We are currently in unprecedented times. As a high school, college, or professional athlete this is certainly the first time you’ve ever been quarantined to your home and had your gym, training facility, and access to coaching shut down.
Let me just get this out of the way early: this SUCKS.
Everyone involved and / or even INTERESTED in sports knows that this is less than optimal and not to our liking or yours. HOWEVER, focusing only on the negative of the current circumstances certainly won’t move us in the direction of greatness. My belief is, if you’re reading this letter you’re apart of the percent of the population that are not only ATHLETES but also ATHLETES who are looking to constantly improve, and constantly improving as all things BEGINS with your mindset and consistency.
I want to help navigate you through this tough time with this letter, not as a RAH RAH cheerleader or as a “bright side” person, but as a realistic COACH who’s coached thousands and leads from the front - there’s going to be talk about mindset coming up but let’s start by putting some of the burdens you’re currently carrying at ease, move through the sub-optimal development options, and then hit mindset to finish out. (Keep reading you don’t have anywehre to be and this WILL HELP YOU.)
ELIGIBILITY:
D1:
D3:
NAIA:
NJCAA (JUCO):
So the short of it is, if you’re a college athlete you’re going to get your year of eligibility back. Yes, I understand all of you can use that year, yes I understand we built and peaked for this campaign - but as always we must control the controllables, this is where we are. Focus on where we’re going.
HIGHSCHOOL BALLPLAYERS, especially seniors. DAMN, I feel for you. I cannot imagine if someone were to rip my senior year of ball away from me what that would’ve felt like. I know this means absolutely nothing to you but, I’m sorry. Now for some hard truth: the longer you feel SORRY for yourself, the further away from the ultimate goal of playing at the next level and being the best ballplayer you can be will get. Read on for how to GET TO WORK in that direction.
PRO BALLPLAYERS, yes this sucks. All of my pros have expressed in words I probably shouldn’t write in this public letter how frustrated they are with the situation. Myself as a coach, I’m lucky because the pro ballplayers I work with and interact with on a daily basis are hard nosed GRINDERS - truly BAD MEN (in the best way). They’re pissed as you probably are, they’re frustrated as you probably are, but they’re also adapting and moving to the situation.
There’s two levels worthwhile addressing here from the developmental and “eligibility” side of the pro athlete.
Number 1: financially. Early on it looked like minor league ballplayers outside the 40-man roster would not be paid, this is changing rapidly (organization by organization) which is a small positive.
That being said, pro ballplayers want to PLAY BALL and minor league spring training stipends aren’t exactly lavish lifestyle wages, so let’s address the other side of this, WHEN THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO PLAY!?
At the time of this letter being written it looks like the MLB has NOT set a date for opening day, or even a total number of games which will have a trickle down effect to the MiLB.
So we don’t have an opening day, and we don’t currently have a re-report date. I know you’re thinking: CJ thanks for the help….but unfortunately we have what we have. Stay ready so you never have to get ready (more on that coming up in development).
DEVELOPMENT:
So we’re stuck in the house (for the time being) and cannot gather in groups or as a team. So what the hell do we do for development?
Being realistic: this is not optimal, this may even be on the side of not “good” however suboptimal times and regimens have created many champions….
So here’s the deal, during these suboptimal times we do have ONE saving grace so to speak and that is TIME.
Most highschool and college ballplayers have limited scholastic demands (online schooling) and many of my pro-guys have no set forth demands from their organizations currently. So we have time.
ORGANIZING TRAINING:
Everyday right now should have three distinct “training blocks”
A MOVEMENT BLOCK - set forth for mobility and stability training
A TRAINING BLOCK - Set forth for bodyweight and in-home training or SPRINT training outside
And
A SKILL BLOCK - Set forth for individual skill development.
3 hours a day, exactly how my professional athletes train in ideal circumstances during the off-season.
For your MOVEMENT BLOCK focus on hip mobility and stability (tons of examples on my instagram and everywhere on the internet (@appyhour) as well as your thoracic mobility.
For your training block, focus on what you can. Bodyweight exercise when implemented correctly can do a lot more than you think. If you have a TRX at home, a set of J-Bands, and / or some dumbbells we can actually go A LOT farther than you think. Personally I’m hosting a YOUTUBE live workout everyday Monday through Friday at 4PM for ballplayers to tune into and get coached through. DM me (@appyhour) if you want in. I’m also posting a workout EVERY SINGLE DAY on my IG for you to swipe and deploy - take it and get to work.
For your SKILL BLOCK: hitters need to focus on tee progressions, front toss (when applicable), and staying in rhythm with their swing. When this thing is over there will NOT BE time to “get adjusted” regardless of level there will be a RUSH to get into competition play - do what you need to to be prepared for that!
PITCHERS: you’re at HIGH RISK right now. One of the things that destroys arms faster than anything else and leaves you susceptible to i jury is abrupt shutdowns and aggressive on-ramps. You need to keep your arm in in-season “shape.” That means throwing as if it were the season.
Starters (which most reading this probably are) a good outline for this would be two bullpens week (one being your “game outing” and one being your “bullpen”)
Game outing: 4 “innings” of 15-20 pitches with rest in between
Bullpen: Whatever you normally do, probably somewhere between 20-30 pitches.
Days in between work off of our HIGH - LOW model and throw accordingly.
BONUS DEVO: If you have more time in the day you haven’t dedicated to another part of your development or scholastic responsibility now more than ever is a time to invest in your mindset and read REALLY great literature either developing your craft (awesome books about understanding the game) or EVEN BETTER - develop your mindset. It’s a short list of great reads off the top of my head, many of which are available on kindle at a steep discount right now:
The Go Giver by Bob Burg
The Go Giver Leader by Bob Burg
Training Camp By Jon Gordon
The Hard Hat by Jon Gordon
The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon
Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
Extreme Ownership By Jocko Willink
Can’t Hurt Me By David Goggins
Legacy by James Kerr
The Dip By Seth Godin
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
MINDSET:
Last but not least we jump into the mindset segment of this letter. Really, as a coach, this is what I need to SAY and what you need to HEAR, so tune in.
FAITH > FEAR.
These are “scary” times, mostly because of the lack of certainty and hard and fast “end” and “begin” dates. Ambiguity raises a lot of questions and stirs anxiety at an aggressive pace.
IF YOU ARE ANXIOUS OR NERVOUS YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Believe me, everyone, myself included is dealing with a level of uncertainty and anxiety right now. However, if you let uncertainty control your mindset you will become paralyzed and a slave to the media and those around you. Great athletes are great leaders and great leaders are not easily influenced or controlled by outside circumstances.
Great leaders are coffee beans, with the ability to change an environment they enter into. Now more than ever you MUST be the coffee bean. Positivity and FAITH are transferable traits. Your parents, teammates, girlfriends, and all those around you NEED MORE POSITIVITY. They don’t need more uncertainty or negativity, be the COFFEE BEAN and transfer positivity, now more than ever.
A scared world needs FEARLESS leaders.
COVID-19 is spreading rapidly, infecting many, and causing serious health concerns to some. The early rumblings were essentially “corona can’t hurt me, I’m young” which understandably makes things even more frustrating. The truth of the matter is though, whether you can “survive” the virus or not, your social obligation during this time is to adhere to the quarantine because it’s not JUST ABOUT YOU. I don’t want to sound preachy, and BELIEVE ME I GET IT - I want to coach as bad, if not more than you want to train but at this point we have to do what we have to do.
To that end, the world is scared and unsure - YOU as a leader have to be fearless and stand strong in what you believe. NOT WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS - coronavirus is outside of my scope and yours, BUT mindset, integrity, work ethic, and gratitude are all within your scope and beliefs as a leader you must not waver in now. People need to see leaders, and as athletes that's what you are, that are steadfast in a time when nothing is certain.
THE PIT IS PART OF YOUR JOURNEY.
For many of us, this quarantine and subsequent loss of season, opportunity, development, and in some instances an entire lifestyle feels like a pit. For many it may feel like a pit that we will not recover from. Here’s the hard truth of the matter: we are currently in a pit. For some this pit in deeper and darker than it is for others.
Regardless of the depth or darkness of your pit, I’m here to tell you that your PIT is just simply a PART of your journey, it is NOT THE END. This time is not the end of your career, not the end of your development, and not the end of your opportunity. This is not the back cover of the book of YOU, it’s only a chapter.
Work from a place of faith, go ALL IN on yourself and how you look to maximize this time and then do it.
Take action and give love because action cures anxiety and love starves fear.
-CJ Appenzeller, MS
DEDICATED TO YOUR SUCCESS and CHANGING LIVES ONE REP AT A TIME