pitcher connection

“Overhand throwing is an unnatural movement.” That’s what “they” say. Who says that? You know, the ubiquitous yet ever-elusive “they” who reign supreme as the self-appointed authority on just about everything. Well… not surprisingly, “they” are wrong again. According to a June 2013 report published in the journal Nature, throwing has been “natural” since our Homo Erectus ancestors began chucking...

Bowlvalanche… That’s what I call it. It’s a term I coined a long time ago. Any time 3 or more of anything falls, I call it a “that thing” valanche. This is an Avalanche… This is a Ballvalanche… A Toothpickvalanche And this thing… This accident waiting to happen… If you attempt to add to or take away from this chaotic...

  There are about 5 things you need to do to change your pitching career: 1) Start With The Pain. Even a small amount of regular pain can keep you from ascending to higher levels -- especially if that pain is in the medial elbow, anterior shoulder, or posterior shoulder. Your body's survival instinct will always trump your desire to...

Seems the rage these days is about these new weighted ball things and how they increase velocity. Funny… When we started using weighted balls as part of our process in 2009, in my community you would have thought I was Jack the Ripper! Naysayers unfairly blasted me privately, and publicly to the point that I finally gave in and stopped using them for a few months. I soon came to the realization that critics will be critics and accepting their slings and arrows is simply the price I must pay for the privilege of working with all the fine young men in my care. Continue reading →

We get banged on a lot on the internet about our TAP connection balls. If you aren’t familiar with the connection ball, it’s pretty simple. It’s a yellow inflatable ball that has a little texture to the skin. We use it as a tool to create feel and feed the mistake on a few different arm action inefficiencies. We blend it into a series of drills designed to elicit more efficient, powerful, and durable movement patterns. How did we start using them? Continue reading →

By now you know that unpredictable training is the missing link in the majority of performance training programs, and you know some of the tools that can help you train using this potent method which will result in a greater transfer to on the field performance. If you have not read the first and second part in this series of blogs about “Khaos Training,” I recommend you start with those first ("Khaos" Training Old But Becoming New Again, and "Khaotic Equipment" - Unpredictable Training Equipment, Part Two). For those that have read these blogs, it has probably left a question in your mind: “How can I implement this into my programs?”  These are the questions that I will answer in this post. Continue reading →

A reminder of key points of Part I: 1) Plateaus are natural parts of EVERYONE's growth. 2) Very frequently I see solid and steady incremental growth being categorized and labeled by athletes and parents as 'disappointing' and 'discouraging' simply because the gains were 'so small'. 3) To truly be exceptional you must first learn to become discouragement proof... or at the very least... discouragement resistant. 4) At the Ranch we say... “To become great, you first must learn to enjoy the plateaus.” Continue reading →

Yesterday I got a call from a minor leaguer who said he was interested in coming in for training before next season, but he was planning on going into complete shutdown mode for about 2-3 months. After I hung up, I had a penetrating thought that stopped me dead in my tracks. It was the kind of thought that makes you wonder what you’ve been thinking for all these years. Continue reading →

“Did you throw your bullpen?” “Yessir.” “Good. Now go run your poles while I work with the infielders.” Given the amount of research available on the topic, I am always amazed in a camp when I say, “Raise your hand if part of your practice involves running poles.” Incredibly, approximately 60% of the attendees still raise their hands. Continue reading →

Last post I introduced our new “Khaos” line of products and the first product in that line, the TAP Khaos Ball. As a refresher, the Oates Specialties Khaos line consists of uneven and/or unstable training products that challenge athletes and transform otherwise routine or ordinary workouts. Today, I want to introduce to you the next product in Khaos line: the TAP Khaos Pivoter. The Pivoter is a training and conditioning tool based on the Asymmetrical Bar Training concept (“ABT”). ABT helps to train an athlete’s balance while simultaneously improving core strength and rotational power. ABT uses a bar with resistance on only one end to create an unbalanced load, which can be used in any number of exercises. The uneven load naturally forces an athlete’s body to rotate/move toward the loaded side. This requires the athlete to engage muscles throughout the shoulders, arms, core, and legs to help maintain a “normal” or “neutral” position. Continue reading →