This page is dedicated to providing a brief overview of the mental and physical training tools that are used by Full Count Fundamentals to build athletic ability and mental toughness. There are also links to resources on the web for equipment, drills and baseball education.
Hitting
With the help of Full Count Fundamentals, athletes will develop reactive offensive skills to improve their game. Some areas covered are visualization, mechanics, confidence building, pitcher knowledge, situations, understanding a sound swing, and learning to adjust during an at bat. A hitter will also be helped to develop perfect repetition so every swing becomes identical no matter what pitch is thrown. Sessions are geared at a high level of intensity while keeping hitting fun.
To achieve a fundamentally sound swing that produces line drives with power, swing training exercises and torso strength building are the focus of FCF baseball. Properly developing muscle memory and explosive movement can be achieved through a variety of hitting drills, muscle conditioning, strength movements and the use of plyometric concepts. Depending on age and physical development the intensity and workload are adjusted accordingly.
Pitching
Building healthy mechanics, developing a consistent delivery and preparing to pitch mentally, are a few of the concepts that an athlete will learn when training with Full Count Fundamentals. The art of explosive pitching can be broken down into three stages: BALANCE, DIRECTION and WEIGHT TRANSFER. Without achieving proper BALANCE throughout the body, the wind-up and delivery may become wild and lead to unpredictable pitches. DIRECTION of the body and arm helps to align the ball with the target and will allow for precise location of pitches. WEIGHT TRANSFER is the final and most difficult aspect of pitching to master. A pitcher must confidently transfer the body with explosive energy to achieve tight ball rotation and high velocity with each pitch.
Pitching can be extremely dangerous and damaging to the body and most critically, the throwing arm. Full Count Fundamentals takes absolute care in protecting and conditioning the pitchers arm so that they may enjoy a long and healthy baseball career. The risk of injury can be reduced significantly through proper warm up, physical conditioning, and using the largest muscle groups of the legs and torso to lessen the stress on the arm.
Defense
Like hitting, defense is a reaction. A player must react to where a ball is hit, make the appropriate decision and complete the play as quickly and efficiently as possible. A defensive player must know what to do in every situation and must want the ball on every pitch. How quickly a player can react will determine the outcome of a given play. Conditioning the body and mind to achieve peak performance on every pitch is a the main focus of Full Count Fundamentals. Physical and mental exercises, along with intense repetition, will help the defensive player practice all the effective movements to make routine and great stops.
Mental Toughness
Baseball is more of a mentally challenging game than it is physical. Plays must be made at every opportunity, and that opportunity may arise at any time. The best players prepare mentally all season long so tey can make plays everytime, hit the ball when the game is on the line, and help the team whenever it is needed. Hitters, pitchers, runners and defensive players must develop the mental toughness it takes to stay in the game the entire 6, 7 or 9 innings. Full Count Fundamentals challenges players to be perfect in practice so that games become effortless. By working hard in practice and putting forth 100% effort and concentration, a player will naturally challenge themselves during a game to perform at any given instance with complete confidence and comfort.
