Speed/Agility

Hill Sprints for Acceleration and Sprint Efficiency By Gene Coleman and Matt Krause Nolan Ryan did it, so did Derek Jeter, Earl Campbell and Jerry Rice to name just a few Hall of Fame athletes who also did it. Did what? They ran hill sprints. The Astros built an outdoor hill in Cocoa Beach, FL and replicated it inside...

Upper Body MD Ball Plyometric Progressions for Baseball/Softball By Gene Coleman, Augustine “Augie” Agyei and Al Sandoval A previous article provided the rational, guidelines and lower body plyometric exercises for baseball and softball. (http://baseballstrength.org/plyometrics-for-baseball-by-nate-tamargo/). This...

Two-Point Standing Start for Acceleration By Agyei Augustine, CSCS, MAT and Gene Coleman, Ed. D., RSCC*E The two-point standing start is a good drill for improving first-step power and acceleration. Because most of the weight is on the lead leg, it also helps you keep from taking a “false” step. Speed coaches say...

Five Tips for Improving Speed in Young Athletes By Loren Landow and Agyei Augustine First:  Have kids skip for rhythm for 10-20 yards (a skip is a step and a hop) Skipping reinforces the coordinated actions between the lower and upper body so, watch and tell them how to move their arms better Don’t worry about...

The Fastest Way to Steal Second Base Drop Step or Crossover Step? By Gene Coleman, Ed. D, RSCC*E There are two starting techniques that most baseball players at all levels use when moving laterally to steal second base: 1) taking a crossover step and 2) performing a drop step. The purpose of this post is to discuss...

How Important are the First 10-Yards When Stealing Second Base? By Gene Coleman, Ed. D., RSCC-E, FACSM The average MLB pitcher takes approximately 1.30 sec to throw the ball from pitcher’s mound to home, and the average catcher takes another 2.0 sec to catch the ball and throw it to second base. Average total time...

4 Pillars of In-Season Training By Brennan Mickelson MS, RSCC, Seattle Mariners Player development comes first. This is the number one non-negotiable pillar on the list because it encompasses all the other aspects in a broad sense. Each player that you work with has the same goal, to be the best version of...

10 Big Mistakes Young Athletes Make When Sprinting By Darren Wensor  Look for These Common Sprinting Errors When Coaching Young Athletes Below are 10 of the most common skill errors that I see kids make when they are sprinting. POOR HEAD POSITION. Even though most kids look forward when they run, some do so with...

Youth Sports Train to Be an Athlete, Not a Position Player By: JC Cole CSCS*D RSCC*D In an attempt to better serve the coaches, players and parents involved in youth and high school baseball and softball, the PBSCCS periodically publishes information on factors that can affect conditioning and performance at these...

Mastering The Machine By Loren Landow, CSCS, Denver Broncos As coaches and trainers, we have many different equipment options for training our athletes. Barbells, dumbbells, isolated equipment, medicine balls, TRX, kettlebells, Run Rockets, Elastomers, Sandbells and bags, weighted sleds, battle ropes and the list...