Can the Rotater Help Baseball Pitchers Fight GIRD?
June 13, 2011
Using the Rotater to Improve Shoulder Internal Rotation of Baseball Pitchers
Developing the Elite Baseball Athlete
We’d like to thank Kyle Boddy at Driveline Baseball for taking the time to evaluate the Rotater. Kyle is the owner of Driveline Baseball, Inc – a training facility specializing in high-speed pitching analysis and strength and conditioning for athletes.
After putting the Rotater to the test for several months, Kyle published this review of the Rotater – Improving Shoulder Internal Rotation with The Rotater. Here’s an excerpt:
“I’ve had the tool for a few months now and have been holding off on reviewing it until I was satisfied that it both did the job and that it was durable enough to keep around. As a guy who generally prefers DIY equipment and used stuff off Craigslist, it takes a lot for more to recommend brand new stuff, but this tool definitely fits the bill. It also helps that Chris and the guys who run the company are stand-up people who really believe in their product and the customer service behind it.”
Overhead Lifting for Animals
June 1, 2011
Lifting any kind of weight over your head requires full-body engagement….everything from your legs, to your core…and of course your shoulders.
If you’re like most people who train, doing the same old shoulder lifts (military presses and seated dumbbell presses) can get so boring!!! Why not add a little variety to your workout routine? Lift some crazy stuff. Want some ideas? Here’s a great video from UnderGround Strength Coach, Zach Even-Esh. Enjoy and let me know what you think.
Do you have any stuff laying around that you could add to your program?
- a keg … leftover from your college days
- an anvil
- build a sandbag or heavy medicine ball
- how about a slosh pipe
You can check out more of Zach’s videos on Youtube. Leave me a comment…let me know what kind of crazy stuff you lift over your head.
Should Your Child be Pitching?
March 24, 2011
Should your child be pitching? That seems like a “no-brainer”…especially if your son or daughter exhibits a natural tendency to excel. But after watching the following videos, you might want to re-think the question. I found the first video on Elite Sports Medicine’s website.
What startled me was the statement that 50% of kids who play overhead sports (softball, baseball, tennis, etc.) have a shoulder or elbow injury every season!! Not only that, but these injuries impact your child’s ability to throw later in life.
It’s All About Fatigue – Young Arms Need Require REST!
Dr. James Andrews, one of the most highly respected orthopedic surgeons, has also noticed the increase of shoulder / elbow injuries …most notably among Little League baseball pitchers and has been a strong proponent of limiting the number of pitches thrown. Here’s a video of Dr. Andrews expressing his thoughts on what he calls an increase of shoulder / elbow injuries of “epidemic” proportions:
Take away notes:
- Pitch counts are important
- don’t allow your child to play “year-round”
- it’s all about fatigue
- have a 2 – 3 month, “no-throwing”, rest period
- don’t allow your child to play in more than one league at a time
- 5 fold increase in shoulder / elbow injuries requiring surgery
How to Improve GIRD
March 9, 2011
It’s quite an honor for the Rotater to be mentioned in the same article as shoulder rehab gurus, Mike Reinold and Eric Cressey. Thanks to Shyam Soin, for including the Rotater in his article – Top 3 Exercises to Improve Shoulder Internal Range of Motion.
Here’s a video clip from Shyam’s article demonstrating why the Rotater is one of the best exercises to improve internal rotation of the shoulder.
Will the Rotater help you? Give it a try and discover why the experts recommend it.
Plyometric Shoulder External Rotation Exercise
March 3, 2011
Develop, Strengthen and Protect Your Rotator Cuff
You know the drill..develop and protect your rotator cuff muscles. So you:
- do your band exercises to strengthen your internal and external rotator cuff muscles
- sometimes substitute dumbbells for variety
- do the wall stretch
- do the towel stretch
- stretch with the Rotater
Is there something more you could be doing? Something that might add a little variety…something plyometric? Thanks to Kyle Boddy at Driveline Baseball for this plyometric shoulder exercise. Simple and easy to do!
Thanks Kyle!
