By Jonathan Massey –
I’ll start this article off with two of my favorite quotes of all time:
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
– Bruce Lee
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
– Albert Einstein
I love these two quotes because, to me, they describe the two big cruxes of training to a “T.” If I’m constantly changing my training program, all I am really doing is putting my body in a state of chaos where progress is going to be inconsistent at best. On the other end of the spectrum is constantly doing the same thing over and over again. Even if we have the correct plan, that plan will only be good for so long. Eventually, our progress will become stagnant.
The key is to be consistent enough to progress steadily but have enough variability so that training doesn’t become stale and/or stagnant. How do we do that? Well, it starts by answering a few questions.
Let’s start by asking ourselves how each one of the training tools makes our arm feel.
- Connection Ball (in the three positions)
- Connection Club
- Durathro™ Sock
- Hand Speed Trainer
- Combination of two tools
I would grade them from “0” to “10.” Zero being “I hate this tool/combo! It makes my arm feel terrible,” and 10 being “I love this tool/combo! Nothing makes my arm feel more electric or dynamic.” You’ll find that a few tools/combos feel significantly better than others. An example is the Club, ranked “8.5,” and the Connection Ball in the #2 position, is “7.5.” Both of those are really good scores. For this young man, I would tell him to use the Club most of the time but mix in the Connection Ball in the #2 position every now and then. If another tool were close to these grades, I would also add that in. So, whatever tool or combination of tools makes your arm feel the best, do that most often. However, don’t be afraid to mix in other tools that also make your arm feel good too!
Next, we can move on to how each throwing drill makes our arm feel. (I’m not going to list out every single one of our throwing drills, but you should.) Grade each one again from “0” to “10.” Zero being “I hate this drill! It never makes my arm feel good,” and 10 being “I love this drill! Rename this drill after me. Nothing makes my arm feel as good as doing this drill.” Just like in the training tool section, you’ll find that only a few drills don’t feel very good, so I would stay away from those. However, there will also be quite a few drills that are pretty close together. As an example, maybe Walking Torques are a “5,” Quick Picks are a “9,” and Step Behind with Arm Swings is an “8.” All three of these are arm action drills, but for whatever reason, Quick Picks makes this young man’s arm feel the best. I would tell him to do Quick Picks almost every single day, mix in Step Behind with Arm Swings three to four times a week, and do Walking Torques sparingly.
The above scenario was a very simple way to add some variability to your throwing protocols. I highly recommend doing this with not only your throwing drills but each part of your throwing process. (And yes, I am referring to drills, tools, and throwing protocols directly related to what we do at the Texas Baseball Ranch®.) You can apply this concept to all forms of training, from your hitting to strength training.
So, from your wake-up/warm-up to your post-throwing recovery work, create consistency by doing what makes your body and arm feel the best most often. Don’t forget to also add in some variability by adding in things that, while they may not feel the absolute best, still feel pretty good.
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Important TBR Updates
- Three dates remain for our Winter Elite Pitchers Bootcamps. Get your spot now for one of the upcoming dates! Please CLICK HERE to learn more and secure your spot.
Dates include:
Dec. 28-30 (Only 2 spots remain)
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Have you been considering attending one of our 3-Day Elite Pitchers Bootcamp but are still on the fence? To help, we have a detailed mailing package entitled “What Makes This Boot Camp Different”. If you’d like to receive this package and start making plans for the winter, email Jill@TexasBaseballRanch.com and request a copy.
- ATTENTION Ranch Alumni: Our Alumni camp is SOLD OUT. You can still get on the cancellation list. Simply call the office (936) 588-6762 and ask to be placed on the list.
- TBR Night Classes. If you’re a local athlete and looking to make an impact for your team this Spring, this is your edge. For more information, call (936) 588-6762 or email AnnaDugger@TexasBaseballRanch.
com. Space is limited!
- Check us out on our YouTube Channel: “Unlocking Your Pitching Potential: 5 Posterior Chain Drills for Elite Performance (Pt 7)”. Watch it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtsDK83h_ps and share your opinion in the comments.
