Stitcher

Google

Spotify

During this episode of Ahead of the Curve, I interviewed Randy Sullivan, Owner and CEO of Sullivan Rehab Services, The ARMory Power Pitching Academy, and The Florida Baseball Ranch, Baseball Player Development Specialist, and Physical Therapist. Randy discusses his concept of linking hardware to software, constraint-based training, and the differences between the old school versus the new school. 

Episode Highlights: 

Randy Sullivan talks about the Skill Acquisition Conference.  

What are some things that he took and utilized from last years’ Skill Acquisition Conference?

What are the difference between coaching hitters and coaching pitchers? 

What does Randy mean by ‘linking hardware to software?”

Does Randy see the Bernstein Principle getting used out of context? 

What was Randy Sullivan’s blog post addressing the old school versus the new school about?  

Coaches need to help players sift through the data that matters and doesn’t matter. 

What is involved in Randy’s constraint-based training?  

How is Randy Sullivan teaching and training for timing?  

What are ways to be able to take action and perception and match them together? 

In any given hitting session, Randy wants 15% of his player’s swings to be against the fastest pitches, 15% against the slowest pitches, 15% against their 2-strike approach. The rest will be variable. 

What is the latest thing Randy has learned that he is excited about?

What is something that his players do in training that they love? 

We need to stop labeling kids as having mental disorders. 

Every player has potential.  

 

3 Key Points:

Randy Sullivan’s concept of linking hardware to software is to understand a player’s particular body abilities to apply the right customized techniques to make them a better player.  

The way to change movement is through manipulating sensory information. 

Data is just telling you how you are doing. Intent alone without any guidance isn’t going to solve problems. 

Tweetable Quotes:

“When there is time pressure, you kind of have to revert to our more primitive sensory stream which is, you’ve got to move. You know? Like when you touch a slug with a stick, he moves.” – Randy Sullivan (08:45)

“One thing we all have to remember is that, coaches have been teaching human movement since the game began. Since anything began. And so, all we are doing is kind of refining the things that we are already doing.” – Randy Sullivan (09:49)

“Hitting is probably more complex because you have to respond to sensory information and it is a little more complex than teaching pitching.” – Randy Sullivan (11:31)

“In nature, we want to accomplish important goals and we want to do it. Complex organisms are inherently lazy. They have to be. They have to conserve energy.” – Randy Sullivan (13:33)

“This generation of player is not afraid of hard work. This generation of player is afraid of things that may make them think they are stupid. They’ve got more information than they have ever had before.” – Randy Sullivan (20:35)

“It’s not that we are teaching you a new way to throw or hit. What we are teaching is a new way to view throwing and hitting, which leads to a new way to teach throwing and hitting.” – Randy Sullivan (29:33)

“You can never repeat a movement, that ever single throw and every single swing is going to be different.” – Randy Sullivan (31:34)

“There is no good drill for everything.” – Randy Sullivan (34:55)

Resources Mentioned: 

Ahead of the Curve Podcast

Twitter: @AOTC_podcast

Randy Sullivan: Linkedin

Florida Baseball Ranch: floridabaseballranch.com

Phone Number for Florida Baseball Ranch: 866-STRIKE-3 (866) 787-4533