Shut up and run

If you play the game of baseball long enough you'll more than likely experience a few slumps - hitting slumps and in some cases even throwing slumps. However, one slump that you will not and should not experience, barring injury or laziness, is a running slump. Time and time again I see ball players hit a weak grounder or a little pop-up and then they just "dog-it", mumbling to themself, thinking it's a sure out. Shut up and run. Nothing in baseball is a sure out. To the younger guys: you never know who is watching. Dont come across as being lazy to potential scouts who might be watching. Where have the days of Pete "Charlie Hustle" Rose gone.

Play hard, run harder.

Go hard in the yard.

Adam

Power Up...pounds down

In November 2009 Anibal Sanchez, P - Florida Marlins, begins training with Five Tool Baseball. On our first day of training, he tipped the scale at 235lbs. 3 months later he walks into Spring Training clubhouse and weighs in at a lean 205 lbs. For 3 months(4 days a week) our strength training program enabled Anibal to drop the weight while improving his strength,power and flexibility. He's is one of the more dedicated and commited players to have trained with Five Tool Baseball. It made my job not only easier but so much fun.

Good Luck Anibal.

Go hard in the yard.

Adam

Juan Rincon

Juan Rincon-P, Colorado Rockies, has teamed up with FiveToolBaseball Performace Training to power up the final phase of his off-season training.

Welcome

I want to welcome Anibal Sanchez, as the newest member to Five Tool Baseball Performance Training.

Ramon Hernandez comments

Ramon Hernandez, C #55
Cincinnati Reds

"Adam has been my off-season trainer since 2007. The combination of his strength training knowledge and past experiences as a player are important in understanding the training demands that are necessary for me and my position as a catcher. Whether we're on the field or in the training facility he’s prepared for every training session keeping me motivated and focused. I am very confident with Adam as my off-season performance training coach."

Week in the DR with Miguel Tejada

Just wanted to share and document a few pics while I was in the Domincan Republic (Republica Domincana)training Miguel Tejada. It was one of the best experiences in my baseball trainng career. I had one of those opportunities that just never forget. We trained hard, talked about baseball, family and life all the while he showed me where and how lived as a boy and now as a professional baseball player.



Miggy and I talking after lunch at his home








Miggy warming up before a WBC game with the JC band I gave him






This is the field Miggy played on as a boy. He had a stadium and outfield wall built around it so kids would be safe.





and these are the reasons he built the stadium. The group of kids practicing when we arrived

The Cannon

It's well known that hip extension, hip abduction and external hip rotation are seen as the primary functions for the glutes. Total body strength coupled with strong glutes, or the CANNON as I refer to them, play a significant role during on-field performance: running, throwing, fielding, changes of direction, etc. In turn, weak glutes(cannon)can contribute to unnecessary, 'extra' work for the hamstrings thus possibly resulting in the all too frequent hamstring injuries. So the answer should simple: get the glutes stronger, right? Yes and no. We cant just "hammer-away" at the glutes and say we have strong glutes without understanding what's going on at the hip flexor complex. It is extremly common for many of us to experience tight hip flexors based upon the tremendous amout of sitting we do. And, tight hip flexors can turn-off(inhibit)the glutes while minimizing the glute functions mentioned above. Exercises such as squats, romanian deadlifts, lunges are great for strengthening the glutes. However, in addition let's also consider a few movement patterns which target the glutes while dynamically lengthening the hip flexors. Exercises such as split squats, bulgarian squats, stability ball reverse hypers, bird dogs and even recline rows (reference baseball grip strength blog) target the glutes and hip flexors. Well functioning glutes and hip flexors can minimize injury keeping your athlete on the field.

Go hard in the yard-

Adam