It’s a 365-day a year, obligation. (They’re just using the palatable term to make some short money in the winter.)
“Trying to sell parents on an ‘arm care’ program because it’s slow season and the term sounds nice is snake oil.
Real arm care comes from year-round methodically programmed strength training and the management of throwing volume.
Quit trying to steal money on palatable terms, bro.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
“Fall Ball is over…. it’s winter… what do we do!?!? We can’t get kids to play in tournaments over Christmas… shoot… uhhh.. money, money, money…. Ummmm… ARM CARE! YES, ARM CARE!”
Arm Care is not an 8-week program.
It’s certainly not an 8-week program you conveniently throw at the end of the year during your dead period in an effort to make some short cash using palatable, buzz words.
If you truly gave a shit about arm care, you wouldn’t be contributing to the mental and physical devastation of our children, encouraging year-round specialization.
You’d be encouraging the value of playing other sports and activities.
You’d be encouraging taking (significant periods of) time OFF.
You’d be encouraging REAL (year-round) Strength & Conditioning Training.
But that’s not what you care about.
You care about money, so you’ll use a cheap, palatable, buzz word to catch unknowing parent’s attention to line your pockets before you can prematurely ramp them back up after the New Year.
Talk about dirty business, my goodness.
But the sad reality is they don’t even see it as dirty. They see it as a cute little way to say: “Look, we care about player health, see! see! Look at us!”
Give me a damn break.
You really think taking a demographic of OVER specialized and UNDER generally physically prepared adolescents with no base of strength and having them perform band exercises and throw weighted balls into a plyo wall, while you play on your phone, is “arm care”?
Nah bro, arm care is a 365-day per year concept. It ain’t a cute marketing gig you toss in to pat yourself on the back with on your way to the bank.
Arm care starts with an ultra-high quality base rooted in General Physical Preparation.
That is a global, fundamental, age-appropriate, strength & conditioning program to prepare our YOUTH for the demands that will be placed upon them in sport.
It’s a 12-months a year, every year, gig.
For those wondering, I have extensively focused on our kid’s arm care every single month dating back to August, 2010.
Oh yeah, and here’s an idea, too, coach..
How about managing their throwing volume? Maybe.
Or do the missed dues from that meaningless tournament sting the ‘ol wallet too bad?
“#Development”.. amirite!?
