In this episode we have the great Zach Dechant joining us from TCU Baseball.  Zach is the head strength and conditioning coordinator for the baseball team (also works with QB's) and today he shares GOLD on what our young athletes are missing out on in today's training. Zach shares some secrets from his book, Movement Over Maxes, like the top 5 Movement patterns an athlete must master (and rarely does) before they start lifting weights at 14/15+ years old - why how-to-jump-properly is NEVER taught and is such a valuable tool and what is the #1 biggest predictor of youth UCL (elbow) injury (you'll want to hear this!) Find more info from Zach at https://www.zachdechant.com/, and be sure to follow him on Instagram at @zachdechant (pronounced "Day-kint") Enjoy, and be sure to check out our free video on The 3 Most Common Swing Flaws That Youth Hitters Must Avoid (with MLB hitting coach Mike Brumley!)

Strong Mind Sports with Clint McGill

Episode 28 - The 5 Movement Patters Your Athlete MUST Master w/ Zach Dechant of TCU Baseball

Ever wonder if there's a better way to do this whole youth sports experience?  During this pandemic I think there's an opportunity for all of to question if what we are currently doing is because it's the BEST way...   ...or it's just because we've always done it this way.   And on this episode, Jon Solomon from The Aspen Institute and Project Play joins us to share the decades of expertise in studying youth sports here in the US as well as countries across the globe, to show us areas we can improve and what other countries are doing that we could adopt.   In a world that seems to have been flipped on it's head we should not miss this opportunity to improve youth sports, so let me know what you think of the episode and go SUBSCRIBE at https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/, their info is top notch!   Go get em today!!   Clint

#27 - A better model for youth baseball? With Jon Solomon of the Aspen Institute

What are my favorite memories from baseball?  What are my favorite historical moments?  What are life lessons that I've learned ?  In today's podcast episode I share an interview from the Keep Baseball Great podcast (check it out!) with Drew Rodgers.   Here I reveal the one person this game connects me to the most, the major leaguer who put me in a headlock for wearing the wrong colors and a lot more.  This game provides so many opportunities for life moments and it's fun to revisit those when we have this break in the action.  Be sure to check out Keep Baseball Great podcast on iTunes....a lot of cool content coming from Drew!

Episode 26 - My best baseball memories (from the Keep Baseball Great podcast!)

Solo episode here with Coach Clint.  In uncertain times, thoughts tend to go toward worst case "what if" scenarios.  Just like when a hitter hasn't gotten a hit in a while, they wallow through the down period as if they'll never get a hit again. And with season's hitting the pause button and a lot of people feeling the financial pinch, I thought running through the first lesson in the Bulletproof Hitter - Playing Poorly Well - would be the best use of our time. Some hitters have to bat near 1.000 to be happy.  And the key to big league success is being able to be even keeled and even joyful while going through a bad stretch.  And there are ways to do this.  Listen to this brief episode, take a breath and focus on your task at hand.  Whatever you may be going through, it's possible to go through it with more peace - it's available to you, just let it in. Good vibes your way.

Episode 25 - Playing Poorly Well

Ricky Mendez (former pro player, speaker & implementation coach) is here with us today to share GOLD on how any player can acquire the Winner's Mindset, how a simple and daily exercise in gratitude completely transformed his life, why failures are absolutely CRUCIAL early in a journey and the so-simple-it's-genius way to start any new habit. Give Ricky a follow on all of the socials @rickymendezspeaks, and be on the lookout for a new and VERY EXCITING addition to Baseball Notes and the Bulletproof Hitter.  Prepare to play your best season yet.....I'll have more info on it soon :) Go get em today!

Episode 24 - Achieving your goals with GRATITUDE - with Ricky Mendez

Until a young player learns to hit a fastball, they really don't need to work on anything else!  And timing up a good fastball has very little to do with physical skill....there are steps any player can use to barrel up the heat! These little known tips literally changed my career (especially tip number 5) and very well may do the same for you. If you have any questions be sure to reach out on Instagram, Facebook or email, and if you enjoyed the episode leave me a quick review on iTunes, that always helps out! Go get em today guys!   [For more simple and proven hitting methods, check out the Mike Brumley Unchained Method.  Mike's the real deal people, don't miss this!]

Episode 23 - 5 Simple Tips to Crush Any Fastball

Great episode right here!  Brent is a pioneer in the kinesiology based throwing movements and has worked to dispel the old common convention: pitchers shouldn't lift, they just need to run, etc.  In this episode we talk about how conventional methods at the time failed him, his road back from a "career ending injury" to throwing harder than ever, what scap loading is and if it's actually important, how the top half doesn't matter if the bottom half doesn't move correctly, some of his favorite training products and much more. And be on the lookout for an exciting new project I'm working on.  For those who enjoyed the Bulletproof Hitter and Parent you're gonna want to hear more about this....so be on the lookout the next few weeks :)   And thanks to everyone who has left a review on iTunes, that is always appreciated!! GOOD VIBES YOUR WAY TODAY!

Episode 22 - Building an elite athlete to increase velocity with Brent Porciau of Top Velocity

If there's one problem that can absolutely lock a player up, its a fear of the ball.  The odds of getting hit are probably around 5%, but that fearful story being played in the mind will sabotage the other 95% when they were safe all along. The fear overcome's many players, to the point where them stepping out can feel involuntary.  And we've all tried throwing tennis balls but for me, that has never worked (throwing tennis balls at kids IS fun though!).  But there are REAL answers for someone dealing with a real fear, which is what we're dealing with here.   While there is no "Instant Magic Bullet", I truly believe these methods are the closest thing to a true answer as there is.  So give this a quick listen, and if you are looking for the best hitting program available for youth players (put together by a 35 year MLB vet and current hitting coach), then check out this link here Good vibes and praying for Courage for your player!

Episode 21 - 5 Tips (that work) for players afraid of getting hit by the pitch

A common question you've surely heard before: What percent of sports is physical?  What percent is mental?   But here's a new question for you: What percent of your sport is visual? 100% ! And yet, how much time do you spend working on improving your vision?  If you're like 99.99% of all athletes - the answer is zero.  But there is exciting news: YOUR VISION CAN BE IMPROVED. In today's episode Ryan Harrison from Slow The Game Down is on to share the key ingredients on how to improve vision, where a hitter should be looking as the pitcher begins their delivery, the two types of focus that players tend to use poorly, and my favorite... How you cannot see and think at the same time.  This episode was recorded with visuals during the Youth Baseball Summit, and Ryan does a demonstration with me at the end that will blow your mind.  To see the demonstration in action go to www.facebook.com/baseballnotes and check out the video (posted 2/13/2020 if you need to search it). And check out Slow The Game Down on all the socials to see the cool exercises they do with their athletes and tell Ryan that Baseball Notes sent you!  Go get em today!! Clint  

Episode 20 - You can't think and see at the same time - Vision Training with Ryan Harrison

"I realized that doing things didn't matter if the things I was doing didn't matter." Today, kids are out there putting in the effort but they are drifting through their development because they are not INTENTIONAL about WHAT they need to improve, and by WHEN. High performance coach Mike Szczesniak (https://www.instagram.com/mikeszczesniak/) of The Results Engine podcast joins us today to share about GOAL SETTING.  Mike is known for helping people achieve and earn more in the business space, and I think those of us in the sports world can learn A LOT from his methods and how we can get the most of the time our kids are putting in. Because lets face it, we all want "kids to be kids" but we also don't want them to fall behind.  And the answer that we default to is MORE.  More practice, more lessons, more time.  And we barely have time for schoolwork, let alone free time for our son's and daughters to just be kids. But the REAL answer that will supercharge results is to GET MORE out of the work your kid is ALREADY putting in.  And in this episode Mike shares some tremendous methods on how to do just that. If you enjoy the podcast give us a review on iTunes (it helps us spread the message, I'd appreciate it!) and be sure to follow Mike on instagram @mikeszczesniak (I know!) and check out his podcast The Results Engine.....it's fantastic on all things performance and efficiency. Go get em today guys!!   Clint

Episode 19 - How to achieve big goals with this one missing step - Mike Szczesniak

Hitting coordinator Mike Brumley of the Atlanta Braves joins us today to share his experience and knowledge of over 35 years in Major League Baseball. Here Mike shares how he went of for two SEASONS in youth baseball, Ted Williams' #1 key to hitting, the two key swing movements that successful hitters share, the relationship between the hand load and leg load before the swing, how "barrel inside of the hands" is a superior teaching cue to "hands inside the baseball" and much more. If you care to check out Mike's hitting sequence that he puts 10 year olds and 25 year old pros through, go to www.baseballnotes.com and check out the Brumley Unchained Method.  He put me through it (as you'll see in the training) and it is phenomenal....you're gonna love it. And if you get a chance, leave us a review on iTunes, that always helps!  Good vibes sent your way, go get em today!

Episode 18 - The Principles of Big League Swing Movements w/ Mike Brumley

Fantastic interview with Driveline disciple and current Pitching Director for the New York Yankees - Sam Briend.  Sam shares about the Driveline methods that have revolutionized how we train pitchers in the US, one of the most important MOVEMENTS that increases force production (aka velocity), what youth pitchers should be focusing on, what they should avoid, and how both velocity AND control can be taught.  Believe me, you aren't gonna want to miss this! Enjoy!!     http://baseballnotes.com  

What youth pitchers should be doing now to throw hard later (safely!) - Sam Briend - Pitching Director of The New York Yankees

In episode 16 - "Athletic performance specialist" Christian Ballard is here to share with us the myths and truths about youth strength and speed training.  What are the biggest wastes of time?  What exercises deliver the most bang for their buck?  How early should we be focusing on strength and speed training?  Christian answers all of these questions and more, and shares his 9 week FANTASTIC youth training protocol with us here, currently offering the Speed and Strength programs together at half price: Bomb Squad 9 Week Strength & Speed Discount   Enjoy the episode, and be sure to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed the content!!

Episode 16 - Myths and Truths About Youth Sports Training

Fantastic interview with Nate Trosky of Trosky Baseball.  In this episode, Nate shares from his VAST experience in global baseball what we American's are doing poorly when it comes to training our baseball players.  Over the course of the interview Nate shares how America is training A-ballers - not big leaguers, the simple drill for teaching NATURAL infield movements, the secret to separating yourself from and above other good hitters and how Nate trains his two (D1 commit) nephews every day.  You're not going to want to miss this!

Why Your Kid Will Get Released In A-Ball

Coach Jason Ferber (@coachferber on IG) is one of the most popular baseball personalities in the game today and has extensive experience with the college recruiting process, having helped guide 100's of HS ballplayers to all levels of college ball and is a WEALTH of knowledge & today shares with us:   - If specializing in one sport vs Multi sport seems to have any success patterns at his level - The biggest separator of young athletes (hint: it's not skill or even mental) - The biggest mistake and money grab that parents run into - Where to start when compiling a college wish list - The biggest opportunity for HS players to stand out to college coaches today ...and much more.   This was one of my favorite interviews so far, so insightful.  Let me or coach Ferb know if you have any questions.  Hope you enjoy!  Go get em!

Episode 14 - Does playing multi sports *really* help, the biggest mistake parents make in the recruiting process and the biggest opportunity for players to play in college

Improving confidence and crushing fear and self doubt for young athletes

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Strong Mind Sports with Clint McGill

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