Elite Performance Lab Arm Care Package (Youth)

TAP™ Connection Ball™:

The TAP™ Connection Ball™ can be used for balance and coordination while targeting the core area. In pitching it can be used to address postural disconnects; in hitting it can be used to keep the lower body more stable and help establish a more athletic and balanced position. It can also be used for traditional resistance exercises and stretching in Pilates and other fitness programs but is not designed to support body weight.

Made of pliable PVC, the TAP™ Connection Ball™ ships deflated with an included inflation straw and 2 plugs. Colors may vary.

TAP™ Max-Grip Weighted Ball:

The TAP™ Max-Grip sand-filled weighted plyo balls can help correct mechanical deficiencies while increasing strength. When implemented correctly weighted ball training can be beneficial for throwers and hitters alike.

Throwing Max-Grip Weighted Balls is an excellent addition to any off-season routine. The variable stimulus presented by the training can help develop movement patterns that add velocity and improve command. Training with heavy balls can strengthen muscles and ligament/tendons in the elbow and shoulder potentially decreasing risk of injury.

Hitting Max-Grip Weighted Balls provide resistance at the point of contact requiring the batter to drive through the hitting zone. Used in soft toss drills or with the tee, the soft-shell construction of these weighted balls provides instant feedback. The pliable shell causes miss-hit balls to pop up or plunge to the ground and not travel far if the ball is poorly hit. The characteristics of the Max-Grip Ball allow hitters to adjust power and bat plane to produce a desirable result.

These weighted implements are not toys and should be used with proper instruction and supervision in areas where there are no sharp edges or points. When considering the use of weighted balls please keep the words of two prominent authorities in mind:

"Adding energy or strength to dysfunction is usually a bad idea."

-Randy Sullivan, CEO Florida Baseball Ranch

"Weighted Balls are simply a tool. They are NOT a panacea or a quick fix for anything. They can be beneficial, or they can be utilized inappropriately and have deleterious effects."

-Ron Wolforth, CEO Texas Baseball Ranch

One year limited warranty against manufacturing and material defects. Instructions for use not included. Ball weights are color coded for easy identification. Color code as follows: 3.5oz - orange, 5oz - purple, 7oz - red, 14oz - yellow, 21oz - blue, 32oz (2lb) - green.

TAP™ Dynamic Arm Resistance Tubing:

TAP™ Dynamic Arm Resistance Tubing should be an integral part of any arm health program to prepare the arm for throwing and is equally important for non-throwing overhead athletes as well. The overhead tasks associated with throwing, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and golf all rely on similar muscle-activation patterns of the rotator cuff, humeral movers, and scapular stabilizers.

Particularly popular in baseball, pre-throwing exercises and strength training with resistance tubing has been accepted at all levels. Properly performed exercises can activate, strengthen and condition muscles important in the throwing motion while having a low impact on the joints. The TAP™ Dynamic Arm resistance tubing is highly portable, allowing exercises to be performed virtually anywhere - in the bullpen, dugout, locker room, or on the sidelines.

The TAP™ Dynamic Arm tubing utilizes elastic force to provide resistance throughout functional movement patterns allowing the ability to move freely during exercise. This tool permits the recreation of athletic movements and is not affected by gravity when compared to lifting weights, where gravity factors into the effectiveness of a movement direction.

The TAP™ Dynamic Arm consists of easily sanitized rubberized handgrips attached to five-foot sections of resistance tubing. Looped ends provide for attachment to hand grip and anchor (sold as pairs).

The use of a connecting device, such as snap hooks (included), can extend the useful life of resistance tubing by protecting the tubing from nicks, cuts, abrasions, and/or scratches from its anchor. Instruction for use not included.

Information about the care and use of Resistance Tubing

TAP™ Connector Throwing Club:

The Connector Throwing Club was developed to help create a more efficient arm pattern when throwing and to aid in the reduction/elimination of arm pain. Throwing a baseball at a superior level requires being 'connected' and the Connector Club provides a tool that can aid in developing a more efficient movement pattern.

In addition to being used to address mechanical inefficiency (what Coach Wolforth refers to as Forearm Play) the Connector Club has been found beneficial in addressing other common 'disconnections' that limit a player's ability to throw hard and demonstrate an elite level of command. Disconnections have been defined as instances when a body part acts independently, away from the natural synergy of the rest of the body, and/or apart from a stable spine. Disconnections add stress to the connective tissue that can result in injury, premature fatigue, and/or difficulty with recovery. The Connector Club has been effective in addressing disconnections termed at the Baseball Ranch® as Crossing the Acromial Line, Inverted W, Elevated Distal Humerus, and Forearm Fly-out.

The throwing efficiencies created by the Connector Club result from the proprietary design of the device. The device's center of mass is located about 12" above the hand when thrown, as opposed to the center being in the palm, which would be the case when throwing a baseball. The length of the Connector Club makes the body keenly aware of the positioning of the center of mass, thereby enhancing proprioception. The positive outcome achieved when using the Connector Club results from a combination of the leveraged weight of the device and the user's body awareness, while allowing the body to find its own ideal movement pattern.

The Connector Club is made of solid wood, 16" long with a barrel diameter of approximately 2.75", handle diameter of approximately 1.5", and a weight of approximately 18oz. It is designed to be thrown into a net, with intent, at a designated target area. Any net and target selected for use should be capable of withstanding continued intense impact and regularly inspected to ensure suitability for use. It should never be thrown against a hard surface as damage to the Connector Club and the surface impacted may occur. The device should never be thrown in the direction of another athlete or onlooker.

The device has a finished painted surface and can become slippery with use. It is recommended the same precautions be taken with the Connector Club as would be taken with a standard wooden bat such as taping the handle or using a bat grip. VukGripz bat grip is a recommended accessory for use with the product.

When using the Connector Club, it is recommended the device be used in blended drills with a regulation baseball. The athlete should not make more than five consecutive throws with the Connector without making at least one throw with a regulation baseball. The Connector Club is excellent to use as precursor to, or in addition to, the Baseball Training Sock. The Connection Ball is also an ideal companion tool to use with the Connector Club in blending drills with a baseball. Instructions for use are not included.

TAP™ Baseball Training Sock:

The TAP™ Baseball Training Sock was developed to facilitate a modified ball hold program. The design of the device allows athletes to perform a full throwing motion with ball release in a confined area. The ability to release resolves mechanical inefficiencies associated with holding a weighted ball beyond the release point while enjoying benefits related to baseball holds.

Developed under the guidance of Ron Wolforth and Randy Sullivan, the TAP™ Baseball Training Sock has provided solid results with athlete training and recovery. An excellent tool for developing posterior shoulder strength, it can also be effective for reinforcing efficient deceleration patterns.

The Baseball Training Sock is made of heavy-weight fabric with more of the look of a bag than a sock to allow free movement of the hand releasing the ball. The Training Sock as it is commonly called is also known as the 'Durathro® Sock' and sometimes simply the 'Sock', as well as many other alias's such as the 'Mitt' and even the 'Oven Mitt'. This durable product was developed for weighted balls up to 21oz in weight. Instructions for use are not included.

TAP™ Rocket Wrap Compression Floss:

The TAP™ Rocket Wrap from Oates Specialties is compression floss that offers a wide range of applications that can aid in decreasing pain and swelling while increasing mobility and range of motion. Compression flossing was popularized by Dr. Kelly Starrett in his book with Glen Starrett titled, "Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance." In his book, Dr. Starrett called the process "Voodoo Flossing" and stated it was "the most powerful and effective [mobilization] method in terms of restoring position and motion."

The TAP™ Rocket Wrap compression floss is a large rubber band of various widths (2" & 4") and lengths (7' & 28') used to tightly wrap the desired area starting distal, away from the heart, and wrapping proximal, toward the heart. For example, if the elbow is being wrapped, the wrap would start closer to the hand and move to the elbow. The tightness of the wrap can be altered based on individual tolerance. After an area is wrapped, it can be taken through a basic range of motion movements of the joint/limb, such as straightening and bending the elbow. Due to the tight compression of the wrap, blood flow to the area is reduced, such that when the wrap is quickly removed it causes a significant influx of blood and nutrients to rush back into the previously wrapped area. It is this deprivation of blood and nutrients followed by a flood of blood and nutrients that make the TAP™ Rocket Wrap from Oates Specialties so beneficial in repairing damaged tissue.

Please note: the recommendation duration of the compression wrap is between 20 seconds and 1 minute. In no circumstance should the wrap be applied for more than 2 minutes.

While there is debate in the fitness community about the efficacy of the process, there appears to be much positive anecdotal evidence from users feeling immediately better after using the compression flossing technique. Proponents of compression flossing state the procedure helps decrease soreness and loss of motion after exercises help to reduce swelling associated with injury, restores normal joint range of motion by breaking up scar tissue, and helps with revascularization.

In his T Nation article 'The 2 Minute Injury Fix' Brad Kaczmarski, C.S.C.S, made the following points:

• When there is pain in a movement, compression wrapping offers extra stability to allow a safer range of motion.
• Once you remove the band, blood floods back into the area, creating an influx of nutrients that was previously limited.
• While it is not a replacement for a soft tissue therapist, it is an affordable and extremely convenient recovery modality.

The following suggestions for use appeared in the T Nation forum:

"If you wrap a swollen joint or tissue, the technique for addressing the swollen joint will be different. You want to wrap the band toward the heart, a few inches below the swollen area (starting as far down the joint as possible is ideal), leaving no skin exposed, wrapping with a half-inch overlap, keeping about a 50% stretch in the band all the way around the joint, making sure to cover the entire area of the joint. Once the joint is compressed, move it around for a few minutes. Then take the band off for a few minutes so you give the tissue time to rebound and recover. Then wrap it again. This should be repeated for twenty minutes, or whenever you stop experiencing change. This is extremely effective, and you can restore a swollen joint to completely normal, and completely relieve the pain. This is your best technique for getting rid of inflammation and pain in an injured joint.

When you mobilize a joint or matted-down scar tissue, start a few inches below or above the compromised area, keeping a half-inch overlap in the band with a 75% stretch over the area you are working on and a 50% stretch over the remaining area. If you have band leftover after wrapping, make an X over the targeted area to create an additional shearing effect.

This can be uncomfortable, but it will not harm your joint or tissue in any way. Red marks can be left, which is normal, and disappear after a few minutes. If you start to go numb or get a tingly sensation (pins and needles), or your limb turns really white, take the band off. This normally happens at the two-minute mark if it happens. If you suddenly feel very claustrophobic, take the band off. This is intense, as most mobilizations are, but you have to be able to tell the difference between discomfort and feelings of numbness, tingling, claustrophobia, or a very white skin tone.

As a safety check, when you touch the skin, it should turn white, and then return to normal. If it doesn't, then you know it's time to remove the band. After you take the band off it's common for your skin to be very white, but within a few seconds you will notice increased blood flow into the area."

The TAP™ Rocket Wrap from Oates Specialties is a tool that offers an inexpensive and effective means to restore and enhance mobility. While Oates Specialties LLC is happy to offer the wrap to our elite athletes, we urge you to please educate yourself on its proper use prior to using the compression floss. Rocket Wrap is not a medical device and is not intended to take the place of care from a medical professional.

The TAP™ Rocket Wrap Compression Floss will reduce blood flow to the region being wrapped. Never wrap too tight, or for too long, causing discoloration of skin, loss of feeling, or tingling sensation in extremities. Never use the product for increments of more than two minutes. User assumes all risks associated with the use of this product. Instructions for use are not included.

Oates Specialties Backpack:

The Oates Specialties Backpack was designed to be durable enough to carry all your training needs.

The mesh side holders have deep pockets to allow for carrying of TAP™ Bell Clubs and TAP™ Connector Throwing Clubs, while still allowing water bottles to easily slide in and out.

This backpack has been tested to hold up to 50lb, so Rubber Medicine Balls, Max-Grip Weighted Balls, and Pummel Balls can easily store inside.

With two main compartments, two smaller wallet/phone compartments, two side mesh holders, and one heavy-duty fence clip, the Oates Specialties Backpack can help you take your equipment anywhere you need to go.