UjBALL PERSONAL TRAINING & COACHING

"When the body becomes soft, the soul also weakens." - Socrates.

Coach Watkins currently works with athletes of all sports and has clients in gymnastics, swimming, and track & field, as well as baseball and softball. Coach Watkins area of expertise is with female athletes and women's health, he is the former strength coach at Montgomery College. "I had more students confused about exercise and the use of weight training than any other portion of the sport. Girls afraid of looking like the Hulk and guys fearing loss of quickness or agility. All myths that must be overcome and the student educated in proper exercise to maintain the proper level of fitness, first and foremost to prevent injury but also to build strength and instill the confidence an athlete needs to compete. When you sign up to play a sport, you sign up to become an athlete. Our goal, at all levels and all ages, is to instill the importance of the proper use of the gym and its many benefits to the athlete."

Most of the injuries I have seen in my 31 years in sports has been due to improper form. Ujball is an advocate of coaching certification and training to make sure correct form and technique is taught at all levels of the sport. Technique and it's definition have been construed over the years with all ballplayers from coach to coach, family members and the fans in the grandstands, & so often the case is that it has complicated the fundamentals and understanding of proper technique.

"Get that elbow up, squish the bug, open up, step, don't step'' and my favorite which has forced most bad habits with pitchers, ''just throw strikes!!''

Complicating the simple or ignoring good form for the benefit of results is often the case, especially when it comes to hitting and pitching. No matter what level the player, the first assessment and first instruction is in proper form and technique. Ujball utilizes simple steps, visual aids and drills to help our clients understand the fundamentals and teach them self-adjustment they can use throughout their game.

PRACTICE-PRACTICE-PRACTICE: In sports practice is to establish habit. "Practice is everything" wrote the ancient Greek Philosopher Periander. My favorite quote to throw at every team on the benefits of practicing everyday is that "to get good, you have to find a way to practice everyday. If you just practice when the team practices, you will get less lame." I teach the benefit of practice by doing other sports and activities that will help them on the baseball and softball field, games and drills they can do alone, and exercises they can do to benefit their play.

Learn how to win the mental game! The Great Yogi Berra quote: ''Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical'' is a great way to emphasize that baseball, as is softball, has an important mental aspect. The differences between great teams are slim, they all have speed, power, pitching, but victory and success will come down to the team with the mental attitude and mental alertness that keeps them from making mental mistakes. UjBall lessons point out moments to think and get focused, moments when to relax and teaches that to maintain the edge needed to win is to win the mental game

Ujball Incorporates Video Analysis to help hitters and pitchers gain a better understanding of positive visualization; Helping those that learn best by demonstration, seeing examples and results of proper technique & giving them the proper mental images to correct form.

Everyone learns differently and the use of video analysis, seeing examples to relate themselves to the lessons, has been successful at all levels. Ask about adding video analysis to your training session, the additional cost is minimal and the benefits could make the difference.