Research and News
Posts tagged baseball
Can high-intensity training improve throwing performance?
Oct 3rd
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Dr. David Behm
Repetitive overhand throwing requires both the generation of anaerobic and aerobic power over the course of a game. Professor David Behm PhD and his colleagues at Memorial University in St. Johns Canada wanted to see if a high-intensity training (HIT) strengthening program with Thera-Band elastic resistance bands would be beneficial for female fastball players. He presented his findings at the 12th annual meeting of Thera-Band Academy’s Scientific Advisory Board, TRAC.
Twelve subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. A “sprint” throwing training program was developed similar to a successful sprint cycle training program. The participants in the experimental training group performed a throwing motion against Thera-Band resistance. They progressively increased in resistance from green to blue to black resistance bands, exercising 3 times a week for 3 weeks with 5 sets of 20 repetitions.
After the short 3 week program, the training group significantly increased in peak oxygen consumption (VO2) by 18%, improved their lactate threshold by 21%, time to fatigue by 14%, and improved peak fastball velocity and endurance. The control group did not change. Dr. Behm’s research suggests More >
Developing Thera-Band exercise programs for overhead throwing athletes
Dec 17th
The overhead athlete’s shoulder must be strong, flexible, and enduring for optimal performance. Shoulder exercises for the throwing athlete must reflect the specific functional demands required both for injury prevention and rehabilitation. Head Athletic Trainer for the Boston Red Sox, Mike Reinold, DPT, ATC, CSCS, published a “current concepts” paper on preventive and rehabilitative exercises for overhead throwing athletes.
Dr. Reinold and his colleagues outlined 6 principles of injury prevention and treatment programs:
1. Maintain range of motion
2. Maintain strength of the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic musculature
3. Emphasize dynamic stabilization and neuromuscular control
4. Core and lower body training
5. Off-season preparation
6. In-season maintenance
In addition, the authors outlined a rehabilitation progression for shoulder conditions including impingement, instability, and rotator cuff tendonitis. They recommend the use of products such as elastic tubing, exercise balls, soft weights, and band loops throughout the program. By understanding the demands on the throwing shoulder, rehabilitation professionals can improve their clinical decision-making and progressive exercise prescription. For more information on the overhead throwing shoulder, I recommend Dr. Reinold’s book co-written with Kevin Wilk PT and James Andrews MD, The Athlete’s Shoulder. The Thera-Band family of resistance exercise products is an important part of any preventive or rehabilitative exercise program for overhead throwing athletes.
REFERENCE: More >
Training program improves throwing accuracy in baseball players
Mar 31st
Core training is thought to be important to improve functional sport activities, particularly those involving force transfer through the abdominals and back, into the extremities. For example, much of the strength and power required to throw a baseball comes from the force transmitted through the core from the legs. This is an example of the ‘kinetic chain,” where different parts of the body are interconnected and all contribute in some way to performing a functional activity.
Few studies have investigated the effects of core training on functional performance. Athletic training researchers investigated the effects of a shoulder training program with and without core stability exercises. 19 baseball players were randomly assigned to an open and closed-chain exercise program, or the same program with additional core training. 15 healthy age-matched non athletes were used as a quasi-control group. Each subject was tested for throwing accuracy, core stability, and proprioception before and after the 6-week program.
Both groups performed a shoulder training program that included free weights, closed-chain balance board, step-up, and exercise ball exercises, as well as plyometric ball tosses. The core training group also performed stabilization exercises such as the dead bug, sit-up, bridge, wall slides, and sitting on an exercise ball.
After the training program, More >
New book helps develop “Effective Functional Progressions in Sport Rehabilitation”
May 20th
Developing functional exercise programs for athletes is sometimes difficult, particularly for rehabilitation professionals without much experience in their patients’ sport. Human Kinetics recently released the book, Effective Functional Progressions in Sport Rehabilitation by Todd Ellenbecker, Mark De Carlo, and Carl DeRosa. The book is divided into 2 parts. Part I provides the benefits and guidelines for developing successful sports rehabilitation programs, while Part II reviews functional progressions for 3 body regions: upper extremity, lower extremity, and trunk.
Functional Exercise Progressions
Each regional chapter reviews relevant functional anatomy and describes appropriate functional tests with normative data. The normative data can be used to set goals for the athletes’ rehabilitation, which can be very helpful to practicing clinicians. Exercises are grouped into specific progressions and labeled with different stages in the progression. The exercises start with isolated, joint-specific exercises and progress to more functional movements. Some exercises also include “Pearls of Performance,” which provide additional hints on performing and progressing the exercise. The 3 chapters also include interval programs that provide specific exercise protocols for returning to sports such as tennis, baseball, football, soccer, and basketball. The exercises include easy to use and convenient equipment such as elastic tubing, dumbbells, and exercise balls, making them More >
Hip exercise for strength, stability (Cincinnati.com)
Apr 7th
Posted on www.cincinnati.com, professional baseball player Jeff Keppinger, demonstrated exercises that strengthen and balance hip muscles, using a looped exercise band.
