Beyond Drills: A Multi-Discipline Foundation for Player Development with Tommy Johnson

On this episode we talk with Tommy Johnson, the owner of Primal 1 Baseball facility in Gaithersburg, MD. Tommy is a seasoned baseball coach with a unique journey from professional baseball to earning a doctorate in kinesiology. Tommy shares his deep dive into various training methodologies, biomechanics, and the importance of skill acquisition frameworks for player development.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background

01:25 Tommy's Baseball Journey

02:17 Rebranding and Business Evolution

06:08 The Importance of Teamwork in Player Development

11:51 Gateway to Skill Acquisition

22:44 Strength and Conditioning Insights

48:24 Sub-Max Training and Injury Risks

48:51 Training Tendons with Isometrics

49:25 Integrating Different Training Modalities

50:55 The Importance of Apprenticeship

52:20 Breathing and Biomechanics

53:56 PRI and FRC in Pain Management

54:44 Challenges with PRI and FRC

55:32 The Role of Posture and Movement

58:04 FRC and Athletic Performance

01:04:14 The Spiral Line and Fascial Slings

01:24:12 Perception and Reaction in Training

01:30:38 Innovative Eye-Tracking Device for Athletes

01:31:46 Perception and Performance in Sports

01:32:45 Exploring Functional Variability

01:33:35 Virtual Reality in Sports Training

01:34:51 Visualization and Automaticity

01:35:57 Biomechanics and Performance Anxiety

01:37:30 The Role of Biomechanics in Skill Acquisition

01:39:44 Ecological Dynamics and Target Connection

01:42:28 Exploring and Exploiting Constraints

01:44:44 The Interplay of Biomechanics and Performance

01:51:35 Cultural Biomechanics and Training Adaptations

02:08:15 Contextualizing Stats in Baseball

02:08:46 Determining the Right Angles for Players

02:09:01 Stages of Learning and Repetition

02:09:32 Evaluating VBA and Player Performance

02:10:37 Advanced Bat Tracking and Analysis

02:12:10 Importance of Variability in Training

02:12:27 Role of Coaches as Guides

02:13:20 Integrating FRC into Hitting

02:16:28 Challenges in Applying Motor Preferences

02:17:40 Complexity in Movement and Training

02:23:10 Importance of Contextual Learning

02:41:53 Balancing Strategy and Mechanics

02:46:33 Final Thoughts and Future Discussions

Intro music by: Muellzy⁠⁠ / muellzymusic ⁠⁠

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