If you’re curveball isn’t up to par, try this drill – it will definitely help you develop that tight rotation and consistent release.

Just grab a bucket of balls, place a (mostly) empty bucket 20-30 feet away, and toss them in on a nice arc, working on proper spin, release point and follow through.  Don’t expect the ball to break, just work on getting the technique consistent.  For more drills and baseball knowledge, talk to our instructors and check out Dan Blewett’s personal website.

Meet the “Quad Lunge,” one of the best hip flexor and quadricep stretches around. This stretch is especially beneficial to catchers, who have chronically short and tight hip flexors and quads due to squatting all game, every game.

The above video is pretty self-explanatory, but one thing you want to make sure of is that your back knee is behind your back hip.  You’ll find, in addition, that this stretch demands good balance, and using something on which to steady yourself is a good idea. Flexibility is crucial to moving effectively as an athlete, so don’t neglect to stretch regularly!

At Athletic Edge we are pioneers in sport-specific exercises, and we relish the chance to show off some of our work.

Conditioning can be generic and boring, or it can serve multiple purposes and make you better conditioned and better at your sport.  The following is a conditioning drill done with an 8lb medicine ball; It builds strength while preparing one for the rigors of basketball.

I want to pose a question to all of you who are dedicated to getting better at your sport: Do you know what you need to improve?

If you don’t or you have tried different things with mixed results, then it is time get one of our Movement Assessments, and let our trainers tell you what you should be doing to add those mphs, get faster, or get stronger.  Personal, customized training is the number one way to get you to your goals!

Our personal training hours go beyond that of the academy, and for you parents also interested in getting in the best shape of your life, we start as early as 6am!

Read more about our trainers and what we offer in the training page

Strong shoulder external rotators are crucial to arm health, as they are responsible for stabilizing and rapidly decelerating the arm after a throw.

There are numerous ways to perform band external rotations, but the way shown above is excellent because it isolates the muscles well by preventing erroneous movement and keeping the shoulders and back in proper alignment.

For more information on the importance of shoulder strength and stabilization, read Prehab: A Pitcher’s Mandatory Best Friend

-Coach Dan

At the Athletic Edge we are all about innovative ways of training that  both motivate and excite our athletes, as well as get them to their goals.

There are tons of ways to get in great shape aside from going out and running for 20+ minutes.  Trainer Matt Acevedo is quickly getting in shape for his upcoming pro baseball season, and this drill is one we developed that is gonna help him blow past the competition.

This is a fun challenge, and believe me – it’s a challenge.  The drill consists of:

1. Reverse medicine ball scoop toss
2. Sprawl to the floor and immediately do 5 pushups
3. Sprint to the other cone, where the med ball is waiting.
4. Repeat as fast as possible for 2 minutes
5. Partner B and partner C go, giving you 4 minutes rest before your next set
6. 2-6 sets as conditioning improves

Keep in mind that this drill is explosive and requires technique, so it isn’t something you want to go home and try without supervision.  Come in and talk to us – we’re always inventing new and exciting ways to make our athletes better. Enjoy!

The pick up drill is a very effective way to give yourself a leg workout while practicing a good athletic stance. This drill requires only a partner and a ball, preferably something small and light. Start in a athletic stance with your butt low and toes pointing forward. As your partner rolls the ball from side to side move laterally without crossing your feet, keeping your toes forward, and your butt low. Simply pick the ball up and toss it back to your partner while maintaining the athletic position.

Each set should consist of you picking up and tossing the ball back to your partner 20 times. A good workout would be three sets leaving only enough time in between sets for your partner to complete a set. After tossing the ball back to your partner your next pick up should be at least 3 shuffles from your previous pick up.

For rotational athletes like hitters and pitchers, tight hip external rotators can be a limiting factor in swing and pitch velocity.  When swinging or throwing, the body rotates on the lead leg by contraction of the hip internal rotators and relaxation of the external rotators.

So, if your hip external rotators are chronically tight and short, then your body will have to fight this inflexibility as it tries to rotate through.  With proper flexibility and mobility work, loosening up those hips will allow your body to rotate freely over that lead leg, allowing full transfer of power from hip to hip.

This stretch is quick, easy and effective.  2-3 sets of 15 on will help loosen things up and get you that full power transfer that is crucial in baseball.

For more hip stretches read my article Hip Flexibility Problems in Pitchers

The best strength program is balanced, therefore when lifting weights, stretching is essential to prevent injury and help increase flexibility and range of motion of the athlete.