My 9th grader has just started going to a sports strength training facility. It's not just a work out place, they have staff who evaluate the athletes and form a plan based on any problem areas in the overall body of the athlete and cross check that with specific injuries common in the athletes sport.
I wasn't there last night but my son said he was doing an exercise and his trainer came over and stopped him to say he wasn't engaging his rotator cuff. The trainer made a few adjustments and they spoke about how when he pitches he is also not engaging his rotator cuff. The trainer said this is a common problem that needed to be addressed now with some more specific exercises to strengthen that area and get his rotator cuff to engage. He also said that while he is pitching 80 it isn't a huge issue but if and when he gets to the high 80's it can be a serious problem.
Not to be all 1st grade here with "the arm bone's connected to the shoulder bone"...but how do you pitch WITHOUT engaging the rotator cuff...or was he perhaps over simplifying? Anyone else heard of this?