Five Tool Baseball Performance Training (FTBPT) is dedicated to sharing its knowledge, ideas and opinions on baseball performance training based upon field tested experiences as player, coach and baseball strength & conditioning coach. Proper exercise technique ( to ensure effective & efficient training programs) and baseball related movement patterns are implemented to maximize on-field performance. Emphasis is placed on movement based training which integrates multiple muscle groups. This approach has a greater transfer to on-field performance and can minimize the incidence and risk of injury. 
 If a game is being played you can be sure Im watching it from home or from the stands. Many of my own workouts involve designing/creating out-of-the-box exercises & programs to enhance performance and movement unique to baseball

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Got warm-up

Static stretching or dynamic stretching (flexibility)? Honestly no one seems to really be on the same page. When it comes to the WARM-UP, some promote static stretching only, others dynamic flexibility, some advocate both along with foam rolling. So who's right and is anyone really wrong?

Here's a few points of interest to consider when deciding which flexibility/stretching protocol for (pre-activity) warm up might be best for you and your ballplayers:

Static stretching
  • Slow & controlled movement followed by holding stretched position for a period of time (upto 30 seconds). 
  • As the muscle is stretched (lengthened) it relaxes causing muscle stiffness to decrease. This reduction in muscle stiffness can minimize force production; affecting ability to produce power.
  • Does not reduce post exercise muscle soreness 
  • Considered a better alternative for the cool down
  • Reduces soft tissue tension which can support ROM and mobility

Dynamic flexibility
  • Requires acceleration & deceleration of movement patterns; excellent carryover for on-field performance. 
  • Increases core temperature
  • Increases blood flow to working muscles
  • Excites nervous system - benefiting force production
  • Enhances joint mobility
  • Includes movement patterns such as: jog, back pedal, skips, butt kickers, cariocas, shuffles, inch worms, etc, etc

At Five Tool Baseball, dynamic flexibility is our preferred method for warming-up prior to our in-gym or on-field training sessions. Furthermore,  our warm-up programs can be enhanced by implementing "specific" functional exercises to match the main focus of the training session - such as 'Push', 'Legs/Hips' or  'Pull' dominant. As an example, we may perform light standing band presses or stability ball push ups when the focus of our training day is  'Push'. Same approach is taken on 'Legs/Hips' and 'Pull' training days.

Regardless of your own position on stretching, train hard, train smart and...

Out train the game.

AB
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