]]> When the subject is top-tier softball pitchers, Monica Abbott’s name rises above the rest. The 2008 Olympian and former University of Tennessee standout holds five NCAA Division I records, including career victories, shutouts and strikeouts. Now playing for the Chicago Bandits, a pro softball team, the 2011 National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Co-Pitcher of the Year still seeks to improve her game.

The foundation of Abbott’s success is her ability to control her body, which, in turn, allows her to control the movement of the ball. She checks into D1 Sports Training in Knoxville, Tenn., where she improves her control and core strength with drills such as the Kneeling Physioball Throw.

Abbott is now known as the strikeout queen, but it took hours of practice—and more than a handful of wild pitches while kneeling on the physioball—before she mastered her control and gained the strength needed to sniper a 55-mph fastball.

Kneeling Physioball Throw
•    Start by kneeling on flat basketball with partner eight to 12 yards away
•    Throw softball to partner using natural pitching motion and form
•    Practice kneeling with toes on ground; then progress to toes off ground
•    When comfortable, replace flat basketball with physioball

Sets/Reps: 1×20-32 
Coaching Points: Master basketball before trying physioball // Go slow and focus on controlling abs // Master balancing on ball before incorporating pitching

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Instability exercises are essential for all athletes. They develop overall strength and stabilizer muscles, which allow you to execute your skills safely and powerfully without limitations. Instability is often incorporated in lower-body and upper-body pushing exercises; however, it’s important to employ it for those always-important upper-body pulling exercises as well.

Pulling exercises balance out the pushing exercises, which are frequently favored by many athletes. By substituting TRX Straps for a barbell in the Inverted Row, you constantly challenge your back muscles—the lats, scap retractors and other stabilizers—to keep you steady while completing the movement. Also, in this version of the exercise, a physioball takes the place of a bench or box, adding further instability to engage the core.

For athletes, it’s important to challenge the body in ways that simulate game-time situations. That’s why Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder G/F, uses this exercise to help him remain one of the best basketball players on the planet.

• Hold onto straps, then place heels on top of physioball, making sure body is in straight line
• Keeping body rigid, pull body up until chest is even with hands
• Lower with control until arms are straight
• Repeat for specified reps

Sets/Reps: 3-4×6-10

]]> To advance to a higher level of athleticism, you need strong arms, shoulders, core and legs—essentially the focus of Mountain Climbers.

To perform Mountain Climbers, start on all fours with your shoulders directly over your hands. Contract your abs and switch feet positions in a running motion. Continue this motion for between 30 and 60 seconds, depending on your level of fitness. To further stress your cardiovascular system, increase the speed of the exercise.

Since they can be easily modified—by changing speed, changing hand placement, using a med ball or varying leg movements—Mountain Climbers can be included in different parts of a workout. For example, they are effective either as a full-body warm-up or to keep your heart rate up between weight lifting sets. Regardless of where you incorporate them, Mountain Climbers will deliver noticeable benefits. If you’re a midfielder in lacrosse or a linebacker in football, you’ll have the strong arms, shoulders, core and legs you need to excel on the field.

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Athletes across the spectrum of sports know protein is important. But not all know why it’s important. Dr. Jeff Zachwieja, principal scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, explains the importance of protein and how consuming it at the right time can improve your athletic performance.

Importance of Protein
“Protein is important for the active body,” says Zachwieja. “We need to get protein in our daily diet.” Common sources include meats, fish, grains and vegetables. What your body does with the protein is where benefits for athletes show up. “The reason [protein] is important is because it provides the amino acids that our muscles need to continually rebuild themselves,” explains Zachwieja. Without fuel to rebuild, you will be taking your training in the wrong direction and risking an injury to your muscles.

When to Consume
Like most things in life, there’s a time and place for protein. “Consumption of protein shortly after an exercise training session or a competition is a very efficient way to provide the body the amino acids it needs in order to help the muscles recover and rebuild themselves,” says Zachwieja. Most athletes should consume a protein bar or shake within 15 minutes of exercise or competition. At the least, try to consume protein within an hour of performance. (Learn more about how to refuel after a workout or game.)

When Not to Consume
Zachwieja addresses the idea that consuming protein during a workout will give you a boost in the gym: “It’s been suggested that if you consume protein during exercise, you might get a jump start” on the process of building amino acids. But Zachwieja and his team of experts have found no evidence to support that theory. He continues, “We don’t see any particular advantage of [consuming protein during a workout] for jump-starting the recovery process or actually improving the athlete’s ability to perform during that active occasion.”

What an athlete really needs during a workout or game are water, electrolytes and carbohydrate energy—the main fueling source for physical activity. “Protein is not a preferred fuel source” for exercise, asserts Zachwieja. Instead, try a sports drink like Gatorade, which hydrates, replenishes lost electrolytes and provides carbs for energy.

Learn more about fueling right with protein.

]]> If you’re a top player and a team leader, you probably receive little or no negative feedback from your parents, coaches or teammates. On the contrary, they probably rely on you at critical points during games and lavish you with praise when you inevitably deliver.

Basking in the glow of such approval, you might easily think your game is fine the way it is. Unfortunately, this mindset leads to complacency and can slow your development as an athlete.

Jessica Mendoza, USA Softball Olympic gold medalist, stays on top of her game by staying humble. “Despite all the accolades and all the people telling you that you’re amazing, you still need to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and be accountable and responsible for your faults [in order] to get better,” she says. “When you lose your humility, you lose your success.”

Even if you have the talent to dominate, remember that thousands of athletes are shedding blood, sweat and tears every day to reach their goals. Realize that you are not a perfect athlete, find your faults and work on curing them. Even the best can get better.

]]> Although a simple exercise, Calf Raises are a staple in any lower-body training program—for good reason. The calf and other lower leg and ankle muscles generate speed when running or skating and are critical for ankle stability. These muscles are strengthened when you flex your foot away from the shin (plantarflexion) with added weight.

Despite its benefits, the Calf Raise rarely reaches its full potential, because often only the ankle joint is used. Try to imagine a time in any sport when an athlete stands in one place and rises onto his tiptoes. This almost never occurs, because athletic movements are multi-jointed.

To apply the Calf Raise more directly to athletic performance, try executing the exercise along with a hip and knee bend. This places the athlete in a sport-specific position and engages other joints used when skating or running. The calf is then strengthened in a position actually experienced in sports, which helps translate to improved performance in the rink or on the field.

• Assume position on Calf Raise machine with slight bend at hips and knees
• Drive up onto toes, fully extending hips and knees
• Descend in a controlled manner; repeat for specified reps

Sets/Reps: 3-4×10-15