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!
Shoulder Wall Slides with Band
February 28, 2011
Here’s a simple, effective shoulder exercise you can do anywhere. What do you need?
- a wall
- some resistive exercise tubing
Thanks to Eric Cressey for another great video. Please visit ShoulderPerformance.com to learn about Optimal Shoulder Performance – a dvd produced by Mike Reinold and Eric Cressey, two of the premier shoulder gurus in the fitness world.
Zach Even-Esh talks about the Rotater
October 21, 2009
Several months ago, I contacted Zach Evenesh and asked him if he’d be interested in evaluating the Rotater. Who is Zach Evenesh?
hardcore, underground strength coach
- the owner of The Underground Strength Coach Gymnasium – a hard core athletic training facility located in Edison, NJ
- Zach holds a BA in Health & Physical Education as well as an MA in Health Education
- wrote ‘The Ultimate Underground Training Manual‘, which has sold around the world
- His clientele consists of high school & college athletes, MMA fighters, Military & Law Enforcement personnel
- Zach is also a regular writer for TapouT Magazine, Men’s Fitness Magazine (as well being part of the Men’s Fitness Training Team) and was recently featured in Muscle & Fitness Magazine
Although he’s considered one of the premier strength coaches who’s constantly traveling and working, Zach responded to my email right away and said he’d be happy to give the Rotater a try.
Here is Zach’s response after using the Rotater:
The premier underground strength training website
“Chris -
The Rotater is an excellent tool for prehabbing and rehabbing the overall shoulder joint. Our athletes have been using it before and after their workouts, especially our Baseball players and they love it. The Rotater puts them in the perfect position for safety and proper execution which makes things easier for us to let them get at it.
Without a doubt, The Rotater should be part of every athlete’s shoulder prehab and health program.”
In Strength,
Zach Even – Esh
http://undergroundstrengthcoach.com
Disclosure: Zach was provided with a Rotater at no charge. His testimonial was voluntary and not required.
