Strength Training Assessments and Programming w/ Rob Rabena, CSCS
Season 2, Episode 6 | Podcast #25
This week, Q chats with Rob Rabena, Director of Sports Performance at Maplezone Sports Institute (MSI) in Boothwyn, PA. He is also an adjunct professor at Widener University and he specializes in baseball, shoulder assessments, coaching, fitness training, and athletics programming design. In today’s episode, they talk about strength training assessments, sports programming, and hot topics in the field.
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ROB’S BACKGROUND
2:35 - Rob began specializing in baseball ever since grad school.
6:16 - Rob describes how some of the best lessons he learned in grad school were one’s he didn’t expect, such as culture development and brand development.
7:30 - A guiding saying in his life has been, “Athletes don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
ASSESSMENTS
8:40 - Rob explains how he approaches assessments from a data-driven perspective.
11:00 - There are three specific areas Rob focuses on in his assessments.
17:30 - Rob explains how his methods help prevent injury.
21:50 - He has learned the best way to talk with athletes about their results is to frame things positively.
PROGRAMMING
23:30 - Q asks how Rob customizes a program after collecting data through his various assessments.
29:45 - Rob gives his take on the shoulder as a baseball specialist. He addresses the importance of developing a proper program depending on the athlete’s sport-specific goals.
38:00 - Q asks what patterns he sees the most, and Rob points out three areas in the shoulder that have the most issues with a range of motion.
39:45 - Rob stresses the importance of variability within strength training programs.
42:50 - Communicating with all members of the team is key, including the athlete, parents, physical therapist, doctor, etc.
“QUICK HITTERS”
Q asks Rob a series of quick questions on hot-topic issues to finish out the episode.
44:45 - How can we be doing better for athletes and injury prevention?
50:25 - Age appropriateness of weighted ball throws?
50:43 - Elbow injuries... why?
40:45 - Pitch counts in high school?
51:55 - What could baseball coaches be doing better?
53:16 - Sleeper stretch?
55:38 - Bench press for baseball players?
1:01:15 - Any other information you want to spread to our listeners?
CONTACT
Rob Rabena
Instagram - @robrabena3
Twitter - @robrabena
Email - sportsperformance@maplezone.com
Podcast - Training Room Talk