend!
4. At the other end of the spectrum, you have THIS GUY, who was awarded (in a court of law) the title of "Worst Tennis Professional on the Planet." I wonder if he gets a trophy for his mantle for that one....
5. Here's a book recommendation for you that's somewhat related to fitness: The 7 Rules of Achievement. It's written by Tom Terwilliger, a former Mr. America. I met Tom at a seminar back in January, and his enthusiasm is absolutely contagious. He's got a pretty cool story himself, but the real gold in this book is how he breaks things down step-by-step in helping people get to where they want to be in their professional and personal lives. It's self-help stuff, but more entertaining and less preachy than anything else I've read in this regard.
6. In addition to my own article at T-Muscle last week (Favorite Supersets), I also contributed on a compilation by Nate Green, Your Training Split Sucks. Check 'em out, if you haven't already.
8. In the past two weeks, I've had four people email me asking about a mentorship at Cressey Performance. If we were to do a 3-4 day mentorship consisting of lectures, hands-on teaching, and observing athletes in action, would you be interested? If so, shoot us an email at cresseyperformance@gmail.com. It would occur sometime between October and March. Nothing firm, but I thought I'd throw it out there to gauge interest.
9. I'm looking for some good recommendations for books on CD. I just finished up my last one, and always like to have a good one in my car for whenever I'm driving. The last three good ones have been What the Dog Saw, Switch, and Born to Run. I prefer non-fiction. Thanks in advance to anyone who has some suggestions to make in the comments section!
10. Finally, a big happy birthday goes out to CP pitching expert Matt Blake, who - as you can tell from the following video - turns 11 today.
About this time last year, I attended and spoke at at big sports medicine conference organized by Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School. Given that it was baseball season, and the event's organizers were all also on staff with the Boston Red Sox, a big focus of the event was the diagnosis, treatment, and causes of throwing injuries to the elbow and shoulder.
One of the organizers happened to be my good friend Mike Reinold, who is the head athletic trainer and rehabilitation coordinator for the Red Sox. As you probably know, we collaborated on the Optimal Shoulder Performance DVD set as well.
One of the resounding themes of Mike's talks was that throwing hard is not the single-most important factor in being a successful pitcher. Rather, success is all about changing speeds and hitting spots. The point is an important one - and it's backed up by the success of the likes of Jamie Moyer, Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux.
Why is it so important for youth pitchers and parents to understand this? It's because it demonstrates that long-term success is not about dominating in little league; it's about acquiring skills that allow for future improvements.
Youth pitches should focus on commanding their fastballs with consistent repetition of their mechanics early-on - not just throwing hard. If you think you have the fastball mastered at age 9 and simply learn a curveball so that you can dominate little league hitters, you're skipping steps and trying to ride too many horses with one saddle. It's not that the curveball is inherently more stressful than any other pitch; it's just that - as the saying goes - "if you chase two rabbits, both will escape."
While kids need variety, they shouldn't try to master too many different complex skills at once. Step 1 is to have command of your fastball - not just to throw it hard.
Step 2 is to learn a good change-up to start creating the separation to which Mike is referring. Breaking pitches can come later.
Need proof? I recently saw some statistics that demonstrated that the MLB average against off-speed pitches has decline each of the past three years. Meanwhile, not surprisingly, the average MLB fastball velocity has increased by about 1mph. Throwing harder made all those off-speed pitches more effective by creating more separation. So, yes, throwing the crap out of the ball is still important - but only if you know where it's going - otherwise the average fastball velocity wouldn't be higher in Low A ball than it is in the big leagues.
Oh, and in case you need further proof of how MLB general managers perceive the importance of off-speed pitches, Phillies First Baseman Ryan Howard gave you $125 worth when he signed a new five-year contract last month. While the MLB average against off-speed pitches has steadily declined over the past three seasons, Howard has gotten better.
The take-home message is that youth pitchers need to develop the mechanical efficiency and physical abilities that will eventually make them able to throw hard in conjunction with a solid assortment of off-speed pitches. They don't need to light up radar guns and showcase curveballs when they're still regulars at Chuck 'E Cheese.
Here are some reading recommendations for the week:
Q&A: Partial Knee Meniscectomy - Here is a great blog from Mike Robertson about training modifications for those who have had a portion of the meniscus removed. Mike's a brilliant knee guy (definitely check out Bulletproof Knees if you haven't already). Stick around Mike's site and read a bit; he's been kicking out some great content lately.
Are You Inflamed? - This is a good one on the nutrition side of things from Mike Roussell.
What Makes Roy Run? - This was an awesome article about Roy Halladay from a few weeks ago in Sports Illustrated. To be blunt, a ton of professional baseball pitchers are lazy, one-trick ponies who rely on natural talent and don't work hard to fulfill their potential. Halladay is an exception to that rule: a guy who has worked incredibly hard to become arguably the best pitcher in the game. This is a tremendously well-written and entertaining piece about the path he took and how he deserves every bit of success that comes his way. Phillies fans are lucky to have him.
This guest blog comes from current Cressey Performance Intern, Chris Pothier.
When Eric asked me to present on the topic of stealing second base, I thought "Easy, how hard could this be?" Little did I know that I was entering the ultimate battle royal of baseball movement techniques. One side says the cross-over step is the 'end all be all," while the directional step folks insist that their style is far superior. Who is right and who is wrong?
With research and countless hours watching Grey's Anatomy clips of guys stealing bases on YouTube...I came to one rather unusual conclusion. Now, I have not coached thousands, hundreds or even a hand full of players' base stealing technique, or written an E-Book on the "how to." Rather, I was asked a question and I've researched and have placed my own opinion on the matter. You can agree or disagree with me; I won't lose sleep either way.
Here is a run-down on both techniques; both share the same 3-points on set-up technique:
1. Feet slightly wider than shoulders, keeping a positive shin angle back to either base.
2. Knees flexed 110-120 degrees with shoulders over toes to keep weight on balls of feet.
3. Hands out in front of hips, creating a shorter distance the arms have to travel and a shot lever arm which allows for faster positioning of the arms.
Cross-Over Step
1. Driving that left leg across your body, towards second base, landing slightly in front of your right.
2. As you rotate your torso, you square up to second base with your hips at the same time driving that left leg to full extension, creating your power. Left arm drives with cross-over step, followed by a quick right arm drive to initiate arm/leg synchronization.
3. Left arm drives with cross-over step, followed by a quick right arm drive to initiate arm/leg synchronization.
Directional Step
1. First step, initiate drive with left leg, to get hips and shoulders over right (power) foot.
2. Then externally rotate and step back 6-8" with right leg.
3. At this point, left knee drive towards chest, right arm drive, positive angles on both shins, toes toward second base, ankles dorsiflexed and torso square to second base.
4. Drive to full extension in right leg with left arm drive.
I've realized we could sit here and argue that the cross-over step doesn't allow you to clear your right leg with your left foot since you don't rotate first, or you waste time stepping backward with your right foot in the directional step. That's not the purpose here. Research from Reed et al, showed over two steps, the directional step resulted in significantly greater distance traveled, however it took significantly more total time than the cross over step, which covered less distance but quicker in two steps. This shows nearly identical velocities and there is no advantage over the other. On the other hand, a study by Ostarello et al tested three start methods and at all six timing stations; set at different distances, the cross over step was quicker (note from EC: we teach the crossover step to all beginners, but never interfere with guys who have been doing the directional step for an extended period of time, especially if they have had good success with it).
In my opinion, and I like to look at the bigger picture, there are too many variables that play into base stealing to pin one way against the other. You have to consider everything that goes into base stealing: lead, reading the pitcher, pitcher's deception, reaction time, individual speed/power, sliding technique , catcher's pop time, etc.
Here are some stats;
Jacoby Ellsbury- Career 129 SB; 70 SB 2009; 3 full seasons; Directional Step
Ichiro Suzuki-Career 342 SB; high of 56; 9 full seasons; Cross-Over step
In conclusion, if you have been directional stepping for six years, don't change. If you are just learning a technique, try both, go with what feels more comfortable and what can be coached easily. Base stealing is an art that takes mastering many small components to be successful. It's like saying who is better looking: Megan Fox or Jessica Alba...........exactly.
For more information or to contact Chris, check out his blog.
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I'm about to head out to go to Fenway Park for the season-opening Red Sox vs. Yankees game. So, with the baseball season officially underway, I thought it'd be good to kick this week off with a collection of baseball-related recommended reading material. Of course, you can certainly always find plenty of great stuff on the Baseball Content Page here at EricCressey.com. That said, here are just a few personal favorite articles that I've written (it was tough to just pick a few, as I love writing about this stuff!):
Crossfit for BaseballDeveloping Young Pitchers the Safe WayRisk-Reward in Training PitchersWeighted Baseballs: Safe and Effective or Stupid and Dangerous?
And a few baseball books that I'd highly recommend:
License to Deal (great look at the sports agent/representation industry)
I moved to Boston in 2006, so this is the fourth season I've gone through with the L-S guys - and while I knew power numbers had increased, I didn't realize that they had virtually quadrupled. I did, however, get my first hint of what was happening when we saw seven pitchers hit 80mph on the radar gun on the first day of tryouts this year. This is a pretty big deal for any high school, and certainly one in Massachusetts that has to compete with nasty winter weather and the draw of lacrosse, track, tennis, golf, and volleyball during the spring season. It's also significant because the competition in the area has improved quite a bit; L-S actually faces many of the players from other schools that we train - and they've gone 85-10 since the start of the 2007 season (when they won the state championship).
Needless to say, it was pretty cool to be able to put some numbers with the trend we'd been observing. And, it serves as a great reminder that - contrary to what a lot of "old school" coaches will try to tell you - a strength and conditioning program is absolutely essential for high school baseball players to not only perform at a higher level, but stay healthy in the process. In this four-year period, LS baseball has had only one arm surgery, and it was in early 2008 on a player who had been misdiagnosed on ulnar nerve issues since middle school. He's now playing Division 1 baseball. The guys understand that 
