Milwaukee Brewers

It was a pleasure to have Chris Joyner, Milwaukee Brewers Strength Coach, visit me during the team's recent trip into Florida against the Marlins. We had a great time working out and talking baseball training. He is an absolute professional, class act. Thanks Chris.

Olympic Lifts for baseball strength training…Really?

Just so we’re on the same page, baseball is a rotational sport. So while recently looking over a collegiate baseball summer training program I couldn’t help but notice Olympic lifts were included. Really?

Olympic lifting is a sport in and of itself that includes lifts such as the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk. These lifts require a tremendous amount of technique, a high learning curve and demand a high level of skill specific to the sport of Olympic lifting.

So why are these movements/exercises finding their way into the world of baseball training? I know, I know Olympic lifts can create powerful hips; and they do…in the sagittal plane of motion – which is not the dominant motion in baseball. Baseball is dominated thru the transverse/rotational plane.

Structurally, Olympic lifts could create abnormal (and high) levels of joint stress - particularly thru the shoulders and wrists- (let’s not forget about the force that's placed on the knees). I think we would all agree that the knees, shoulders and wrists are important to a ball player, thus we wouldn’t want to risk an off-season injury.

I’m not against Olympic lifts – I MIGHT incorporate them (MAYBE) if the athlete has a better than average base and understanding of Olympic lifting. However, I haven’t seen too many baseball players having been properly exposed to these lifts. Therefore I have to ask myself how important is it to teach and incorporate a potentially “risky” movement in order to develop sagittal plane hip power when baseball is dominated by rotational power. What's the reward:risk ratio?

Now, Im not saying we shouldnt do any sagittal plane power training. I just believe that in order to save the shoulders, wrists and knees we can choose safer alternatives (such as box jump or reverse medicine ball toss) can be performed BUT IN CONJUNCTION with rotational power training. Lastly, you may find yourself working within a limited time frame; so wouldnt you rather spend your time on related baseball training than taking up valuable training time to teach exercises (which may not get mastered) that are unique to the sport of Olympic lifting.

Train Hard. Train Smart.

Go hard in the yard.

In the news

In his recent Fish Tank blog (posted, May 31, 2010) Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Joe Capozzi had the opportunity to catch up with my client, Marlins starting pitcher, Anibal Sanchez.

Thanks Joe.



Is Florida Marlins pitcher Anibal Sanchez building an All Star case?

by Joe Capozzi

Beautiful weather here on Memorial Day for the Marlins and Brewers. Before we get into today’s game, wanted to get your thoughts on Anibal Sanchez, who’s on quite a roll after beating the Phillies 1-0 yesterday.

Anibal is 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA in six starts this month. (His teammate, Josh Johnson, is 3-1 with an even stingier 1.38 ERA).

If Sanchez can do in June what he did in May, we just might see him at the All Star Game in July, perhaps with JJ.

Of course, Sanchez — 5-2 with a 2.89 ERA — is in uncharted territory now.

Healthy with no shoulder problems for the first time in his major league career, this is the first time in his career he won four straight starts. He finished his rookie season of 2006 with a 5-1 record over his last six starts.

Sanchez gave credit for his strong start to Adam Brush, a trainer at the Institute Of Human Performance in Boca Raton.

During the past off-season, Sanchez said he made the 30-minute drive every day to Boca to work out with Brush. Sanchez met Brush through Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez.

The month of June will be Sanchez’s big test, a chance to prove he belongs among the game’s top starting pitchers.

Another gem...

4 and 0 in the month of May. And an over all ERA that currently stands at 2.89. Yesterday, I battled 90 degree weather, hot florida sun to watch Anibal Sanchez pitch 6 2/3 scoreless innings and take the 1-0 win over the Phillies. It has been so rewarding to see how our off-season training is having such a positive impact; from his conditioning/stamina and power developement to a healthy right shoulder and elbow. I wish Anibal Godspeed.

Go hard in the yard.


Adam

4 for 4 night

May 29th Ramon Hernandez turned in a great performance from the 8th spot. 4 for 4, two dingers, 3 RBIs, 2 runs scored and a pick-off at 3rd base.

Go hard in the yard.

Adam

Training: Old vs. New

The following is a short, and partial list of a few "out of the box", different approaches to baseball training vs. the old school, mainstream approach.

#1

Mainstream Training Approach - Limits core training by emphasizing crunches,sit ups, etc from the floor; nothing to do with throwing, hitting, or running

Out of the Box Training Approach - Incorporates core training by emphasizing the transverse plane(rotation) from standing positions; dominates throwing, hitting and running

#2

Mainstream Training Approach - trains predominately in the sagittal plane(front and back movements)

Out of the Box Training Approach - Incorporates lateral movements and diagonal patterns - opposite hip to opposite shoulder- similar to throwing, hitting, running

#3

Mainstream Training Approach - trains bilaterally - 2 legs/2 arms simultaneous movements/i.e. 2 leg squats

Out of the Box Training Approach - Incorporates unilateral training - 1 leg/1 arm movements/ i.e. 1 leg squat

#4

Mainstream Training Approach - concentrates on bodybuilding methodologies

Out of the Box Training Approach - Incorporates strength, power and functional training methodologies


As ballplayers continue to evolve so should their training.

Go hard in the yard.

Adam

Ramon Hernandez - ESPN Top 10

Click on link below. Five Tool Baseball client, Ramon Hernandez, makes an excellent play at the plate; worthy of #7 on ESPN's Top 10 plays from this past weekend (5/15/2010).

Reds right at home on game-ending play | reds.com: News