Using VBT With Pro Baseball Players

Introduction and Background

• Taylor Nelson Cook is the Training Director at APEC Fort Worth.
• APEC handles training programs for athletes aged five to professional levels, including 39 baseball players from Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor Leagues.

Needs Analysis and Training Evaluation

• New athletes undergo a 13-point biomechanical analysis for throwing mechanics and a stat test via Tom House Sports.
• These evaluations help identify needs like speed, strength, hip-shoulder separation, and overall body mechanics.

Strength and Mobility Assessments

• The program integrates strength assessments based on the "90-mile-per-hour formula."
• Tests include:
  
  • 10-yard sprints, backward sprints, non-counter and counter-movement jumps.
  • Strength measures like hex bar deadlifts (2x body weight) and anti-rotation exercises.
• Athletes follow APEC’s "Eight Point Performance", ensuring multi-plane body movement in sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes.

Incorporation of VBT

• APEC implemented Perch systems for real-time velocity tracking, enabling force-velocity profiling on key exercises.
• Velocity data is used to estimate athletes' max lifts and adjust their training loads dynamically.

Technology Use

• The facility tracks various performance metrics:
  
  • Vertical jumps (inches).
  • Sprint speeds (miles per hour) via GPS and laser timing systems.
  • Kaiser machines for power output in wattage.
• Athletes' performance trends are recorded and compared to ensure training effectiveness.

Application for Baseball Athletes

• MLB players face unique challenges, such as extensive seasonal workloads (150+ games).
• VBT allows for adaptive training that minimizes wear and tear while maintaining or improving performance.
• For players with high game volume, reduced volume but optimized velocity training achieves similar adaptation results.

Athlete Programming and Adaptation

• Training focuses on power, speed-strength, and strength-speed, based on the force-velocity curve.
• Example: Some players perform five sets, with power and strength-speed adaptations targeted in different sets.
• Objective data, such as vertical jump heights and laser sprint times, are used to track improvement.

Program Outcomes

• Significant improvements include:
  
  • Average sprint speed increased by three miles per hour in two months.
  • Vertical jumps improved by four inches (from 29" to 33").
  • Some athletes achieved elite-level performance (e.g., 43-inch verticals and sprint times fast enough to steal 20-30 bases per season).

Athlete Buy-In and Adjustments

• Initially, players were hesitant but became engaged after seeing objective data.
• Taylor adjusted training loads in real-time based on velocity thresholds. Athletes appreciated the measurable progress.

Case Studies and Results

• A pitcher who started in poor condition improved his movement and athleticism over the course of a year, leading to a promotion to AAA.
• Another group of players demonstrated faster recovery and improved power outputs through targeted VBT protocols.

Programming Adjustments with VBT

• Coaches adjust load and volume based on athletes' real-time performance.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as sprint speed, vertical jump height, and wattage output guide ongoing program refinements.

Subjective Measures and Athlete Feedback

• Athletes provide feedback through Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), complementing velocity data.
• Real-time data enhances confidence in load adjustments, ensuring adaptations align with daily physical readiness.

Summary

• VBT and the Perch system enable APEC to provide precise, adaptive training, resulting in measurable performance gains.
• Athletes' engagement increases with data visibility, facilitating both short-term gains and long-term development.

This webinar showcases how cutting-edge VBT technology is transforming athletic training for baseball players, with a balance of objective metrics and athlete feedback optimizing results.

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