In 5 years, there will be two distinct groups of athletes.
Those with memories of sitting on their ass for 4-16 weeks watching Netflix.
Those with memories of a less than ideal situation that allowed them to develop more than they every imagined they could.
Which one are you?
Gatorade’s marketing team is pure genius.
They took the nutritional value of a cookie, put it in a bottle, and positioned themselves as a health product.
Kinda nuts, right?
Wearing safety belts increases your odds of survival by 50-80%
We have data that shows an increase of 480% of not having a UCL surgery in baseball players if you can deadlift 2x bw, reverse lunge 1.5x bw, & 13 chin-ups.
We can’t stop these injuries but we can impact the odds.
If you want to play baseball after college, the second you step onto campus, you’re officially on the clock.
Here’s a 🧵 on how to maximize your career (especially for you non-D1 guys)
Pitchers that are highly competitive and win at the 13-17 year old mark that lack velocity are actually at a huge developmental advantage.
With great command and pitchability already developed, they absolutely dominate when velo is increased.
Most athletes and parents have NO IDEA how much exceptional grades/SAT scores can increase your odds of playing at a college above your athletic ability.
You may see a “crafty lefty touching low 80s” on a D1 field that got there because he has a 1440 SAT.
I have a ton of athletes that are telling me they can’t long toss because it’s cold out and there is snow.
1) I completely get it
2) My first win as a Varsity HS pitcher there was snow on the ground
3) Someone else is willing to throw outside and take your job
Perceived velocity may be the most underrated tool in the pitchers arsenal.
@PitchingNinja
do you think there was anyone with more terrifying PV than Randy Johnson?
How to Never Miss a Start
1) Wash your hands
2) Sleep ≥7 hours a night
3) Tie your shoes
4) Use barbell clamps
5) Set rack safeties to mid thigh
6) Monitor bw weekly
7) Always have clear urine
8) Aim for ≥1 💩 a day
9) Limit Alcohol to 1x/week
10) Warm-up with intent
The best athletes I’ve worked with are often very good at…
Juggling
Hacky sack
Ping pong
Spikeball
There are loads of neurological benefits to each of these activities such as increased neuroplasticity and eye tracking.
What skills have you noticed with elite athletes?
This 605lb staggered trap bar deadlift should be a reminder that pitch velo, running speed, & exit velo are about to be commodities at all levels.
Here is Henry Strmecki
@Middlebury
(D3) JR Outfielder
60: 6.3s
Exit Velo: 111mph
OF Velo: 95mph
What do you think
@PitchingNinja
?
Many cite this as “too aggressive” when cupping without any context.
This athlete left college because he had unresolved left lower back pain when swinging.
This was from our second treatment and got him pain-free for the first time in ~9 months.
Creatine is arguably one of the most effective supplements on the market.
Its benefits include improving cognitive function, depression, muscle mass, and power while potentially reducing degenerative disease symptoms.
What questions do you have about creatine?
The NCAA just gifted you another 10-weeks for development with an extended dead period.
What can you accomplish in those 10 weeks?
-Add 20-30lbs of quality mass
-Add 5-12mph to fastball
-Add 10mph to exit velo
-Drop 3-5% bodyfat
-Drop your 60 by .2-.3 sec
-Develop another pitch
The 4-year progress of Red’s 2nd round draft pick (slot value $2M)
@SamuelStafura
utilizing the
#90mphformula
.
Read 🧵 for nuggets from Sammy’s training and work ethic.
Squatting is great, but lunge and split stance variations will transfer to the field more effectively; it comes down to specificity.
Alec can reverse lunge ~90% of his back squat max. The bilateral deficit is real and should be exploited by each athlete.
Unfortunately, I get literally thousands of these messages a year. This one comes from a D1 athlete at a well funded university.
In short, stop blindly telling athletes ice, stim, ultrasound, or an injection is going to fix the problem.
One of our D3 guys, Henry Strmecki.
Henry’s
#90mphformula
Metrics
6’ 185lbs
Deadlift: 600x8
Reverse lunge: 455x3
Chin Up: 250x4
Long toss: 330feet
⠀
Baseball metrics
60 yard dash: 6.39
Tee exit velo with wood: 103mph
His story can be found here:
Why You Are Not Getting Recruited
1) Lack of at least 1 elite tool
2) Lack of size
3) Lack of strength
4) Lack of speed
5) Poor grades
6) Poor SAT/ACT scores
7) Parental red flags
8) Poor teammate
9) Not enough exposure to teams at all levels
10) Coaches won’t vouch for you
Fortnite and PUBG Circuit
Do this 1-2 minute circuit after each round.
After nearly a week of visiting with MLB and MiLB Spring Training camps, I can confidently say most pro ball players spend HOURS each day playing these games just like our high school and college guys.
It’s 6am Monday morning and I’m getting my warm-up in on an open basketball court.
13 yr old boy next to me has taken a few hundred shots super setted with at least 10 all out suicides.
He won Monday before his peers got out of bed for school.
#winner
10 Ways to Properly Condition Pitchers
1) Flat ground sprints
2) Hill sprints
3) Supine to roll to sprint
4) Split squat holds
5) Push-up holds
6) Farmers walks
7) Sled push
8) Shoulder band work while holding a split squat
9) Single leg bounds
10) Max effort med ball throws
How many can you hit?
#90mphformula
• Deadlift 400lbs
• Chin-up 250lbs
• Reverse Lunge (BW on bar 10 reps)
• Long toss 300ft
• Bodyweight: Height in inches x 2.5
How many top 25 college baseball programs are not training in-season?
ZERO
Wanting to play in college vs having a plan are two VERY different things.
Training hard 2x a week in-season is a pre-requisite. Stop fooling yourself and put in the work.
2021 will be the most competitive amateur baseball season ever
Hs guys may be able to reclass.
College guys have an extra year of eligibility with potentially no roster expansion.
You were all gifted extra months development this spring, time to capitalize on it.
❌Landing w inverted foot
❌Stride is too long forcing to “paw” the ground/pull himself forward
❌Externally rotated femur on ground contact
❌Overuse of hamstrings (look how he kicks himself during the hip flexion/drive phase of the sprint!)
❌Lots of shoulder/trunk/hip sway
If you are “so sore” from in-season training that it takes away from your on-field performance, you either didn’t prepare properly in the off-season or your program isn’t set-up properly. Either way, it’s on you to make the adjustments.
92% (98/106) of athletes playing in today’s Super Bowl were multi-sport athletes in high school.
Not only have the 92% gained neurological and injury reduction benefits from playing multiple sports, but most have been strength training year-round since 9th grade.
We average +2-4mph for every 10lbs of mass gained and average 20lbs gained in 10 weeks.
If you don’t need a 4-8mph increase in your fastball velocity — Cheers! Play fall ball and compete.
If you need +4-8mph to compete at the next level why are you playing fall ball?
I have a feeling over the next 24-months, Eric is going to help explode the quality and exposure of JUCO baseball.
Why would someone go to JUCO?
-Often wildly cheap or free
-Lower academic standards
-Very good competition
-Immediately draft eligible
What did I miss?
Strike 1: Lactate concentrations after pitching are not high enough to cause muscle fatigue or decrease pitching velocity.
Strike 2: Utilizing modalities with ROM, energy systems and muscle recruitment not used on the mound will hurt performance.
Strike 3: They are not fun.
Things that can increase health:
• Drinking more water
• Removing processed carbohydrates
• Creatine, fish oil, and Vitamin D
• Regular exercise
• Regular sleep
• Increased healthy fats
• Meditation
We average 2-4mph for every 10lbs of mass gained and average 20lbs gained in 10 weeks.
If you don’t need 4-8mph this off-season and haven’t been overused this past year, cheers! Play fall ball and compete.
If you need 4-8mph to turn heads, why are you playing fall ball?
Adequate stability allows for optimal mobility.
Athletes that can birddog row 1/3 of their bodyweight for 10 reps on each side rarely have mobility restrictions in their neck, shoulders, or thorax/ribs.
Weighted balls have taken over the baseball community and everyone has a stance.
⠀
Stop thinking in absolutes, these are all tools. When used properly, overweighted/underweighted balls can dramatically enhance your career. However, when used negligently, can end it.
If you have arm, control, or velocity issues; try to reverse bear crawl. If you can’t do so with ease, I promise at some level this is directly impacting your issue.
You want to throw 100mph, but don’t have the coordination, stability and strength of a BABY!
10 Ways to Properly Condition Pitchers
1) Flat ground sprints
2) Hill sprints
3) Supine to roll to sprint
4) Split squat holds
5) Push-up holds
6) Farmers walks
7) Sled push
8) Shoulder band work while holding a split squat
9) Single leg bounds
10) Max effort med ball throws
There are 99mph free agents and we are developing mid 90s P and sub 6.5 Pos Players at DIII schools.
In the next 10 years, I’m confident we will see JUCO and DIII programs buy in and pump out draft picks at near same rates as some SEC schools.
Time stamp this.
Watching a JuCo in CA warm up. They have development on lock. Each guy has their own long toss, plyo balls, hitting program,etc. Better than most big D1 universities who rely on talent alone.
Go to a school that focus on development. A lot of these kids will be dudes at a D1.
Heavy Strength Training
⬆️ Force Production
⬆️ Muscle Mass
⬆️ Movement Efficiency
Those factors help your move faster, throw harder and decrease injury risks.
Any counter argument against heavy strength training in-season defies science or is an excuse.
GET IT IN!
Most College and HS baseball seasons are OVER. It’s time to re-evaluate what your biggest domino is to reach your ULTIMATE athletic goals.
Most common goals for our new athletes:
1) Get Healthy
2) Add 20-50lbs of Mass
3) Increase Lunge/Chin-up
4) Refine Swing/Throwing Mechanics
UCL Injury Thread
(Some research backed, some thoughts)
-Pitching mechanics get the blame for most of these injuries. IME it's hard to have horrific biomechanics if you are proficient in a balanced training program (like
#90mphformula
) and long toss with high intent/volume.
Throw Harder Tip
#1
Increase bodyweight
It is one of the most predictable metrics to blindly guess how hard someone can throw. Use this to your advantage.
I believe optimal weight (lbs) for a pitcher is 2.75-3.25x height in inches.
#90mphformula
Throw Harder Tip
#17
Weighted balls are an amazing tool for arm health and performance.
As with all tools, it comes down appropriate application. Be wary of individuals or systems that immediately throw out a tool; it may be exactly what you need.
#90mphformula
2018 Weighted On-base Average vs Fastball Velocity
Less than 90 mph: .379
90-92 mph: .365
92-94 mph: .355
94-96 mph: .335
96-98 mph: .281
More than 98 mph: .270
Velocity is not the only quality that matters, but dismissing it as a highly indicative metric is foolish.
D1 pitcher at one of the most prestigious universities in the world just told me he has been out for much of the fall because he pulled his groin during the teams “mile test”.
As a strength coach/therapist, how can I help you athletes/coaches/parents prevent this?!
Let’s change the terminology from
“overuse injury”
to
“inadequately progressed with volume and intensity”
This puts everyone that touches an athlete (Ortho, Therapist, Strength Coach, Sport Coach) on the hook and should force us to better collaborate.
RT if you are in
When I was a collegiate baseball strength coach, Friday’s were work capacity/team building for us. By far our most productive day of the week.
Here is how we structured those days.
👇Thread below👇
Reverse throws may my favorite exercises over the past few years.
Most are so incredibly weak with concentric external rotation. Fix that and a lot of good things happen, especially for those in pain.
Doing a clean for a baseball player when we know jumps have the same effect without any of the potential wrist injury is like riding a bike without a helmet; you are foolishly rolling the dice with your future.
Amateur baseball players looking for a competitive advantage, read this text I got from a pro baller today.
“The last 5 years I’ve learned baseball players do not want to do anything. Literally. Not “some” I’m talking 90% of PRO baseball players do not want to do anything. 1/
If you want to significantly improve your odds of playing a sport at the professional level, your habits must reflect that goal.
Here are 4 ways to prepare like a pro and separate yourself from your peers:
Want to make the jump from HS to college sports?
Lock in your strength training
Want to make the jump from college to pro sports?
Lock in your nutrition
Pitchers, repeat after me…
I’m NOT sore from lactate buildup; I'm sore from muscular damage.
My nutrition, sleep, and volume tolerance, both in throwing and the gym, are what dictate if I'm going to be sore the next day.
Made a bet $1000 bet with 2 of my friend that I’d hit the size and strength metrics of the
#90mphformula
in 2019.
Mission Complete 🚀
#90mphformula
metrics:
Height/weight: 5’9 180lbs
Coefficient: 2.6 ✅
Deadlift: 405lbs ✅
Chin-up: 250lbs ✅
Lunge: 180lbs x 10/side ✅
“How big should I be as a baseball player?”
This is one of the most common questions I get. For those of you have have followed the
#90mphformula
, you’ll know that the minimum bodyweight required is your height in inches multiplied by 2.5. That 2.5 coefficient is our bare
There are only 3 ways to increase throwing velocity:
1) increase mechanical efficiency
2) increase bodyweight to enhance momentum
3) increase strength/RFD/power
The
#90mphformula
cuts to the chase and forces athletes to be accountable for the metrics that produce results.
If you can’t do a proper push-up, you have no business throwing a ball.
The push-up has so many stability requirements making it is one of my favorite exercises. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most butchered exercise in sports performance.
More here:
Reasons why I love sprints
1) RFD posteriorly
2) Near full range of motion
3) More muscle + less fat
4) Can help increase
#velo
5) Great conditioning
6) Is a single leg power exercise
7) Self-limiting
8) Most pure form of athleticism
Implementation here:
10-Yard Dash Benefits
1) Train first step power
2) Train acceleration
3) Great indicator of athleticism
4) Correlated to throwing velocity
5) Correlated to exit velocity
Thanks to
@PitchingNinja
for chart.
I’m a believer that run & gun or long toss paint a nice picture of what we have in the tank as throwers.
That mound is usually where stability issues shake out.
Attached is a great example of this. Watch the trail leg rob the throwing arm of forward momentum (velocity).
You didn’t lose mobility because you…
-bulked
-benched
-squatted
-deadlifted
You lost mobility because you moved poorly and didn’t challenge your joint mobility.
Throw Harder Tip
#35
Hill sprints are an amazing tool for strength, power and conditioning. The powerful hip extension used in a hill sprint is the same movement used to throw hard.
Steep Hill
6-20 sets of max effort
20-30 yards uphill
3 min of rest
#90mphformula
Couldn’t be happier for former
@SIMiners
@RobbyRow_12
. First time in a game tonight after 2 years rehab following a horrible injury and surgery. Hardest worker I have been around and one of my very favorite players all time.
#AlwaysaMiner
.
Parents,
All college bound athletes are juggling practices/games/school/college boards. “Not having time to train” is based on priorities, not lack of time. I’d rather they state “I currently don’t want to prioritize my development”. That should spark some deep conversations.
Most elbow issues are scap stability issues
Most scap stability issues are trunk stability issues
Most trunk stability issues are rooted in the pelvis
Most pelvic stability issues are rooted in glute dysfunction
Redshirts and bench warmers you should be in the gym more than your peers.
Our position players that reverse lunge 1.75x bw can all run a 6.5 or less.
Our pitchers gain an average of 2.5mph for every 10lbs of bodyweight gained while increasing the metrics on the
#90mphformula
.
How to run a 6.5 60-yard dash
(Position players)
1) Add plyos and sprint into your daily warm-up.
2) Hit the
#90mphformula
3) Get your reverse lunge to 1.75x your bodyweight with exceptional form
4) Add in 20-40 yard max effort hill sprints
Questions? Ask in thread
#90mphformula
Hack
Pick your relative worst exercises in each category
Prioritize for 6 weeks no ego — nail form
Retest best metrics after 6 weeks
Reverse lunge
Split squat
Rear foot elevated split squat
Chin-up
Push-up reach
Birddog row
Trap bar deadlift
Sumo
Conventional
Throwers!
As your throwing volume increases be sure to increase dedicated concentric external rotation drills.
Example drills would include reverse plyoball throws, side lying external rotations and incline bench T��s (featured here).