2021 marked year 3 of the Elite Baseball Development Podcast. In all, we released 26 episodes in 2021 – and I learned a ton from some great guests. That said, here are our top five episodes from the year:

1. Current Concepts in Performance Training with Dan Pfaff – Dan discussed the key principles that enable coaches to have success regardless of the sport in question. He also reflected on his beginnings as a teacher, and spoke to the areas that are the “next frontiers” for us to learn about as an industry. We pondered the question, “How strong is strong enough?” and also examined how training loads and time of year impact muscle vs. tendon injuries.

2. Understanding Asymmetry with Ron Hruska – Ron shared some excellent insights on the origins of the Postural Restoration Institute; how polyarticular chains impact human movement; and what to do when we observe some of the common postural adaptations we see in athletes – particularly baseball players.

3. High Performance Nutrition Principles with Brian St. Pierre – In a closer look at the essentials of high performance nutrition programs. Brian discussed the perks and drawbacks of several current nutrition trends, and highlighted strategies one can employ to “tune out the noise” and get down to key foundational principles.

4. Developing Pre- and Post-Throwing Routines with Tanner Allen – Tanner and I discussed the common mistakes we see baseball players make during both the pre- and post-throwing periods. And, we provided some strategies for optimizing your preparation for throwing sessions, and well as improving recovery after they’re done.

5. Should Pitchers Take Time Off From Throwing? – I flew solo to tackle this commonly debated question in the world of developing pitchers. This is something I’ve pondered a lot over the years, and my position on it has evolved considerably.

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We’re back to the regular EricCressey.com content this upcoming week. Thanks for all your support in 2021! We’ve got some great stuff planned for 2022.