Shoulder Stretching Tool Reviewed by Pitching Coach
April 21, 2012
Dan Blewett, owner of Dan Blewett Sports Performance and Warbird Pitching Academy, recently posted the following video review of the Rotater shoulder stretching tool. I’ve been reading Dan’s blog for the last few months and can feel his passion for pitching / athletic excellence. I contacted Dan and asked him if he would be interested in evaluating our shoulder stretching tool.
Dan notes several things about the Rotater shoulder stretching tool in this video:
- Shoulder Stretching Safety – it’s safer for an athlete to stretch himself / herself than to rely on a fellow athlete.
- Immediate Feedback – the athlete feels the stretch
- Although an excellent shoulder stretching tool for external rotation, most baseball players don’t need more external rotation
- The Rotater shoulder stretching tool is great for stretching a pitcher’s internal rotation
- Different than the sleeper stretch .. the pitching arm is in a more natural throwing motion
- The Rotater is lightweight, sturdy and easy to take with you
Disclaimer: The Rotater was provided to Dan Blewett at no charge to him, with nothing required on his part.
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.
