He's pitching already? - 3/12/12
My arm is really turning the corner. It has made some amazing progress. A few days ago I threw a live batting practice to some hitters at high intensity. Today, I pitched in my first game. The coaches and trainers were all smiles. They didn’t see any hesitation or reservation in my delivery. That is important because a pitcher who has an injury, or still has in his mind that he is injured, usually has some sort of hesitation in his throwing that tells the coaches his arm is not yet feeling right. There has been a lot of work put in over the offseason to get to this point and even now there is a lot of diligent work being done. It has been a process to find a routine that gets my arm ready to throw. The reason that finding a routine is important is the fact that once I get my arm warmed up, it feels great. Because my soreness is now only the muscles in my shoulder, the warm up is critical to the health and temperament of my shoulder. Every morning I get to the field about 2 hours before we stretch. I first eat my first breakfast. I don’t eat too much, just some strawberries, blueberries, egg whites, yogurt, maybe a banana or bagel. Next I run about 1.5-2 miles to get my body going. After running, I get on the arm bike, which is a machine with handles that operates like a stationary bike, to warm up my arm muscles some more. Then I do some light resistance training with tubing to get the muscles around my shoulder blade going. I then visit the trainers for some arm TLC. Next, second breakfast! Which is usually some more egg whites, berries, yogurt and a bagel. About 20 minutes before we head outside I hop back on the arm bike for a few, then stretch my pec muscles, do some range of motion exercises (meaning I externally rotate and internally rotate my arm to get it used to going it’s full range without putting force on it), and I throw a weighted medicine ball off a small trampoline to get the throwing motion going without putting a lot of velocity on it. This routine helps me get my shoulder nice and warm before throwing. I think it has had a huge impact on how my shoulder feels and why it is progressing so well. Gotta do the work that is necessary!
My teammate and I were recovering after a practice by “contrasting”. This involves immersing yourself in a hot tub, usually around 105-108 degrees, for a couple minutes and then contrasting that by immersing yourself in a cold tub, usually around 56-60 degrees. We alternate between the tubs 3 or 4 times each. The idea behind this is that it gets your blood vessels to open and close, thereby helping circulation. Sometimes, just like when we shag batting practice, the funniest as well as the deepest conversations are had in situations like this. Yesterday, my teammate decided to see how long he could hold his breath in the cold tub. The water is cold, shocking, and tough to endure. I timed it while he submerged himself in the cold. 30 seconds! Not bad for such cold water. He then told me that in a normal temperature pool he could hold his breath for 2 minutes. Pretty impressive. 2 minutes. It can seem like such a long time and yet 2 minutes is so short. He told me, we are 2 minutes away from death at any time. Pretty crazy. At any one time, 2 minutes without oxygen and we’re done. He asked me, “What if, given the life that you have lived, you came before God and He condemned you to Hell? What would you think about that?” I thought for a minute. A lot of thoughts ran through my head. I know that I should be sure of my salvation, but everyone has some doubts now and again. What if my life hadn’t reflected Him enough? What does He ask of me? He wants me to love Him with all my heart, soul, and strength and love my neighbor as myself. What if I don’t love Him or my neighbors enough? What if I’m not a good enough person? A lot of thoughts and questions ran through my mind, including what should I answer my friend? What I say right now may change the way he views God. I came to a conclusion, “He won’t condemn me to Hell. I know He won’t. But, it has nothing to do with my life and what I have or haven’t done. If He saves me, it is not because of me, it is because of Him. It’s not because I deserve it, it’s because He wants to save me.” This is what the Psalms say about Israel: Psalm 106:6-8 NJKV “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea – the Red Sea. Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, That He might make His mighty power known.” Just like with the Israelites, He rescued them from slavery in Egypt not because they were righteous (“Therefore understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people.” Deut 9:6 NKJV), but because He is God. God doesn’t save us because we are good. “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was His plan from before the beginning of time – to show us His grace through Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:9 NLT Grace Grace Grace
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Demeanor - 3/10/12
His Demeanor – 3/10/12
Self-diagnosis: the bane of doctors everywhere and a necessary attribute of professional athletes. While it may cause doctors headaches because each patient is convinced they already know what is wrong with them, sometimes the best thing for a player is to take a step back, survey the situation, and make an adjustment. A coach can talk to a kid until he’s blue in the face, but until the kid starts to feel what his body does when he doesn’t make a good pitch, it doesn’t matter. I have heard tons of stories (in other words, it’s happened to me) of coaches going out to a mound because a pitcher can’t throw a strike. He may have even struck the last batter out, but there are times when a pitcher says, “I’ve lost it, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.” I have learned a lot in my career and one of the most important things is how to feel what my body is doing. I might pull off one pitch, but I felt it. So, I know what I want to correct in my next pitch, then I take a deep breath, put that thought in the back of my mind, and execute this next pitch just like I dreamed. That, the art of self-diagnosis, is crucial for most great pitchers. It means that you will never be out of a situation because with just one adjustment you can get right back into your groove and make the pitch you need to make. I haven’t thrown off a mound in a long time. Today was my first bullpen session off a mound. It felt great. I made a few pitches that I didn’t like the feel of, but I felt what I did wrong. So, I took a breath and the next pitch was just like I wanted it. As I prepare for Spring Training, this technique is crucial. I’m not in mid-season form, especially considering that I have been rehabbing from my shoulder injury and as a result I have not thrown much since august of last year. The news is that my arm is feeling great. It feels better as I warm it up and throw harder. I threw off the mound with no pain and no throbbing afterwards. I did my rehab exercises and I’m looking forward to throwing again on Monday. I never thought I would be in this situation right now given how my arm was feeling only 3 months ago. I can’t take it easy now that everything is heading in such a good direction. I have to keep doing my exercises, keep practicing correctly, keep working and doing the things I need to do to prepare for a successful season.
Do you ever wish you could live when Jesus lived? That way you could see what sort of personality came across, what sort of demeanor He lived with. Did He have a timid demeanor? Did He display gentleness? Was He intense? Was He milquetoast that everyone just treated the way they wanted? Did He display confidence? I think we have missed out on a portion of His character. We have the idea of the Father being powerful as in the scene of Him speaking to Moses at the burning bush or displaying himself in a pillar of fire that protected the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptians as they crossed the Red Sea or when He sent down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice on Mount Carmel or … But when it comes to Jesus, we see Him as different, as gentle, as cuddly. “Judas had promised to betray Jesus. So he went to the garden with some Roman soldiers and temple police, who had been sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees. They carried torches, lanterns, and weapons. Jesus already knew everything that was going to happen, but he asked, "Who are you looking for?" They answered, "We are looking for Jesus from Nazareth!" Jesus told them, "I am Jesus!" At once they all backed away and fell to the ground.” John 18:3-6. Jesus seems like someone who is confident and bold. He did not run away when they were searching for Him. He did not shrink back. In John 10:18 Jesus says, “No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.” Do you remember the scene in Gladiator when Maximus reveals his identity to the Emperor who tried to kill him? Commodus: How dare you show your back to me! Slave, you will remove your helmet and tell me your name. Maximus: [removes helmet and turns around to face Commodus] My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next. [Commodus trembles in disbelief] I feel like that might be the tone of voice and confidence that Jesus might have had when He declared openly that no man had power over Him. He gave His life willingly. No one took it from Him. It gives me chills. Christ displayed confidence. He knew who He was. Likewise, we need to know who we are. We are sons and daughters of the King of Kings. That is the type of man I want to be, bold. I will not judge others because I am a man just like they are, but I will be confident in who my Father is and the knowledge that He is with me. I don’t want to shrink back from the truth. I do not want to give in to the temptations that surround me in the lockerroom. Even when all the other people around me might be living for themselves and the moment, I want to live for Him. And for that purpose, He will be with us. “So we may say boldly, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” Hebrews 13:6
Twitter: @TrystanMagnuson
http://trystanmagnuson.blogpsot.com
Friday, January 27, 2012
Mini-Camp 1/27/12
Mini-Camp 1/27/12
Mini-Camp - 1/27/12
A couple weeks ago, I traveled to Florida for a few days to participate in a mini-camp for the Blue Jays. It turned out to be a great experience. I really enjoyed talking with the trainers in person and showing them the rehab program I was on. They were very happy with it and really happy with the results so far (shoulder blade winging is gone and my shoulders look symmetrical, which I think is important haha). We talked about my throwing program and they watched me throw. It was a really great experience. They recognized that at this point in time my arm speed is not 100%. The danger is that pitchers tend to protect our arms by changing our mechanics. They want me to throw less intensely with my legs and focus on good arm action until my arm speed recovers. Then we will incorporate legs again when I am able to throw more aggressively with my arm. It was a great experience and very helpful to have them watch me throw. I really like watching video or having people make suggestions because I can’t see what I look like from the outside. We all know the feeling of hearing our voice or seeing ourselves on home movies and thinking, “Do I really sound like that? Do I really look and act that way?” It is good to have a 3rd person view because it reveals things that we wouldn’t otherwise know was happening. I watch my video and study my mechanics during the season because it is an effective way to examine my technique. My arm is feeling better and smoother every throwing session.
This offseason, I have been experiencing quite a bit of anxiety. I guess to some degree it is understandable. There is quite a bit in my life that is uncertain. The range of possibilities of how this next year, or even these next few weeks, will turn out is enormous. When a pitcher is having trouble with his arm, it is like an eagle having trouble with his eyesight. Without it, he is inconsequential. Quickly, a pitcher’s career and future can vaporize. You hear about pitchers getting injured all the time. If they don’t recover or even have trouble recovering, they’re going to need a new career. Sometimes it is frustrating, because I feel stressed out or am feeling anxiety over the whole situation and I know that worrying about the future will not help one ounce. I don’t understand why I am feeling anxiety, I know that God is in control, and yet I still feel it. I have had certain times this offseason when my appetite has just vanished, and for those of you who know, usually my appetite is large. I asked God to take away this anxiety because I know His will is done despite how anyone tries to fight against it. So, why do I experience anxiety? I asked God to take away the source of my anxiety. I asked Him to heal my arm or to break my arm, one of the two. That way I would know the way things were going to turn out. Yet, the way things are going to turn out is still uncertain even though I am now back to throwing up to 90 feet or more. Maybe this anxiety is not to be gotten rid of, but to be trusted through. Even Christ felt stress as He was preparing to go to the cross. When things happen in our life that cause anxiety, which will happen, it is an opportunity to display and develop traits like faithfulness, patience, perseverance, trust. It is when things really matter that real trust is exercised. The belief that God is with me doesn’t hold much weight when the consequences aren’t substantial. Maybe it is better for me to not have the burden removed, but to develop the trust through the burden. Here’s an opportunity to trust Him through a time of anxiety and stress. To know that He is mine and I am His. That no matter how it turns out, healthy arm and successful career or not recovering and moving on, He will be with me and I with Him. That is what I trust in. “And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” Luke 22:41-44 “Be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6
Twitter: @TrystanMagnuson
Blog: trystanmagnuson.blogspot.com
Mini-Camp - 1/27/12
A couple weeks ago, I traveled to Florida for a few days to participate in a mini-camp for the Blue Jays. It turned out to be a great experience. I really enjoyed talking with the trainers in person and showing them the rehab program I was on. They were very happy with it and really happy with the results so far (shoulder blade winging is gone and my shoulders look symmetrical, which I think is important haha). We talked about my throwing program and they watched me throw. It was a really great experience. They recognized that at this point in time my arm speed is not 100%. The danger is that pitchers tend to protect our arms by changing our mechanics. They want me to throw less intensely with my legs and focus on good arm action until my arm speed recovers. Then we will incorporate legs again when I am able to throw more aggressively with my arm. It was a great experience and very helpful to have them watch me throw. I really like watching video or having people make suggestions because I can’t see what I look like from the outside. We all know the feeling of hearing our voice or seeing ourselves on home movies and thinking, “Do I really sound like that? Do I really look and act that way?” It is good to have a 3rd person view because it reveals things that we wouldn’t otherwise know was happening. I watch my video and study my mechanics during the season because it is an effective way to examine my technique. My arm is feeling better and smoother every throwing session.
This offseason, I have been experiencing quite a bit of anxiety. I guess to some degree it is understandable. There is quite a bit in my life that is uncertain. The range of possibilities of how this next year, or even these next few weeks, will turn out is enormous. When a pitcher is having trouble with his arm, it is like an eagle having trouble with his eyesight. Without it, he is inconsequential. Quickly, a pitcher’s career and future can vaporize. You hear about pitchers getting injured all the time. If they don’t recover or even have trouble recovering, they’re going to need a new career. Sometimes it is frustrating, because I feel stressed out or am feeling anxiety over the whole situation and I know that worrying about the future will not help one ounce. I don’t understand why I am feeling anxiety, I know that God is in control, and yet I still feel it. I have had certain times this offseason when my appetite has just vanished, and for those of you who know, usually my appetite is large. I asked God to take away this anxiety because I know His will is done despite how anyone tries to fight against it. So, why do I experience anxiety? I asked God to take away the source of my anxiety. I asked Him to heal my arm or to break my arm, one of the two. That way I would know the way things were going to turn out. Yet, the way things are going to turn out is still uncertain even though I am now back to throwing up to 90 feet or more. Maybe this anxiety is not to be gotten rid of, but to be trusted through. Even Christ felt stress as He was preparing to go to the cross. When things happen in our life that cause anxiety, which will happen, it is an opportunity to display and develop traits like faithfulness, patience, perseverance, trust. It is when things really matter that real trust is exercised. The belief that God is with me doesn’t hold much weight when the consequences aren’t substantial. Maybe it is better for me to not have the burden removed, but to develop the trust through the burden. Here’s an opportunity to trust Him through a time of anxiety and stress. To know that He is mine and I am His. That no matter how it turns out, healthy arm and successful career or not recovering and moving on, He will be with me and I with Him. That is what I trust in. “And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” Luke 22:41-44 “Be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6
Twitter: @TrystanMagnuson
Blog: trystanmagnuson.blogspot.com
Friday, January 13, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)