Collegiate Workout

As many of you know, I have been working very hard with the pitchers from C.W. Post over the last month or so.  Many girls are very curious about what happens with workouts at a collegiate level.  To an extent, certain things are similar to what occurs in private lessons.  Conversely, everything is very compressed because of the amount of time spent with the pitchers and the team.  I put in a little over nine hours a week with four girls.  As you can imagine, that is a great deal of individualized attention with good athletes, producing expedited results.   The focus is still on mechanics first.  You have to have a solid foundation to work on speed, spin or accuracy.  This is true for athletes at every level.  It is also true that everyone is anatomically different and will therefore be unique in certain aspects of her motion.  Therefore, I thought I would post the unique workouts I provided for the pitchers at Post.  These workouts are based on throwing three days a week in addition to strength and conditioning.  All pitchers have individualized warm-ups that they do prior to working on the proceeding skills.  I have decided not to use their names, but describe them by the things they are working on: 

Pitcher One (Lefty): Working on producing a straight circle, better speed, and adding a drop

Day One: Stability      

-Circle while balancing on left leg (right leg is up)

-Vest or bands

-Plank and throw

-Rise

Day Two: Straight Circle

-Warm-ups should include at least 10-15 with the circle against the wall

-Freeze at superman (check circle) and throw

-Throwmax

-Ball in the sock

-Drop and change-up

Day Three: Power

-Warm-ups

-Run throw and run

-Hop, hop and pop

-Eleven inch ball

-Vest or bands

Pitcher Two (Righty):  Working on producing sharper, more explosive break

Day One: Spin

-Warm-ups with spinner (rise, drop, curve)

-Spins down on the right knee

-All spins with the baseball (using two fingers)

-Run through pitches with the regular ball (rise, drop, curve, change)

Day Two:  Timing of Break

-Warm-ups on oversized ball

-Snap and look at your range of motion

-Under one leg with the 12 inch

-Work ropes for positioning of the break on all pitches (ropes go horizontally for rise and drop; vertically for curve)

Day Three: Explosiveness

-Throw and run

-Rapid Fire

-Vest or bands

-Circle snap circle

-Sprinter’s start

Pitcher Three (Righty):  Working on an explosive leg drive, endurance, and spots


She purposely throws after conditioning, so that she can work on her endurance in later innings.  She is also required to keep a pitch count.

Day One: Explosiveness

-Drag the towel with back leg (make sure the heel is not dropping)

-Throw and run

-Circle snap circle

-Rise spin with spinner and then from full

 Day Two: Spots and Spin

-Work outside corner using the line/rope for reference

-Warm-up drop and curves (inside and outside) with spinner

-Use the ropes to create good timing on the break

Day Three

-Work on the skills you feel still need improvement based on the workouts earlier in the week

Pitcher Four (Lefty): Working on hitting spots, creating consistent speed, and producing a loose arm whip

Day One: Accuracy (You will probably not need a catcher for this day: a bucket of balls and a net would suffice)

-Use the ropes to create lines to your spots

-Begin with the rope starting with snaps and work all the way to full

Day Two: Looseness and whip

-Pendulum

-Roll your wrist then throw

-Throw and run

-Swinging from full motion

-Sprinter’s start

-Drop (use the rope for break)

-Throw with the eleven-inch ball

Day Three: Break and speed 

-Warm-up all spins except curve using either spinner or undersized ball

-Work Positioning and timing of the break

-Throw with the vest or bands pulling forward

I hope that this gives everyone a basic idea of how I have painstakingly crafted and individualized the workouts for these pitchers.  Try to think of your goals (both mechanically and otherwise) and ask yourself how to best craft your own workout to meet those goals.  Remember, mechanical issues should always precede work on spins and speed.  Only once your motion is perfect or near-perfect should you begin working for power and break.   Speed is gained most quickly not through power drills, but through correcting mechanical inefficiencies.   

Change is hard . . .

Inevitably, the wonderful athletes that I have worked with for years and years will go on to college.  In fact, that is what I try to train them for.  We always address preparation for the higher level and make sure that it figures prominently in our workouts.  Still, I feel like this year is probably the toughest it has ever been to say even a temporary "good-bye" to my graduating seniors.  Kerri, Liz, and Kaitlyn have been tremendous fixtures in my life for years and years now.  They have been athletes that I looked forward to working with every week.  I was always excited during the season to open up the paper and learn of their most recent successes.  Not having that weekly interaction in person is going to be tough, and yet, I feel so confident in their respective work ethics and their abilities to succeed, that I am anticipating that wonderful joy at seeing them conquer the next level of play.  It is something almost tangible:  all those long hours they spent perfecting their craft seem destined to culminate soon.  It is incredible.

But, of course, I will still miss them terribly.

As if that weren't enough, Danielle Henderson, an amazing friend of mine (and a fellow pitching instructor) was offered the incredible opportunity to be a pitching coach at Ohio State.  She is someone with whom I have always discussed spins, methodology, and the various topics that come up when working with young girls.  I am truly so blessed to have her as a friend.  Aside from being knowledgeable and having experience at the highest level, she is honest, sweet and wonderful in every way.   I remember looking up to her as a young athlete when I just started to learn pitching and then interviewing her for a newspaper article when I wrote for The Three Village Times.  After all of that, to have the honor of being her friend is just a great gift.  I know that this job means a kind of success for Danielle that she can't experience here.  I am so happy for her, but I can't help but be just a little selfish and want her to stay.  She is going to be wonderful and inspiring for girls at a very high level, just as she has been wonderful and inspiring to me and her students for years now.

Finally, some of my younger girls who are wonderful athletes at other positions have decided to dedicate their time on perfecting these areas of the game as opposed to pitching.  This is actually something that I wholeheartedly agree with.  It is tough to  decide that, as skilled as one may be as a pitcher, it might be better to dominate at a different position.  Pitching is so much time, dedication, and heart.   It also requires mental tenacity and a certain amount of fearlessness.  It takes a very strong person to realize that she has these qualities and can cultivate them, but it also takes a very strong person to do the opposite.   I love these girls.  They will always be a part of our softball family.  However, even Natasha Watley was a pitcher at one point.  I am sure she does not regret the decision to focus on her abilities as a short stop and offensive player.

So what is my message today?  Change is hard, and sometimes even heartbreaking.  Should that ever stop us?  No.  In my experience, all of the great things in life are hard, but they also make us stronger.  You don't want to pass up the experiences in life that will give you that gift.  

Once in a lifetime . . .

Happy Fourth of July!  This has been a huge weekend for tournaments (as usual), but it has also been incredibly hot lately, so be sure to be drinking plenty of fluids at least twenty minutes prior to going out in the heat.  Remember, caffienated beverages do not help with your hydration, and can actually make matters worse.  So-called "energy drinks" are particularly bad in this respect. 

I have been trying my best to get around to blogging, but this has been an insane time of year between coordinating for the muscle fatigue study, scheduling lessons, and actually giving lessons.  I have been dying to write about all of the wonderful events concerning Liz, and now here it is:

As many of you already know, I have worked with Liz Weber since she was ten years old.  What many of you don't know, is that she cried before her first lesson, and did not talk to me in lessons for about the first year.  What many of you also don't know is that Lori and Liz had a huge hand  in my doing lessons on a full-time basis.  When I first started teaching Liz, I was still teaching at Smithtown High School.  After working with Liz and some other students, I decided that I would much rather work with dedicated young ladies all day long than search for a few kids willing to work hard in an average English class.   Everyone thought I was crazy for leaving a good job at Smithtown, but I knew that I had something really unique with the girls that I was teaching.  Nevertheless, the  first year is always tough, and Lori helped tremendously by setting up clinics for me at a gym in West Islip.  Liz and Lori would also drive over an hour so that they could come and pitch in my parent's basement (where I used to practice growing up).  When I bought a house, they came to pitch in the basement there as well. 

Many people have helped me along the way, but Lori, Coach Ventre, my parents, the Gallo family, and the Huntley family all made it possible for me to really get through that first tough year of starting a business.   They all found ways to get me gym space and made it possible for me to do group lessons.  They also referred so many people to me, which gave me confidence and really got my business off the ground.  Lori was constantly encouraging me to open my own facility, which always  unnerved me because of the overhead.  She had even offered to help!  Very few people realize this, but this was one of the many factors that drove me to finally rent my own place after several years of renting at other facilities.  The other two major factors being the wonderful advice and help of Deanna Dovak, and finally getting the blessing from my dad.  My dad also put in countless hours helping me to set up the facility the way I wanted it.  He helped me to find, and to work with, a truly wonderful landlord. 

Now I have been in my facility for about five years and this has been the most exciting year that we have shared as a group.  All you need to do is check the homepage at http://www.flawlessfastpitch.com/ to see how we have all excelled this year.  The part that is particularly exciting, however, is the fact that Liz's  high school team (Bay Shore) won the New York State Championship in this, her senior year.  I could not have hoped for more as she prepares to head for college in the fall.  And yet, there was more.  She was Newsday's Player of the Year and Suffolk County's Pitcher of the Year.  Newsday did an entire article on her.  Just incredible.  I saw Liz on June 24th for a lesson and was amazed to learn that she was graduating the next day.  It seemed like that went so fast!  Needless to say, I had to be at her graduation.  It was then that Lori told me that Liz was up for NYS Player of the Year.  This is a tremendous honor because only one girl in NYS is chosen.  I was honored to join Liz and her family for her graduation dinner and, immediately following, we found out that she was in fact New York State Player of the Year.   I feel like such a sequence of amazing events, from that first lesson eight years ago, to the amazing conclusion of her high school career, is a once in a lifetime scenario.  I feel truly blessed to have been a part of this process.  Though I know it will be very different with Liz away at school, I feel that I will be a part of that process too, and I am so thankful.  Huge thanks to the Weber family, and major congratulations to Liz!

Our Champions

Months ago, when my husband and I were planning a vacation, I thought carefully about the dates we chose.  "That's usually about when the varsity season draws to a close," I said, and so we felt we booked our time away with perfect calculation.
Although I harbor the utmost faith, respect, and admiration when it comes to my girls, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I would still have four athletes vying for Long Island titles while we were away.  Liz Weber, Kerri Apicella, and Michiko McGiveny all contributed substantially to their teams coveted Long Island championships (in their respective classes).  Catherine Havens pitched unbelievably all season, but even her brave and wonderful efforts were unable to clinch the Long Island Championship for ESM in their Class.  Regardless, Catherine is formidable in every way and is still only a junior!
I don't think that I need to mention the fact that Liz's stellar pitching lead Bay Shore to the State Championship.  I can't express how proud or how thrilled I was to learn this.  I wanted nothing more than to have Liz be able to grasp that crowning achievement her senior year.  I have been honored to work with Liz for the past eight years.  Her work ethic and her drive are only a small piece of her skill.  Like any pitcher, she has certainly had her mechanical ups and downs.  We all struggle in that respect, but it is what we inevitably come out of that struggle with that distinguishes us from our competition.  She has made it so that even her most difficult struggles eventually become her victories.  Not only has she grown profoundly as a pitcher and an athlete since she first started pitching at age ten, she has developed an amazing poise and grace that makes her both intimidating and difficult to read.    This is a very understated quality in many pitchers, but one that I think it is hard to succeed without.  Is it possible to teach that aggressive, killer instinct while still maintaining a composure that is devastating to opponents?
I think that there are certainly ways to develop this "killer instinct" more, but to me, it seems that all the aforementioned amazing athletes have a sort of "fire," in their hearts (even at a very young age).  It is something that is very difficult to describe, but it is palatable when you stand near them.  When we make mechanical adjustments, they are not angry or discouraged, they see it as an opportunity to improve.  They are always willing to admit their mistakes, and use these admissions as a platform for improvements.  When they talk about softball, and pitching, it is like a light switch goes off.  When they discuss their opposition, they are smart, evaluative, and respectful, but always looking to get the edge.  They will work outside of their comfort zone in order to best accommodate the umpire that particular day, or exploit the weakness of the opposition.  They are skilled at learning and never miss an opportunity to improve themselves.  These are all girls who have traveled far and wide to play on the best teams, work with the best coaches, and perfect their craft in general.   I am really blessed to work with these wonderful girls, and I know that their successes will continue throughout their high school and college careers.  They are fighters, they are winners, and they have worked so hard for everything they have achieved.

The characteristics of champions

With the incredible recent successes of Catherine Havens, Liz Weber and Kerri Apicella, I have been hearing many girls proclaim how they aspire to be like these wonderful athletes.  That is all well and good, but these amazing individuals did not just develop over night.  Here are some characteristics they share:

Resiliency:  Catherine, Kerri, and Liz all lost the first game of the series, but fought hard and smart to dominate their opponents in subsequent games.  These girls never back down under difficult circumstances.  They all use their failures as opportunities to better themselves. 
Work Ethic: All of these girls have sacrificed time, money, energy, social outings with friends, and many other things to really perfect their craft as pitchers.
Consistency:  Not everyone is consistent in every game, but these girls are always on time or early for lessons, come year round, work incredibly hard throughout lessons and never complain.  This is a kind of consistency that instructors dream of. 

Want to know more about these wonderful champions?  Check in tomorrow.

Using your celebrity wisely

The time I would have devoted towards blogging last week, was very happily spent writing my next article for Baseball Player Magazine.  I am very excited about this one, as it will be discussing how to attack that intimidating batter.  No matter how accomplished we are as pitchers, there are always a few batters who are a little imposing, but no hitter is ever unbeatable.  

I have still been doing "pyramids" workouts in my lifting regimen.  I do like these a lot, since they begin with light weight and continually get higher.  It is a nice way to warm up the muscles before doing heavier weights (though I find it unnecessary to ever do very heavy weights).  Sunday's workout was the AIDS walk: 6.2 miles to raise money for research.  This ended up being the AIDS run for Frank and I, who felt that the pace wasn't quite fast enough for us.  It took us almost an hour to even get to the starting point, so we were a bit restless by then and just ran it.  There was an unbelievable crowd and also a lot of diversity among the walkers.  It was also a beautiful day in Central Park.  

This brings up a very important topic: the influence we have as athletes.  Athletes always have others who look up to them.  This is both a tremendous responsibility and a wonderful opportunity.  On one hand, the incident with the Ward Melville lacrosse team has made headlines lately.  Many of the players were suspended for a game due to the poor judgement that they demonstrated by drinking and then posting their exploits on Facebook.  Though they had to endure some consequences, the example they set for the young lacrosse players who look up to them is a very poor one indeed.  Behavior like this also tends to perpetuate a bias about what athletes are like as people.  On the other hand, we have many athletic teams that boast tremendous GPAs or do things for the community (my college coach made sure that we volunteered every year as a team).  Either way, you have to realize how others are influenced by these behaviors.    Many of my students don't realize how the younger girls talk about them like they are celebrities or how even their peers regard them highly and with much respect.  For this very reason, we should always be an example of good sportsmanship, but in addition, we should look to help others and our admirers will look to do the same.  

Helping others comes in many forms, both large and small.  I know that many of my students are involved in teaching younger girls how to pitch.  This is a wonderful way to educate others about proper mechanics, help prevent injury, and hone your own skills.  There is a wonderful ripple effect that is created when you choose to do something of this nature.  Your students will then go on and share their expertise and so forth.  Helping others doesn't have to involve pitching, though.  It is more about sharing your special gifts with the world.  Maybe you read to elderly people at a nursing home or perhaps you help tutor your neighbor in math.  One of my students did a walk for cystic fibrosis this weekend.  Many of you are involved in autism research, youth groups, and community projects.  Doing this is not just a way to boost your college resume, but it is also a way to set an example for others. I have some of my own favorite charities including North Shore Animal League, Sloan Kettering, and Heifer International.  Use your skills outside the circle to help a greater good.  You will feel good about helping others, but you will encourage many to do the same.      

Not everyone is meant to be a pitcher . . .

Sorry that I have not posted in a while.  I have been both extremely busy and a bit under the weather, which is not a good combination, since I haven't really felt like doing much.  I have therefore very grudgingly abstained from pitching, and will wait a few more days until I am feeling better.  I have still been running and lifting and doing yoga, but have been taking it day to day.

This time of year, everyone wants to be a pitcher.  It seems like a very glamorous prospect doesn't it?  The ball is in your hands every single time, you get lots of credit for the win, everyone is looking at you, etc. . . .  Based on my involvement in the Lenox Hill Study, I have been fortunate enough to spend a bit more time at tournaments and games than I normally would, and guess what I am seeing among the older girls?  A plethora of young women who were pitchers at one time or another.

So what happened?  Did everyone suddenly hate being a pitcher?  Maybe they all realized how much extra practice is involved.  Maybe they realized how much more pressure is on a pitcher (more than any other player on the field, in fact).   Maybe they realized how emotionally draining it can be to work on mechanics relentlessly or to throw a no-hitter (or a great game) and lose to errors.   Some girls will literally destroy themselves as pitchers from the inside out - overanalyzing and not giving their skills enough value.  Wait a minute . . . wasn't this supposed to be fun?

The truth is, a lot of wonderful things come with pitching.  As in the pursuit of all wonderful things however, there is a tremendous commitment and struggle to rise above mediocrity and truly develop and achieve greatness.  Many kids who are natural talents when they are younger succumb to laziness or complacency (remember last week's blog?) and never reach their true potential.  What I have found to be an amazing commonality among every single pitcher I have worked with, without exception, is the fact that they have all gone through some major mechanical conundrum.  I mean something so difficult that it would almost seem impossible to fix.  At the time, it always does seem near impossible.  What separates the girls who go on to become the super powers of the pitching world and the girls who never break these bad habits is perseverance.  I can remember years back how Kaitlyn's circle used to go over her head, or Cat had no snap, or Liz had a crooked backswing.  I can go on and on.  We laugh about these things in lessons now.  It seems like it was decades ago.  Yet many other girls have gone through similar things and have decided "I am just going to keep on throwing side-arm" or "I am going to let my spin be imperfect" or "I don't need to use my back leg."  This is not always a conscious decision, but rather a decision made through work ethic or mental fortitude.  Pitching is not for the weak of heart.  You are the strong ones out there, girls.  Carry these lessons with you throughout life and watch how it breeds success in every direction.

Complacency is the enemy of progress

After throwing last week, I decided to focus a little more on weight training, yoga, and swimming.  I think that swimmming is tremendous exercise and very low impact.  It is also wonderful for developing the upper body in a balanced way, and therefore very good for pitchers. 

So my wonderful athletes have been going out there and doing amazing things.  They have been accomplishing so much, not just in terms of statistics, but also in terms of being team leaders and role models.  Most great athletes don't realize how much younger girls model themselves after them, and that is both a tremendous responsibility and wonderful opportunity.  Younger girls will try to emulate your mechanics, your attitude, and essentially everything about you.  They will follow you in the paper and keep track of your statistics.  I remember that when I was first learning to pitch, my dad took me to see Danielle Henderson, and I wanted to be just like her.  I also wanted desperately to pitch against her, since I am psychotic like that and always wanting to play against the best.  When she first went off to college and came home to help at clinics, I drilled her with questions about what she liked most about pitching at school, how she felt she increased her speed the most, what pitches she learned, etc.  To this day it amazes me that this great Olympic athlete was not only an inspiration to me growing as a pitcher, but she is also a very, very dear friend.   How lucky am I?

So this brings us to a more challenging note.  When you are dominating, and striking girls out left and right, how do you keep from becoming complacent?  I have some wonderful athletes who are doing great in their respective seasons, but whom I feel are not really utilizing all of their assets.  This is not an easy thing to address, but I think that the most effective way to address it is to try and set up a means of objective evaluation.  For example, the wonderfully talented Catherine Havens has been having her mom film her games for years.  She then takes some time the day after the game to evaluate the things that she did well, and the things that she could improve upon.  I think that this keeps her incredibly strong and consistent throughout her season.  It is almost like you are competing against yourself in a way, constantly striving to be better.  I joke that I need to take a lesson from Catherine because she has become so incredible at emphasizing the good and adjusting the bad.  This is a girl who will be a tremendous asset to whatever college is lucky enough to have her.  For other girls who don't want to film their games, I ask them to do a quick evaluation of each pitch on the bus ride home.  Also, note how your speed was and how it has been in general.  We want our accomplishments to be meaningful and wonderful, but we don't want to rest on our laurels.   When we all compete from forty-three feet over the summer, we want to be prepared for the better competition.  When we showcase, we want to really give the coaches something to look at.  Challenge yourself gently and you will find you are often up to the challenge.  If you become complacent, you will find yourself in for a rude awakening when the true competitors come to call. 

Working through the tough spots

Ever since I started throwing again, I feel as though I have been improving little by little each time.  Today, I kind of felt more like I was stuck in quicksand.  My speed wasn't as good, and I just felt wiped out.  My drop and change were very strong, but I didn't even really throw for a very long time.  I did do a bit over five miles yesterday, which might have something to do with it, but I thought that this would be a good opportunity to discuss some challenges that we face as pitchers.  Working hard is a very good investment, but it doesn't usually pay off right away, and we sometimes suffer setbacks.  Injuries, exhaustion, not connecting with your coach or instructor, and even just having a bad day are all factors.

So how do we work through these difficulties, especially if it comes at a bad time (like playoffs or while a college coach is watching)?  This is where mental toughness separates the good pitchers from the great.  A lack of mental toughness makes some girls quit altogether.  I have seen girls who far surpassed their peers in skill at a younger level and then couldn't take the pressure or the level of commitment required at the higher level.  Even if you don't see the fruits of your practice labors paying off immediately, you must know that practicing in general will train your body to better perform the right movements in high-pressure situations.  The only exception to this rule is if you are practicing with incorrect mechanics or if you are not connecting well with your coach and therefore not understanding what you need to accomplish in practice.  Otherwise, if you are not having a successful practice in one area of your pitching (like speed), redirect your attention to another area where you might excel on that particular day.  For example, if your speed is off, your rise will probably not work very well, but drop and change will be a good place to focus your energy.  This will keep you from feeling discouraged and will give you a sense of accomplishment.  Over time, it will help mental toughness, because you feel as though you can do well even when you don't have "your best stuff."

If you are not throwing well because you are exhausted physically (mentally is a whole separate issue), then be very careful.  I find that this typically tends to be a precursor to injury.  If you are practicing and feeling a little tired, keep your pitch count low, and make sure to stretch well and ice afterwards.  In games, I think that it is best to keep your coach abreast of your level of exhaustion.  When I was in high school, my coaches would have to drag me out of the game.  I didn't care if I was so tired that I could barely hold the ball.  I wanted in!  As I got older, I realized this was a  good way to get hurt and also a very selfish thing to do for my team.  If it was a close game and I gave up big hits because of exhaustion, I wasn't doing them any favors.  In my last few years playing, if I felt like I was running out of steam, I simply let my coach know "I feel like I am slowing down a little" or "my movement isn't as good as it was in the first few innings."  He would then warm up a reliever.  I stayed healthy and we won almost all of those games. 

To figure out when exhaustion really does set in for windmill pitchers, we are working on our muscle fatigue study.  Today, we will be measuring Bella after her game against MacArthur.  We are hoping to finish up all of our test subjects before the fall so that we can send in the data to Lenox Hill at that point.  Very exciting stuff and I will keep you posted.  Until then, keep your spirits high even if you have a rough day.  Always keep your long-term goals in sight and stay healthy!  

Get into the groove!

First of all, I am very excited to announce my first published article in Baseball Player Magazine.  It is hard to decide if I am more excited about that or having the wonderful Ashley Massoni highlighted on literally the next page (check out her video on Youtube if you haven't already).  You can read the articles and see some of the great things that this magazine has to offer by clicking on http://issuu.com/baseballplayermagazine/docs/bpm_spr_2010 . Sooo exciting. 

I threw today for a little over an hour, and have been joking that I am ready for a comeback since I feel outstanding.  I am doing a lot less drill work, throwing harder, and my spins are working so well.  Hopefully, I won't be sore tomorrow.  Speaking of spins, it has come to my attention that many pitchers have spent the winter perfecting pitches that they are not throwing at all in games.  Why is that?  If it is a brand new pitch, and you just don't feel comfortable with it right away, then you should throw it either when you have a tremendous lead or when your team is getting annihilated.  Either way, no harm done.  If you do not have enough time to warm up all of your spins, address the issue with your coach.  Every girl's coach should know exactly how much time it takes her to warm up.  This decreases the risk of injury and makes the pitcher much more effective in the long run.  If you are in the more delicate situation of having a coach or catcher unwilling to call your new pitch, offer to show it off in scrimmages or during team bp to demonstrate its effectiveness.  This will also help your own confidence in the pitch. 

Remember, being a good pitcher is different from just being a good "thrower."  Being a good pitcher entails being smart about location, mix of pitches, and how to throw to different batters.  No great pitcher has every gotten away with just one really good pitch (I could see where one might argue the case for Rivera, but he is just like superhuman).  Know your strongest pitches each day (they might be different on any given day) and work the locations that complement them.  Remember, you will ALWAYS need to work your fastball.  People fall in love with spin pitches and then forget about the old "number one."  Your fastball is not only the basis for your mechanics, but it is also typically a little quicker than your spins.  Spot it and use it at least a few times a game.  Keep spinning and keep working hard.

Success!

First and foremost, I am so honored to have so many of my wonderful students mentioned in Newsday today.  I am also thrilled to see many of them getting some airtime on MSG Varsity.  My goodness, I am raising a bunch of celebrities.  This week has been fast-paced and crazy.  I have been doing pyramids for lifting (when you start with low weight and several reps then increase to high weight and low reps).  I haven't done pyramids in a long time, and they are great, but making me tired.  On the plus side, I threw on Friday and am finally feeling like I have all my speed back.  For those of you struggling with speed, or thinking that speed and mechanics are not linked, I can tell you that those weeks I really spent honing my mechanics were not producing velocity immediately.  For a while, it did feel a little like going backwards, and that is always frustrating.  It wasn't until I really felt comfortable with the movements and then added power that I started to really get great results.  My rise, drop, inside curve, and change-up were also feeling great and I wasn't sore at all the next day (thank you ice!).  Also keep in mind that it usually takes about six weeks to start seeing dramatic improvements in skills.  Keep working hard and you will succeed!

This past Saturday was also the seminar on eating well.  I really shouldn't have called it a seminar, because it was a little more interactive.  We tried different foods, looked at portion sizes, discussed what we would order from different menus, and did so much more.  I really love doing seminars.  The teacher in me is happy for days afterwards.  I particularly like doing this type of seminar, because I want my young athletes to have good eating skills for life.  I think it is one of the most valuable skills an individual can learn, since eating well can help to manage headaches, stress, depression, health, and so forth.  Food can be pretty amazing when it is used properly.  We just went shopping at Whole Foods, and I felt like Charlie when he first steps into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.  That place is amazing.  

I am looking forward to another amazing week of games.  Keep at it everyone, you are making me so proud!

Rain, rain go away - Hooray!

I do apologize for not having posted in some time.  Last week was absolute chaos with all of the rain.  Games were, of course, postponed and rescheduled.  The power went out, the heat went out, there was water everywhere, I could go on. . . Despite all of this, things are starting to acquire a bit of normalcy again.  With workouts, I have been doing weights, running, pilates, and yoga.  On Sunday, I mixed in some UBC and the rowing machine for part of my cardio.  This definitely has a very different feel.  It is so important to keep your workouts fresh and interesting.  Today I did yoga and threw for about a half hour (both right and left side).  My arm feels really good and I definitely think that doing yoga beforehand helped my concentration and stability.  I have really been working on the whip and trying to incorporate it into my lessons.  I hope that you guys are benefiting from all of this.

I have also been watching some baseball, and noting how some pitchers are more fluid and efficient than others.  Really concentrating on the motions is finally making baseball interesting to me.  I have always wondered why softball has just appealed so much more to me than baseball.  Of course, the game is much faster with slapping and bunting.  The pitching is much more interesting.  I could go on.   However, there are some things that we can learn from watching baseball pitching.  More aggressive pitchers in both softball and baseball tend to get a much better drive off of the back leg.  Some pitchers have better whip and some try to muscle or push the ball (any of this sounding familiar?).  Most interestingly, the baseball pitchers have a tendency to change their mechanics when they struggle just as much as you guys do.  I just watched the Red Sox starting pitcher sink down lower and start pulling his head out as the game progressed on Sunday (not surprisingly, that inning started with a walk).  It is amazing how athletes, no matter what level, tend to modify their motions in different scenarios.  Know your body though, and know when you are changing your mechanics for nerves versus changing your mechanics for exhaustion.  The latter can be a prelude to injury if you are not mindful.  Many pitchers tend to stop using the back leg or start pulling the ball when they are tired.  Some start slumping their shoulders or speeding up their motions to a point of inefficiency.  Watch for these characteristics in yourself to know when you've "hit the wall."   If you can prevent some of these undesirable changes, you will throw much better.  Either way, don't feel too bad if you're mechanics are a little shaky at points in the season.  You are not getting paid millions of dollars to do this!

Feeling Great

Friday was another insane day, with a 5:30 wake-up to workout (when pressed for time, always better to work out at home than not at all), class from 8 to 4, and an evening full of lessons.  When I do an in-home workout, I usually either do a pilates video or make up my own high-intensity stuff and mix it in with some ab work and PT.  Class was very interesting and focused more on nutrition and goal-setting than anatomy.  During class, I have decided that I will absolutely, undoubtedly do a seminar at my facility on healthy eating.  There is just too much that the general public does not know about eating well, and everyone needs guidance.  I can't think of any other industry where so much conflicting information has arisen over the past twenty years.  I see why people are frustrated when trying to eat well and I want to help.  It has been consuming my thoughts since Friday.

I had lessons all day on Saturday.  This time of year definitely requires me to use all my skills as a psychology minor and certified hypnotist.  My girls are so wonderful and some are stuck in some pretty difficult situations.  As pitchers, we often need to learn to make the best of these situations, and try to thrive in the dark, so to speak.  Despite our challenges, we are exceeding expectations and Friday's Newsday looked like a tribute to my girls!  I brought it to class, and it was the certainly the topic of discussion for a while.  How could you not love such a fascinating sport and a fascinating mechanical motion?

Sunday I pitched, really working on a strong left side and the whip action of the arm.  I pitched with my leg brace on and felt a little more comfortable exploding with that.  I think that I am still a little cautious without it, so it won't hurt to get a little extra support for that posterior tibial tendon.  I worked on rise and curve, which were both explosive and feeling really strong.  I am starting to finally feel comfortable pitching again and am not sore at all today.  I did a leg/ab workout right after pitching, and I am still feeling great today (though a bit tired).  In class on Friday, we discussed how it takes the body about six weeks to adapt to new physical challenges.  I am hovering around the six week mark.  For those of you out there who think you can prepare for a season in three weeks after doing nothing all winter, you are going to get your butt kicked.    

Today I did cardio, abs, chest and back.  I do find that a light workout the day after throwing can really help ease the soreness (though today no soreness anyway, hooray!).  It is really important to get a good night's sleep to promote muscle recovery and also to eat very well.  More to come on the topic of what sort of food powers you best.  I am really looking forward to putting a seminar together.  I have been writing it since Friday in my "spare time" (like if I am waiting in line somewhere, ha ha).

Meatball Practice

Since Monday, I have been lifting upper body.  On Tuesday I did chest and back (love doing antagonistic muscle groups!) and on Wednesday I did biceps, triceps, and shoulders.  I tried some new shoulder exercises and stretches that I learned in class on Friday.  Learning new things always does motivate me to work both harder and smarter.  Complacency is the enemy of progress and I really feel that education helps to fight complacence.  It does feel good to lift again after doing mostly cardio last week.  I did Yoga for an hour and a half today in addition to walking the dogs.  Yoga might be my favorite exercise of all time (when it is difficult enough - tough postures and flowing movements).  I definitely credit it with helping me to pitch so well during my last season.   Aside from being good exercise, it works on focus and composure: two things that pitchers really need.

Another thing that pitchers need is really good quality practice.  This is often tough to come by during the season, which is why we hope to do the bulk of our mechanical work and speed work in the off season.  In-season work is hopefully reserved for minor adjustments.  Throwing to live batters is both an integral part of preparing for the season and a means to adjust different breaking pitches throughout the season in a controlled environment.  However, there is a right way to do this and a wrong way to do this.  I have been appalled to hear that many coaches will ask pitchers to just "slow it down" and "lob it over the plate," so that batters can get some good swings in.  Are you insane?!!!!  You would never ask batters to take a horrible, loopy, disgusting swings just to make pitchers feel better.  If batters aren't ready to be facing a pitcher who can throw some heat and some spin, then they should still be doing tee work and machine work.   There is no better way to royally screw up a pitching motion that a girl has devoted her entire off season to perfecting then to have her try to lob the ball.  Any non pitcher on the team can lob the ball!  Pitchers need to practice different spins and so forth just as much as batters need to practice their swings.  If you don't want your pitcher throwing meatballs in games, stop having her throw meatballs in practice.          

Learning is always fun!

What an incredible, but busy week last week!  I did a little more lifting last week than I have been doing.  For some reason, with all the pitching, I just don't feel like lifting as much, even though I know it is important.  I threw today for a little over an hour working a ton on form, drop and curve.  I had so much to think about after Friday (Muscle Mastery Class), that I really wanted to explore the "personalities" (as Dr. Barnathan says) of different muscles as they work together in the pitch.  I therefore did a lot of filming today as well.  I tried a few adjustments, modified, and then filmed again.  It is almost like watching a different pitcher.

So Friday was exceptionally busy, as you may have gathered.  I was up at 5:30 so that I could workout and have breakfast before class began.   My brain was on overdrive listening to all the different ways in which the muscles in the upper body work optimally.  I then, of course, had to take every bit of information I learned and apply it to pitching.  Here are some important tidbits:
-The shoulderblade has more muscles attached to it than ANYTHING other than the pelvis.  This is incredible when you think about it.  This is why it is absolutely integral to ensure that your shoulderblade has a free and healthy range of motion.  If you can hug yourself pretty easily, your shoulderblades are relatively healthy. 
-Building speed has a lot to do with being able to release the rhomboids at the end of the pitch, as opposed to tightening the pecs.  This will help the "whip action" of the arm.  You should stretch your rhomboids regularly to help with this motion (I willl show you at your next lesson). 
-I learned a ton of new stretches for the upper body (so important for this time of year).
-We know that locking out the elbow is a TERRIBLE habit, but I learned what exactly happens when you continually lock (maybe you don't want to know - just trust me, don't lock your elbow).
-The best workout for your forearms isn't actually with weights (surprise!).  You will actually get an excellent workout by squeezing rubber balls, moving your fingers on all different planes of motion, and squeezing sand.  You also want to avoid stretching the forearm by pulling.  Rather, a light twisting motion is best. 

Much of  the other information I learned is visual, so ask about it during your next lesson.  Needless to say, I ran to my facility after the class and pitched.  I applied as many of the principals as I possibly could and then worked on it more in depth today.  Fascinating stuff!  Saturday was crazy with lessons, and Sunday I ran four miles, and then walked for about two hours on the beach (a little tired today).  The beach did give me an opportunity to test out "playing in the sand" to work the forearm.  It certainly feels different, and I could see where it would be very effective when done frequently.  

Jacqueline Gallagher Seventh Grade

This is one of the pitchers for the 12U Long Island Bandits

Lots of excitement

In practice yesterday, I focused primarily on rise, change-up and inside curve.  I did do some power drills but spent more time focusing on the front leg: it seems to be improving somewhat, but it can use more work and attention.  A strong front leg helps the throwing side to accelerate at the end of the pitch and create a nice whip.  Right now, I think that I am slowly slightly at the end and this can certainly improve.  I am very happy to report that, after throwing for about an hour yesterday, I am actually not sore at all!  I was able to do a leg workout today without feeling completely overworked.  This speaks for the body's wonderful ability to adapt to new movements over a few weeks.   This is also why weight training regimens should be reevaluated and  changed frequently: our bodies adapt to the work loads we present, rendering the routine it adapted to less effective (in the training world, we call this "General Adaptation Syndrome").  It is also why it is important to allow ample time to build up pitch counts leading up to the season: we don't want to feel sore and exhausted for those first few games of the season.  We also want to make sure that our endurance is where it should be.
Apart from making good progress in my little preseason experiment this week, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to do a presentation on pitching for Sayville Little League.  They were gracious and very attentive hosts, so we were able to cover a lot of information and dispel a lot of misconceptions.  I am always so excited to do this type of work.  I hope that, over the next few years, I will get to do more seminars and lectures about pitching and college recruiting.  I love informing parents and coaches about all of the different elements involved in successful pitching mechanics and successful college careers.  Creating a dialogue with different coaches and parents is so wonderful.  At the presentation last night, we established precedents for what girls in Little League should be working on and accomplishing.  We also reviewed the most important mechanics for young girls.  Fortunately, the topic of pitch counts did arise, and I think that there is finally some awareness out there about the strain that the windmill pitching motion puts on the arm.  We will certainly know even more about this topic over the coming months, as the Lenox Hill study progresses (keep checking back here for updates!).  Varsity games and scrimmages are also beginning to get underway, so I will keep you all posted about the wonderful and interesting details in the coming weeks.  I am also looking forward to seeing some of the articles that I have written for local baseball/softball magazines (The Sandlot and Baseball Player Magazine), since new issues of both periodicals should be out in the coming weeks.  Check my facility for the new issues!

Finding balance

Okay, so during this time of year, I am literally dreaming about softball.  We are all so excited to get the season underway.  I also have several star pitchers returning to the mound (some for their last varsity season before college!).  Finally, the muscle fatigue study with Lenox Hill will be beginning again as games start.   I will be throwing again tomorrow as long as I am feeling better, but in the interim, I have done some light cardio and have concentrated more on weight training.  I have also started doing some exercises to help stabilize my rotator cuff, since this muscle group seems to be seeing more action since I started pitching again, and has become a little tender.  For those of you who are doing weight training, remember that pitchers do not want to lift heavy during the season.  You want to maintain good range of motion and flexibility.  
As far as your pitching workouts during the season are concerned, try to take your schedule into account.  If you are slated to pitch every game for your varsity season, get your pitch counts up in what remains of the preseason, and then rest at least a day or two before your games begin.  Once games start, you should be filming little segments of games, so that you can make more mental adjustments (and hopefully only a few mechanical ones).  This will save you lots of pitches during the week.  You don't even have to throw every single spin when you practice outside of games.  Sometimes, you might just want to snap or throw a select few pitches that need work.  Make your practices very focused so that you are not overusing your arm and exposing it to injury.  If you are not seeing much time on the mound this year, take some initiative, and schedule time to practice on your own.  If your coach is not letting you throw in practice, calmly approach the subject and then schedule time to throw at home if conditions do not improve.  This time of year is all about establishing balance.  Find good symmetry in a schedule where there is enough rest to keep performance optimal, but not so much that it is detrimental to your skills.  Remember, you have worked so hard in the off-season, where most of the tough training occurs.  

Don't let anyone put you down!

Wednesday, March 10th: I ran four miles and then walked the dogs for another mile or so.  Running outside feels amazing when the weather is so nice.

Thursday, March 11th:  I walked the dogs and did an hour and a half of Vinyasa yoga.  This type of yoga is such a great combination of strength, balance, concentration, and flexibility.  It is perfect for a pitcher as it emphasizes all the traits that should be valuable to her.

Friday, March 12th:  I am feeling a bit under the weather, but am slated to pitch today, so I am just going to adjust my pitching workout accordingly.  Remember pitchers, when you are congested, it is much more difficult to maintain balance.  Adjust your practice to accomodate.  I walked the dogs to warm up, did PT exercises and core work before pitching (I usually like to do it after).  I also threw with my left side first today and threw longer with my left side (about 25 minutes).  I am starting to think that I should have been lefty to begin with, since my motion seems to feel more fluid on that side (though not nearly as powerful).   After watching that appalling dip with my left leg on film Tuesday, I decided to focus primarily on that today.  Run throw and run, throw and kick, step ups (very tough for me) and throw and jump comprised most of the workout.  I also did lots of throwmax and a little curve.  Great movement on that curve today, but a it was a bit wild.   I spent a long time stretching and rolling my muscles at the end of my session and am currently icing.  

Throwing presents many challenges.  Some physical (mostly when you are feeling sick, sore, or not having a great day in general), but mostly mental.  Varsity tryouts are coming to a close right now, and while many of you have done some amazing things (congratulations to my seventh and eighth graders who made JV and Varsity), others may be disappointed with where they ended up.  Some of you may have worked hard enough throughout the year to deserve a varsity spot, but have lost your position to upperclassman.  I think the best way to deal with these types of disappoints is to use it as fuel.  What do I mean by that?  Anything that someone says to you that makes you feel put down, upset or like you have wasted your efforts should be used to make you work harder towards achieving your goals.  Pitchers in general have to have a very "thick skin."  Girls who are easily upset or rattled tend not to last too long at the higher level.  Does that mean you are not allowed to feel discouraged or sad?  No, of course not.  It is what you do with those emotions that will distinguish you from the quitters or from girls who are only moderately successful.  Don't let others take your fire away from you!  Some of the greatest athletes of our time were told they weren't good enough at some point or another (Micheal Jordan comes to mind).  Right now, you should try to harness one thought or one idea that you can always return to when someone tells you that you are not good enough.  Write it down, make it your pitching mantra, and pitch your heart out girls!  Love the game and love your contribution to it, no matter what level you are playing at.  If you passed this on to anyone who has ever struggled to succeed, you will probably  find that it circulates the entire athletic community. 

The beauty of video footage

Sunday, March 7th:  I ran four miles outside!  This is such a wonderful feeling after being indoors for a seemingly infinite amount of time.  The weather has become beautiful just in time for varsity season.  Running outside is definitely more challenging than running on a track indoors.  The hills are a killer.  I am often asked if running is good conditioning for pitching.  To be honest, the best conditioning for pitching is, you guessed it, pitching!  On the other hand, running does improve your heart rate and helps with overall conditioning.  Think about how pitching is very unique in terms of conditioning, though.  We do a movement that is incredibly explosive and incorporates nearly every muscle group in the body.  Then we stop.  Then we do it again.  Then we stop.  Then we will stop for a long time while our team is up to bat.  This requires a unique type of endurance that is really difficult to duplicate with any other kind of training.  That is why many pitchers struggle at the start of the season.  They may have been pitching all winter, but typically they will throw for an hour (or less) straight during those indoor practice sessions.  I think that pitching without breaks is much easier than that stopping and starting that is required in games.  It is so much easier for me to develop a continuous rhythm when I just keep going.  
Monday, March 8th:  I did a lot of elliptical and a light lower body workout with some core work and PT exercises.
Tuesday, March 9th:  Drill work, drill work, drill work!  I can't remember the last time I did this much. To increase the speed of my upper body, I did some circle snap circle and some work with the throwmax (even now, I always like to ensure that the circle is straight and fluid).  I also worked a lot on snap.  To work on my legs I did some sprinter's start, throw and run, and throw and jump.  I worked both screwball and change up.  I hadn't thrown screwball in well over a year and was utterly surprised at how effective it was.  Change up has been my favorite lately.  It is so comfortable and feels very smooth.  I would estimate that my speed is the same as last time, but I feel it will be a little better Friday because I had my dad film me today.  Filming is probably one of the best assets of the technological age for pitching instruction.  We can see everything, play it in slow motion, test out different angles, and generally get a great sense of what we are doing right and wrong.  I have been focusing mostly on my slow back leg in drills, but was I surprised to see that left leg dip when we filmed!  Ugh.  This will require a lot of work, though I did try engaging my abs and quads a little more after I noticed.  This did help.  I recommend that all pitchers do some filming.  If you film on a good day, always use that footage to refer back to if you are struggling.  If you film on a bad day, try to get some different angles and determine what you are having the most difficultly with so as to use appropriate drills to adjust.  How many of you are filming yourselves regularly?  Something to consider.

Progress!

March 4: Unfortunately, spin class did not work out on Thursday since there were not enough bikes.  Instead, I decided that I would be utterly psychotic and do a workout that involved interval training and core work.  It went something like this: leg lifts, two minutes intense cardio, spiderman pushups, intense cardio, assisted pullups, intense cardio, etc. etc.  So, in essence, I did an upper body and core workout with bursts of cardio in between.  I will admit I am loath to do this kind of a workout because it is utterly exhausting  and it is hard to motivate oneself into the kind of frenzy it takes to complete that workout.  Nevertheless, I finished and followed it up with some organic chocolate milk (good for muscle recovery).  Though I finished successfully, I realized around seven o'clock (a few hours before my last lesson was over) that this kind of workout on a day with lots of lessons was a very, very bad idea.  Deliriously tired would be a good way to describe the sensation I was feeling at the time.  Astonishingly, I wasn't very sore Friday and pitched my heart out.
March 5: Friday I rolled out all my muscles prior to pitching to make sure that I was very loose.  I did a ton of  snap drills to make my range of motion really sharp.  I worked really hard on leg drive and spent most of my full motion doing power work to great effect.  I think I gained about two miles an hour with all that extra work.  Not wanting to overdo it, I just did fastball, drop and curve.  Spin pitches were actually a little more difficult with the extra speed, but I will adjust.  I threw for about an hour total and finished by working lefty again.   I am also finding that all of this extra pitching is making me a better instructor.  It has been a long time since I had to work so hard to get speed and I am really empathizing with my wonderful athletes.  Ice is a miracle worker.  I iced both my right and my left arm and my soreness has been minimal.  

Continuing on our warm-up discussion, it has been brought to my attention that some coaches feel it is best to avoid doing the most infamous progression in fastpitch: snaps, twelve o'clock (power position), circle, superman and then full motion.  Many people ask my opinion on the matter.  I think that snaps are an integral part of every warm-up since effectiveness is utterly contingent upon tight spin.  To quote Hannah's dad: "it's all about the spin" (it really is!).  As far as twelve o'clock is concerned, this is sometimes a very good positioning for beginners to get the sense of swinging the arm to create a "whip," but not always necessary for girls who are already comfortable doing this.  I think that throwing from circle is also incredibly important.  We need to create and reinforce that perfect circle, but we also need to warm up the arm appropriately.  This is typically a good intermediary step before going to full motion.  Superman can sometimes be good, depending on the needs of the individual athlete.  That is pretty much the key to every good warm up and every good technique: one must take into account the unique needs of every athlete.  If a girl has a crooked circle in one specific warm up position, but not under other circumstances, you can bet we will avoid that position like the plague.  Some girls also take a little longer to warm up physiologically and that is fine.  I have one girl who goes from directly from snaps into a slow full motion and then gets progressively faster.  This can also work, but only if you have a very good awareness of how fast you are moving.  You don't want to stay slow once you are warm and you don't want to be too explosive before your body is ready.

Finally, some of our athletes are up on Youtube.  Check out the links!

Warm-ups

Wednesday, March 3rd:  Okay, I am not quite as sore as I thought I might be based on yesterday's discomfort.  I did half an hour on the elliptical this morning followed by a leg workout, PT exercises, and lessons.  The ligament by my ankle is a little sore however, so although I planned on pitching tomorrow, I am going to do a spin class and core work instead.   I will pitch on Friday again and do some speed work and leg bands.  I think that this line of discussion lends itself to reviewing warm-ups.

Most of us seem to have a good sense of how to warm-up.  It is important to get the blood circulating and actually become physiologically warm before engaging in any strenuous physical activity.  If you are sore, this could potentially take a bit longer than is typical, and keep that in mind.  Most trainers currently agree that dynamic stretching is better leading up to the activity, and static stretching (where you are standing still) is better post activity.  I do find that this works well for me.  If you are sore, I would also recommend rolling the muscles (love the Tiger Tail!) prior to engaging in physical activity.  Make sure that you know the different directions that the muscles flow in, so as to use the roller most effectively.  Post pitching, it is sooooo important to ice your arm to reduce any swelling.  Don't ice for more than twenty minutes! As many of you already know, the ice is rendered ineffective past that point, but I also managed to give myself frostbite after icing for too long and without enough barrier between me and the ice.  That was one embarrassing trip to the doctor (doctor: "how did you get frostbite in the middle of July?" me: "Oooohh, that's what frostbite looks like").
These are general ideas for warm-ups, but what are your specific "rituals" before a game?  What do you find works the best for you?  Do you warm up in different positioning (snaps, power position, superman, etc.) or do you prefer starting the motion slower and then picking up pace?  Why do you prefer this method over others?

The Preseason Experiment

As many of you realize, the high school varsity season is upon us, and we are therefore taxing our limits trying to improve our spins, speed and skills in general.
But what about those of us who have been a little lazy?
That's right: every year I get at least a few athletes who decide that they are going to attempt to improve their game a week or two prior to varsity season.  I also get a few girls every year who think that simply doing a lesson for a half hour once a week over the course of the winter will be enough to put them into good shape.
Right.  That will work (is there a sarcasm font?).
So an unusual and opportune set of circumstances has arisen this year.  Last year, I was discouraged to find that I had torn my posterior tibial tendon (near the ankle) and was advised not to pitch at all.  Instead I decided to play tennis (story for a later time), as it is less taxing to that area.  I am now healed and currently in the unique position of not having thrown more than a few times full speed over the course of the last year.
Enter my idea for "The Preseason Experiment."
As many of you may know, I am extremely passionate about making sure that we, as athletes, are minimizing our risks of injury as much as possible.  I am currently involved in a muscle fatigue study with Lenox Hill Hospital to further our understanding of this subject.
But I would like to do something a little less official.
I have been doing some throwing as if I was an athlete who is trying to prepare for the season "last minute."
Keep in mind that I am a personal trainer and in very good physical condition.   Though I have not been pitching in the last year, I have been doing weight training, running, swimming, yoga, spinning and keeping a very well-balanced, healthy diet.  The following will be a record of just how difficult and long it takes (even for someone who has the knowledge, experience, and conditioning) to get into good "preseason shape."

Thursday, February 25th: I threw for about forty five minutes.  About five to ten minutes was done throwing lefty.  I am doing some lefty throwing for symmetry and also to get a better proprioceptive response.  I didn't try to throw hard, but my spins were mostly working nicely (except for rise, very stubborn).  I worked on fastball, change-up, rise, curve and inside curve.  I followed my workout with some stretching and physical therapy exercises then had lessons for six hours.

Friday, February 26th:  Just a little over an hour of pilates and yoga today.  I am definitely sore, but not dying.  I did all of my PT exercises and spent lots of time stretching then had lessons for five hours.

Saturday, February 27th:  I took the day off from training and just focused on my lessons.

Sunday, February 28th:  I ran two miles, did the elliptical, and then did a light upper body workout (low weight - twenty reps).  I am still a little sore from pitching (remarkably), but I feel like it is getting better.  I did all my PT and stretching, etc.

Monday, March 1st:  This is the first day that I am not sore from pitching Thursday, but have a really busy day and will throw tomorrow.  Today is pilates, yoga, PT, core work and walking the dogs followed by about seven hours of lessons.

Tuesday, March 2nd:  Today is the first day that I tried to throw hard.  I threw for about an hour righty and then a little lefty.  I did lots of drill work to focus on exploding off the mound (for someone who has such long legs, I tend to stink at that initial explosion).  I also did some throwing and running.  Even though I am trying to throw harder today, my speed sucks.  I am guessing mid-fifties (which I guess isn't too bad for not throwing for a year).  My spins are working wonderfully, though.  Today I worked on rise, drop, inside curve and change-up. I did stretching and PT after pitching followed by about seven hours of lessons.   It is a little after midnight as I am writing this, and I am already REALLY sore.  I think I will have trouble walking up the stairs tomorrow as I was really try to use my legs today.  Even as I am typing, my forearm hurts.  For those of you having lessons tomorrow, my throwbacks do not promise to be good.

Keep me posted on your preseason workouts: what is working for you?  What are you finding difficult?  
  
 

Opportunity

I will be the first to admit that being an athlete has afforded me many opportunities in life that I would have otherwise not been privy to.  As early as fourteen, I was extremely aware of how earning an athletic scholarship could change one's entire life.  I was also aware of other external rewards as I was fortunate and dedicated enough to be the recipient of many accolades for my pitching efforts.  Plus, nothing tops that adrenaline high that comes when you have just smoked the competition.  I have played at a Division I level (even in the College World Series), and seen friends go on to play at the professional level, and even the Olympics.  The fact that I knew the "ins and outs" of the diamond was what (despite my academic accolades and 4.0 GPA) got me a teaching job before I had even graduated college.  The game has allowed me to travel to all parts of the country, and even do some coaching over in Italy.  Being an athlete has afforded me the ability to be self-employed, make my own schedule, work with only the athletes whom I choose to, constantly stay educated on the latest in health and fitness, and help girls achieve their collegiate dreams.

Sounds like a fairy tale, right?

Well, none of that just materialized.  There were tournaments, showcases, skill camps, lessons, and endless hours of practice.  There were (and still are) hours in the weight room.  There was also a devastating injury in my sophomore year in college (torn cartilage on the ulnar side of my throwing wrist) that made me question my devotion to the game.  Even after months of physical therapy, I absolutely thought that I would never throw well again.  I didn't even think that I would be able to use a fork and knife properly again!  This eventually sparked my interest in proper training techniques and appropriate pitch counts.  Finally, there were nights where I was so disappointed in my performance that I felt it would be possible to actually crawl in a hole and die of shame.

Basically, everything you are going through right now as an athlete: been there, done that - want to help you through it.  

If you are a coach, I have seen almost everything on that end of the spectrum too.

Every athlete and coach needs a community outside of his or her team to share thoughts, troubles and great insights.  Every athlete and coach should have access to experienced, objective information for free.  We should be able to share some funny stories and great tips.  This is your opportunity as an athlete.  This is your community.

Welcome to Secrets of the Diamond.