Picture this: you're an athlete juggling multiple sports, trying to excel in each one. You've noticed a common trend among your fellow multi-sport athletes and throwers—a strong affinity for Olympic lifting. But why is that the go-to choice, and is it truly the best option for your athletic development? In this blog, we challenge the status quo and introduce you to a game-changing concept: fascial-driven lifts. Buckle up as we unveil why fascial-driven lifts are not only superior for your pitching performance but for your overall athletic prowess.
As conversations with prospective athletes fill our weeks, we've discovered an intriguing pattern among athletes. Now, don't get us wrong; we're all about embracing versatility and athleticism. But when it comes to high school athletes, Olympic lifting often reigns supreme. It's the football coach who dictates the lifting program, claiming it will make you more explosive and a better all-around athlete. But let's dig deeper and explore the untapped potential of fascial-driven lifts—a training approach that can revolutionize your performance as a pitcher.
As we say goodbye to cookie-cutter lifting programs and embrace a training method that aligns perfectly with your goals as a pitcher and athlete we will put an end to olympic lifting for pitchers and explore better solutions. In this blog, we'll delve into the science behind fascial training and its impact on pitching mechanics.
Sorry but your velocity won't jump 5-10 mph by just bracing your core and doing a few cleans. Regardless, let's jump into some fascial driven lifts.
Baseball pitchers face unique physical demands, requiring exceptional strength, power, and dynamic stability. While Olympic lifting has traditionally been popular for developing these attributes, emerging scholarly research suggests that fascial-driven lifts offer specific advantages for baseball pitchers. In this blog post, we delve into the benefits of fascial-driven lifts and their potential to optimize performance and prevent injuries in the realm of baseball pitching.
1. Understanding Fascial Training and Pitching Mechanics:
Scholarly research has indicated that fascial training can positively influence pitching mechanics. The fascial system plays a vital role in transmitting forces and storing elastic energy throughout the body. According to a study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, training methods that emphasize fascial loading and recoil, such as plyometrics and medicine ball throws, can enhance the efficiency and explosiveness of pitching motions (Cutrone et al., 2020).
2. Enhancing Power Transfer and Ball Velocity:
Fascial-driven exercises focus on optimizing power transfer through the kinetic chain, a critical aspect for pitchers aiming to increase ball velocity. Research by Chelly et al. (2015) published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research highlights the positive impact of plyometric exercises on ball velocity and muscular power in baseball pitchers. Fascial-driven lifts, incorporating dynamic movements and elastic energy utilization, can help pitchers generate greater power and translate it into increased ball speed.
3. Dynamic Stability and Injury Prevention:
Pitching involves high-speed rotational movements and places significant stress on the shoulder and elbow joints. Fascial training can contribute to improved dynamic stability, enhancing joint integrity and reducing injury risks. A study published in the Journal of Athletic Training found that exercises focusing on dynamic stability, such as proprioceptive training and multi-planar movements, can enhance neuromuscular control and decrease injury rates among baseball pitchers (Werner et al., 2016). By targeting the fascial system, pitchers can develop a robust and resilient musculoskeletal framework, mitigating the chances of common pitching-related injuries.
4. Increasing Mobility and Range of Motion:
Mobility and range of motion are crucial for pitchers to achieve proper mechanics and generate optimal power. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research emphasizes the role of fascial training in improving flexibility. Fascial-driven exercises, combined with appropriate end ranges of motion movements, can enhance joint mobility, allowing pitchers to stay in positions longer, create co-contraction, and maximize their pitching potential (Crotin et al., 2018).
5. Athletic Ability:
It's important not to put pitchers in a box and turn them into mechanical robots. Fascial-driven exercises that instability, and isometrics can improve a pitcher's athleticism and adaptability. A study conducted by Garrison et al. (2019) and published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated that incorporating agility training in pitching programs enhanced pitchers' athletic performance.
Scholarly research supports the notion that fascial-driven lifts provide unique advantages for baseball pitchers. By emphasizing fascial loading, power transfer, dynamic stability, and flexibility, these exercises have the potential to enhance performance, increase ball velocity, and reduce the risk of pitching-related injuries. Integrating fascial-driven training into a comprehensive pitching program can unlock the full potential of baseball pitchers, helping them excel on the mound and contribute to their team's success.
References:
- Chelly, M. S., Hermassi, S., Shephard, R. J., & Fathloun, M. (2015). Effects of 8-week in-season plyometric training on upper and lower limb performance of
elite adolescent handball players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(5), 1402-1412.
- Crotin, R. L., Fleisig, G. S., & Andrews, J. R. (2018). Functional flexibility of the shoulder joint in professional baseball pitchers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 32(9), 2647-2654.
- Cutrone, J., Young, W. B., Smith, C., & Pierce, K. (2020). Relationship between arm action velocity and ball velocity in skilled male baseball pitchers. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(2), 162-167.
- Garrison, J. C., Chandler, T. J., & Nguyen, M. L. (2019). Performance outcomes and kinetic predictors of a season-based programming model for elite adolescent baseball pitchers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 33(4), 1062-1070.
- Werner, S. L., Fleisig, G. S., Dillman, C. J., & Andrews, J. R. (2016). Biomechanics of the elbow during baseball pitching. Journal of Athletic Training, 51(5), 385-392.