This has been my first week away from throwing in more than a year, and I feel better about this decision than I thought I would.
The decision was kind of made for me since I wasn’t able to train at the level I wanted and needed to due to the issues I was having with tissue quality. So, I’ve been spending the additional time that would normally go to throwing, doing tissue prep work. Basically, I need to improve tissue quality from my neck, the whole way down my right arm. It’s hard to say whether the neck problems have led to the forearm issues or not, but I think it has probably contributed.
I’ve been using a variety of techniques to help improve tissue quality-eccentrics, smashes, ART, mobility drills, and dry needling. I don’t think there is one magic bullet for tissue quality, and some cause more damage than others so they can’t be done as frequently, so it’s necessary to have a variety at your disposal. For me, getting needled is pretty stressful, so it doesn’t work well for me to do it as frequently as it may for other people. I hate needles, so the whole time I’m getting needled I’m sweating and just trying to stay relaxed, and when the treatment is done I’m worn out.
Eccentrics are also very helpful as long as you do them from the correct position. The tissue needs to have a full stretch on it, but this is one of the best ways to actually lengthen tissue and improve quality. I’ve been using the Flexbar for forearm flexor eccentrics, but the mistake I made in the past was doing them from a bent elbow position, rather than a fully extended position. Since I’ve changed that I’ve seen some decent improvements in flexor tissue quality and active wrist extension ROM.
Smashes are something I’ve used for a long time and continue to use. A lacrosse ball works well for most areas, but for some spots you have to get more creative. I’ve been using these for so long hat I can use them most days and not have any lingering issues the next day from beating up the tissue.
ART is similar to smashes, but it involves an active movement while the tissue is being pinned down. This technique does beat up my tissue pretty badly so I can’t use it much more than every other day. I’ve rigged up a decent forearm ART piece using a taped-up 9 volt battery and a Voodoo floss band. I place the battery on the desired spot on my forearm, wrap it up, and then go through the necessary movements while the tissue is pinned under the band and battery. It feels awesome and I think it will have some lasting results if I stay consistent with it.
Mobility is obviously a huge piece to tissue health as well. I ask a lot from my body-extreme positions and high levels of force-on a regular basis, so I need to train those positions frequently and get comfortable being in them. If going out and throwing is the first time I get into extreme positions my performance and health would probably suffer. To improve the positions I get into when throwing I’ve made mobility drills and some static stretching major parts of this prep phase.
In the weight room I’m in more of a general prep phase. I’m working on strength/power from a variety of positions. I’m using some slow eccentrics in my main lifts right now, with fast (intent to be fast at least) concentric. It’s part of Cal Dietz’ Triphasic Training model. He talks about how the athletes who can accept force the best during the eccentric portion of the movement, and turn it around into fast concentric movement, are the most powerful. This is relatively intuitive, but it’s something I’ve never put a lot of time into. If I can move fast after a slow eccentric and teach my body to inhibit the GTO (golgi tendon organ-more on this in another post), I’m going to be extremely powerful during more dynamic movements with lighter loads, and hopefully that will transfer to throwing.
My body feels good right now and I’m excited for how I’m going to feel in a few weeks when I get back to throwing again!
Thank you for following me on my journey to the show, and check back later in the week for more content!