SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING

What is constant among all sports? ANSWER: Improvement requires practice and training!

No matter the sport, athletes must train to improve their performance. Coaches and athletes in all sports have long recognized this reality. However, more often overlooked is the functionality of an athlete’s training. Getting out and moving is great. Any form of physical activity is better than none. But to increase the effectiveness of your training efforts, specific to your sport, consider performing movements that compliment the demands of the sport. In many cases training is more effective if the movements patterns within the training plan are similar to those within the sport.

Training that is specific, functional and personalized, per individual, for the sport the player is preparing for is ideal. This approach facilitates improved movement patterns and the transfer of those movement patterns into game application. Which is why in today’s fitness realm functional training/fitness is held in such high regard. Because it is meant to ensure time spent training is most efficient for achieving sport specific results. This is how many elite athletes achieve maximum performance.

PERSONALIZATION: WORK THE WEAKNESSES

Every player is different when it comes to body type, height and health. With that being the case, a training regimen with a personalized approach improves efficiency and in turn the results it yields. After all, at the end of the day we only have so much time and energy to spend.

With any workout, just like any workday, the first half tends to be more productive. Because with any mentally and physically taxing activity, intensity and effort begins to decline as it becomes more exhausting. So to maximize the outcome of our efforts it is important to prioritize, then use our time and energy efficiently. This means spreading out workloads and placing more emphasis in areas of need; from both functional and deficient perspectives. Thus, ideally training should be ordered by functionality. With the most functional aspects in the beginning when the athlete is fresh. While also spending more time targeting weaknesses rather than exaggerating known strengths.

For this reason Throw Smart begins by assessing an athlete’s total body competence. Through the use of physical assessments that determine deficiencies, including those of strength, speed and flexibility. Then personalizes each training program accordingly. While accounting for age, body composition and a variety of other physical variables. All in an effort to deliver the most functional and efficient training plan possible.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A TRAINING PLAN

Here are some key elements to look for in a premium baseball/softball specific training plan (and are key features of our Throw Smart system):

• All training is evaluation based, personally prescribed and properly ordered
• Off-Season Strength Training
• In-Season Strength Maintenance Training
• Off-Season Throwing Program (geared toward health with a byproduct of velocity enhancement)
• In-Season Health & Velocity Maintenance Training
• In-Season Health Management (personalized warm-up & recovery protocols)
• Pitch Count/Tracking
• Workload Management
• Personally Adapted Scheduling
• Adapts to Available Equipment

These key components aid in maximizing health, performance, and make Throw Smart the most functional PERSONAL training aid on the market for diamond athletes.