driveline Baseball

Progressive Loading

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Progressive loading of a muscle group is necessary to improve strength, prevent injury and improve endurance when performing a task. Driveline baseball has a unique approach for progressively loading the shoulder complex that is tailored to help improve the ability for the arm the handle the forces that occur during overhead throwing. Different forces on the arm occur at different points in the game depending on factors such as the pitch thrown or role of the pitcher (starter, mid relief, closer). A starting pitcher needs the endurance to throw more pitches over the course of a game. A closing pitcher needs the be able to handle high levels of exertion on each pitch close to maximal demand.

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A throwing program must help an athlete train for both maximal exertion and submaximal effort alike to help a pitcher be effective in getting batters out. Driveline baseball’s training program aims to improve many factors of each athlete focusing most on overall arm health. Factors such as pitch velocity and arm strength are important secondary factors but become unimportant if you are unable to compete due to injury. The warm up phase consists of j bands, foam rollers, shoulder tubes and wrist weights.

Then, Ballistic training along with Progressive throwing with weighted balls, biomechanics labs and EMG sensors allow for changes to be made to reduce strain or chance of injury on the arm while improving strength and velocity. The recovey phase consists of rebounders, grastin soft tissue, electric stimulation, j bands and tubing. Driveline also aims to achieve is a similar culture and effort of every individual who participates. Kyle Boddy founder of driveline baseball suggest “we expect the same level of effort whether you play at a junior college or you play in the big leagues.” Driveline gives you the tools to succeed but the hours of hard work are ultimately up to the player to put in to see meaningful change in on field results. For more information on driveline’s progressive throwing program visit their website.

DriveLine Baseball

A Day at DriveLine Baseball

BY: BOB CRUIKSHANK, PT, DPT

K Vest

Utilizing and collecting data individual to each patient to improve outcomes is a skill  physical therapists use each day. Data, such and range of motion or strength, gives therapists an idea of how to tailor treatment to improve function related to that set of data. Driveline baseball approaches training high caliber athletes by utilizing data collection to make objective improvements in mechanics which optimizes the athlete’s chance for success and reduce their chance for injury. The facility has the ability to calculate a wide variety of complex data due to excellent technology. An example of this technology is the K-vest, used in golf to track biomechanics during the swing, which is now being used to track hitting mechanics. As stated on driveline’s website :

“K-Vest measures the kinematic sequence of a player along with tracking body positions at various point of the swing. It highlights positions and rotational velocities at heel strike, first move, and contact. With these metrics, we are able to measure the sequence, rotational speed, and pinpoint a hitter’s body position in space”

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Driveline also utilizes a full time physical therapist as a method to reduce risk factor identified with each athlete. Drivelines approach to data collection helps to objectify a historically subjective part of playing baseball which is changing form and mechanics of a player. What throwing mechanics are best? How do we identify what players are at higher risk for injury? What individual pitching mechanics mechanics do not cause increased risk for injury and can be left alone? Driveline has a wholesome approach to player development and we will be covering a few of the aspects of their program as they relate to physical therapy. 

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