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Along with a dream comes passion.  That can take you far.  What I have always told my players is that if this is your dream then this is what you need to do.  If they are not willing to do it then they never had a true passion for it in the first place.  I guess we need to define dream.  I can dream of winning the lottery.  That is an ordunary dream and is purely a dream.  I guess when we talk about dreams here it is understood that those dreams are filled with a burning desire to achieve them.  Making the dream more of a goal I suppose.  Secondly I would venture to say the percentage of people on here who have at least decent players is well into the 90's.   So if you are starting with a base of some ability then maybe just maybe you can work hard enough to make that dream come true.  I am on record here many times saying you can spot the can't miss kids at an early age.  But what you can't necessarily know is who those kids are that will never give up and may be a spot starter and bullpen guy at a mid level D1 someday.  For my son - can't speak for others - that would fulfill his dream.  Now some people may think that is not a lofty goal.  Others may think it too lofty.  None of that matters to me.  What matters is what he thinks.  He thinks he can do it.  He works out 3 times a week with a cressey style guy.  He is at the facility 3 to 5 days a week while playing basketball 4 days a week.  I looked up a baseball yoga dvd on amazon and think I will get it.  The karate thing is intriguing but I just don't know how we would find the time or money (we do have three other children in the house!).  This summer he will be playing travel ball, AAU, high school summer league basketball and the football coach wants them in the weight room.  Add to that he will work 6 ir 7 hours a day at the school to help pay his tuition.  Because he wants to play spring ball so he can follow that up with travel ball.  He also wants to play with and compete with the best.  If he went to the school in his district good chance he would be varsity as a freshman.  Here he has about zero chance.  Big D1 commit will be a senior when he is a freshman.  There will be a sophomore pushing 90.  A freshman who may also actually be pushing 90, another lefty freshman who will be in the 80's and another righty who may be there as well.  It may be more likely for him to become a college pitcher than break his high school starting rotation!!  But he backs away from no challenges.  He is fully aware of who will be there.  I am proud of him for that type of indomitable will.  Am I going to tell him he can't achieve his dream with a work effort and competitve will like that?  Nope.  And if I did...  he would just set out to prove me wrong.  I think I will error on the side of joining him in his dream and help him along any way I can.  And if I come on here in four years and say my son just committed to a small mid level D3...  I will do it proudly!

2020dad posted:

Along with a dream comes passion.  That can take you far.  What I have always told my players is that if this is your dream then this is what you need to do.  If they are not willing to do it then they never had a true passion for it in the first place.  I guess we need to define dream.  I can dream of winning the lottery.  That is an ordunary dream and is purely a dream.  I guess when we talk about dreams here it is understood that those dreams are filled with a burning desire to achieve them.  Making the dream more of a goal I suppose.  Secondly I would venture to say the percentage of people on here who have at least decent players is well into the 90's.   So if you are starting with a base of some ability then maybe just maybe you can work hard enough to make that dream come true.  I am on record here many times saying you can spot the can't miss kids at an early age.  But what you can't necessarily know is who those kids are that will never give up and may be a spot starter and bullpen guy at a mid level D1 someday.  For my son - can't speak for others - that would fulfill his dream.  Now some people may think that is not a lofty goal.  Others may think it too lofty.  None of that matters to me.  What matters is what he thinks.  He thinks he can do it.  He works out 3 times a week with a cressey style guy.  He is at the facility 3 to 5 days a week while playing basketball 4 days a week.  I looked up a baseball yoga dvd on amazon and think I will get it.  The karate thing is intriguing but I just don't know how we would find the time or money (we do have three other children in the house!).  This summer he will be playing travel ball, AAU, high school summer league basketball and the football coach wants them in the weight room.  Add to that he will work 6 ir 7 hours a day at the school to help pay his tuition.  Because he wants to play spring ball so he can follow that up with travel ball.  He also wants to play with and compete with the best.  If he went to the school in his district good chance he would be varsity as a freshman.  Here he has about zero chance.  Big D1 commit will be a senior when he is a freshman.  There will be a sophomore pushing 90.  A freshman who may also actually be pushing 90, another lefty freshman who will be in the 80's and another righty who may be there as well.  It may be more likely for him to become a college pitcher than break his high school starting rotation!!  But he backs away from no challenges.  He is fully aware of who will be there.  I am proud of him for that type of indomitable will.  Am I going to tell him he can't achieve his dream with a work effort and competitve will like that?  Nope.  And if I did...  he would just set out to prove me wrong.  I think I will error on the side of joining him in his dream and help him along any way I can.  And if I come on here in four years and say my son just committed to a small mid level D3...  I will do it proudly!

2020dad, I get your enthusiasm, and that is great.  But, when does he just get to be a kid?  My son is the same age and while he LOVES baseball he has other things to occupy his time as well.  There are girls calling/texting, pick up games in the neighborhood of football or basketball, hanging out with his buddies at the local taco-bell, riding around the neighborhood on his bike, or even running....and did I mention the girls?

Why does your son want to train so much and for so many different sports?  Doesn't he have other stuff to do?

CaCO3Girl posted:
2020dad posted:

Along with a dream comes passion.  That can take you far.  What I have always told my players is that if this is your dream then this is what you need to do.  If they are not willing to do it then they never had a true passion for it in the first place.  I guess we need to define dream.  I can dream of winning the lottery.  That is an ordunary dream and is purely a dream.  I guess when we talk about dreams here it is understood that those dreams are filled with a burning desire to achieve them.  Making the dream more of a goal I suppose.  Secondly I would venture to say the percentage of people on here who have at least decent players is well into the 90's.   So if you are starting with a base of some ability then maybe just maybe you can work hard enough to make that dream come true.  I am on record here many times saying you can spot the can't miss kids at an early age.  But what you can't necessarily know is who those kids are that will never give up and may be a spot starter and bullpen guy at a mid level D1 someday.  For my son - can't speak for others - that would fulfill his dream.  Now some people may think that is not a lofty goal.  Others may think it too lofty.  None of that matters to me.  What matters is what he thinks.  He thinks he can do it.  He works out 3 times a week with a cressey style guy.  He is at the facility 3 to 5 days a week while playing basketball 4 days a week.  I looked up a baseball yoga dvd on amazon and think I will get it.  The karate thing is intriguing but I just don't know how we would find the time or money (we do have three other children in the house!).  This summer he will be playing travel ball, AAU, high school summer league basketball and the football coach wants them in the weight room.  Add to that he will work 6 ir 7 hours a day at the school to help pay his tuition.  Because he wants to play spring ball so he can follow that up with travel ball.  He also wants to play with and compete with the best.  If he went to the school in his district good chance he would be varsity as a freshman.  Here he has about zero chance.  Big D1 commit will be a senior when he is a freshman.  There will be a sophomore pushing 90.  A freshman who may also actually be pushing 90, another lefty freshman who will be in the 80's and another righty who may be there as well.  It may be more likely for him to become a college pitcher than break his high school starting rotation!!  But he backs away from no challenges.  He is fully aware of who will be there.  I am proud of him for that type of indomitable will.  Am I going to tell him he can't achieve his dream with a work effort and competitve will like that?  Nope.  And if I did...  he would just set out to prove me wrong.  I think I will error on the side of joining him in his dream and help him along any way I can.  And if I come on here in four years and say my son just committed to a small mid level D3...  I will do it proudly!

2020dad, I get your enthusiasm, and that is great.  But, when does he just get to be a kid?  My son is the same age and while he LOVES baseball he has other things to occupy his time as well.  There are girls calling/texting, pick up games in the neighborhood of football or basketball, hanging out with his buddies at the local taco-bell, riding around the neighborhood on his bike, or even running....and did I mention the girls?

Why does your son want to train so much and for so many different sports?  Doesn't he have other stuff to do?

Don't you think he is doing enough already?  Tonight he is going to a pizza party and basketball game for next years incoming freshmen.  Tomorrow morning we are going to see one of his travel team buddies (also next year high school teammate one of the afore mentioned) play an 8th grade basketball game.  Then a couple hours later he will watch his 6th grade brother play.  Then its off to the facility for a side some hitting and a workout.  That will brimg us home in time to have dinner then go watch his brother's tournament game...  sunday will be three basketball games of his own then possibly catching a couple of his brother's swims and then off to baseball practice for three hours.  By the time we get home at about 6pm we will settle in and watch some football.  Then he will lay in bed before going to sleep and look at gloves and bats online.  He will ask me if he can spend his savings on some $400 glove thats on massive sale for $299 and I will routinely say no.  Then he will clutch a bat or wear his glove to sleep.  And thats no lie.  He has not much interest in girls right now.  The only thing that rivals sports for him is cooking and eating!  Loves to cook (takes a cooking class) and loves to eat more - apple doesn't fall far from the tree!  And he wouldn't have it any other way.  The one thing we both miss though with our schedules is fishing.  We still get some in when we have the time.  In fact we play one tournament at a complex along a river.  There is a little lake there where they damned it up.  He fishes between games!  I would say he makes pretty good use of his time.

johnnysako posted:
2020dad posted:

  I looked up a baseball yoga dvd on amazon and think I will get it

power yoga for baseball players? Mine should be in the mailbox today or tomorrow, he laughed at me when i told him I ordered it lol, but he's a big stiffy and needs it.

Please  please please let us all know what you think of it!

johnnysako posted:
2020dad posted:

  I looked up a baseball yoga dvd on amazon and think I will get it

power yoga for baseball players? Mine should be in the mailbox today or tomorrow, he laughed at me when i told him I ordered it lol, but he's a big stiffy and needs it.

I just ordered the one with Stanton in it the other day. Figured if he's doing it, that would get my son's attention. 

Last edited by Initech

Regarding strength training: it helps but it is maybe the last 10 percent of the equation. There are plenty of kids who are really thin and never really lifted weights and threw upper 80s while frank Thomas was like 270 pounds and like the strongest guy ever and he could barely throw from first to second.

 

it might help to get from 87 to 92 but to get there mechanics, range of motion and a good energy flow are probably more important.

 

Last edited by Dominik85

My son, 2020 Grad, has been working with a trainer twice a week for awhile now.  He's a taller kid for his age, a little over 6' now in 8th grade, and about 150 lbs.  

They worked a lot of body weight stuff, but have started introducing some weights.  It's not to get "big", but rather core strength, they work on flexibility, and it has made a big difference.  He has a back condition, and ortho recommends core strengthening, and his back hasn't hurt, and he's gotten faster running.  I think the strength he's gained has helped him physically catch up to his height, if that makes sense.  He looks much better, movement wise as well.  I'm not an expert, but my opinion.

So, I think you can definitely see gains with the right training.  My son was never super athletic, would go through phases as he grew, and it frustrated him.  I think back, and think he just didn't have the strength to do what he wanted to do(he was never real thin, but always lean).  

I have received flak in the past, some on other boards, for having my sons in S&C/Agility classes, including my 10 yr old.  They have had a blast.

 

Good luck to you!

 

floridafan posted:

Strength without flexibility will lead to injury. Yes, hit the weights, but spend an adequate time on improving and maintaining flexibility. If not an injury will likely leave you on the bench, hopefully when it does, it will be for just a short period of time.

Interesting because our strength and fitness guy said itnis actually the hyper flexible guys that get injured more because it allows their bodies to do unatural things.

2020dad posted:
floridafan posted:

Strength without flexibility will lead to injury. Yes, hit the weights, but spend an adequate time on improving and maintaining flexibility. If not an injury will likely leave you on the bench, hopefully when it does, it will be for just a short period of time.

Interesting because our strength and fitness guy said itnis actually the hyper flexible guys that get injured more because it allows their bodies to do unatural things.

I think it is both. If your range of motion is too small you are more likely to pull something because the muscles and tendons run out of ROM quicker but being hyper flexible is dangerous too, especially for good pitchers who tend to have very flexible shoulders almost to the point of dislocation.

a happy medium is probably the best.

Last edited by Dominik85
2020dad posted:
johnnysako posted:
2020dad posted:

  I looked up a baseball yoga dvd on amazon and think I will get it

power yoga for baseball players? Mine should be in the mailbox today or tomorrow, he laughed at me when i told him I ordered it lol, but he's a big stiffy and needs it.

Please  please please let us all know what you think of it!

Update: Kids been doing it and surprisingly he likes it! The workout is about 35 mins long and its tough. Not going to say this is the be all end all but for my kid who is stiff as a 4x4 i can tell already its helping a lot. Its not doubt great for balance, core strength and flexibility...all the things great ball players have right?

Also, kid has been battling sever's for quite a while now, Ortho suggested some stretches as did the PT because he's so tight in his glute's and hammy's they think that could be contributing to it. I told them he's starting the yoga and they said for his tightness that's probably the best thing he could be doing, so, we'll see. But yes, for $15 or so, its very worth it.

johnnysako posted:
2020dad posted:
johnnysako posted:
2020dad posted:

  I looked up a baseball yoga dvd on amazon and think I will get it

power yoga for baseball players? Mine should be in the mailbox today or tomorrow, he laughed at me when i told him I ordered it lol, but he's a big stiffy and needs it.

Please  please please let us all know what you think of it!

Update: Kids been doing it and surprisingly he likes it! The workout is about 35 mins long and its tough. Not going to say this is the be all end all but for my kid who is stiff as a 4x4 i can tell already its helping a lot. Its not doubt great for balance, core strength and flexibility...all the things great ball players have right?

Also, kid has been battling sever's for quite a while now, Ortho suggested some stretches as did the PT because he's so tight in his glute's and hammy's they think that could be contributing to it. I told them he's starting the yoga and they said for his tightness that's probably the best thing he could be doing, so, we'll see. But yes, for $15 or so, its very worth it.

Thanks for the update!  We also bought it.  A few of those things I think tough is an understatement.  I just sit and laugh at a few points in the workout.  But if he can get this workout down pat I can see how it would improve balance number one and flexibility number two.  Keep in touch.  Will be interesting to.check back say when the season is about over to see if any real velo gains are made.

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