Newsworthy Equipment

TAP™ Connection Ball™:

The TAP™ Connection Ball™ can be used for balance and coordination while targeting the core area. In pitching, it can address postural disconnects; in hitting, it can keep the lower body more stable while helping establish a more athletic and balanced position. It can also be used for traditional resistance exercises and stretching in Pilates and other fitness programs but is not designed to support body weight.

Made of pliable PVC, the TAP™ Connection Ball™ ships deflated with an included inflation straw and 2 plugs. Colors may vary.

TAP™ Baseball Training Sock:

The TAP™ Baseball Training Sock was developed to facilitate a modified ball hold program. The device's design allows athletes to perform a full throwing motion with ball release in a confined area. The ability to release resolves mechanical inefficiencies associated with holding a weighted ball beyond the release point while enjoying benefits related to baseball holds.

Developed under the guidance of Ron Wolforth and Randy Sullivan, the TAP™ Baseball Training Sock has provided solid results with athlete training and recovery. An excellent tool for developing posterior shoulder strength, it can also be effective for reinforcing efficient deceleration patterns.

The Baseball Training Sock is made of heavy-weight fabric with more of the look of a bag than a sock to allow free movement of the hand releasing the ball. The Baseball Training Sock is also known as the 'Durathro® Sock' and sometimes simply the 'Sock', as well as many other alias's such as the 'Mitt' and even the 'Oven Mitt'. This durable product was developed for weighted balls up to 21oz. Instructions for use are not included.

TAP™ Max-Grip Weighted Ball (Set of Six)

The TAP™ Max-Grip sand-filled weighted plyo balls can help correct mechanical deficiencies while increasing strength. When implemented correctly, weighted ball training can benefit throwers and hitters alike.

Throwing Max-Grip Weighted Balls is an excellent addition to any off-season routine. The variable stimulus presented by the training can help develop movement patterns that add velocity and improve command. Training with heavy balls can strengthen muscles and ligament/tendons in the elbow and shoulder, potentially decreasing risk of injury.

Hitting Max-Grip Weighted Balls provide resistance at the point of contact requiring the batter to drive through the hitting zone. Used in soft toss drills or with the tee, the soft-shell construction of these weighted balls provides instant feedback. The pliable shell causes miss-hit or poorly hit balls to pop up or plunge to the ground and not travel far. The characteristics of the Max-Grip Ball allow hitters to adjust power and bat plane to produce a desirable result.

These weighted implements are not toys. Use proper instruction and supervision in areas with no sharp edges or points. If you consider using weighted balls, please keep the words of two prominent authorities in mind:

"Adding energy or strength to dysfunction is usually a bad idea."

-Randy Sullivan, CEO Florida Baseball Ranch

"Weighted Balls are simply a tool. They are NOT a panacea (solution) or a quick fix for anything. They can be beneficial, or they can be utilized inappropriately and have deleterious (harmful) effects."

-Ron Wolforth, CEO Texas Baseball Ranch

Instructions for use not included

TAP™ Shoulder Tube™

The TAP™ Shoulder Tube™ is an arm care tool widely used for pre-activity warm-up, post-activity recovery, and shoulder strength training. The device is designed to flex when sufficient force is applied, resulting in mechanically created oscillations that disturb the muscular forces stabilizing the shoulder. The oscillations produced by the TAP™ Shoulder Tube™ are oval to round in shape, not a more predictable bi-directional movement found with many vibration devices. These oscillations require greater muscle involvement to control and allow the user to dynamically use the device in wider ranges of motion. The unstable nature of the TAP™ Shoulder Tube™ promotes dynamic stabilization and proprioception ❓ of the shoulder complex as the user controls the device's movements.

The TAP™ Shoulder Tube™ uses the rhythmic movement of the arm and shoulder to flex the tube's shaft and mechanically create oscillation. This rhythmic movement provides concentric and eccentric ❓ resistance while providing perturbations ❓ throughout the exercise range of motion, including sport-specific patterns. The TAP™ Shoulder Tube™ promotes muscle balance and elicits the awareness of joint position, joint movement, and neuromuscular control, increasing shoulder stability.

The TAP™ Shoulder Tube™ consists of a solid flexible shaft with cylindrical end-weights on the ends and a rubber hand grip at its center. During exercise movement, the athlete's grip point on the TAP™ Shoulder Tube™ is the axis of the shaft rotation controlling oscillation amplitude to the end-weights. The athlete's wrist and elbow are locked into place, causing the shaft of the Shoulder Tube™ to move through force created by the shoulder. Operating the device with long, forceful, reciprocal movements result in the shaft displacement, acting in a fashion similar to a crankshaft, moving energy away from the hand grip to the cylindrical end-weights. With oscillations occurring at a constant velocity produced at the frequency of the shaft, the device provides resistance directly proportional to the force exerted by the muscles of the shoulder complex.