Strength in Numbers #121
In the world of sport, pursuing peak performance often involves pushing the limits of one’s physical abilities. However, this quest has its intricacies and challenges.
One such challenge is the phenomenon of neurological fatigue, a lesser-known but critical factor that can significantly affect strength testing and training outcomes—AND, it busts arms open regularly in the game, at least for those who are not properly assessed and programmed.
To understand its implications, it’s crucial to differentiate neurological fatigue from its more familiar counterpart, metabolic fatigue.
Neurological Fatigue vs. Metabolic Fatigue
Neurological Fatigue: This type of fatigue primarily stems from the central nervous system (CNS) and its ability to recruit motor units effectively. When the CNS becomes fatigued, it struggles to transmit signals to the muscles, resulting in decreased force output.
In the context of strength testing, this can manifest as a reduced ability to generate maximal strength. It’s often marked by a sense of weakness and a perceived inability to lift or resist force as effectively as usual, and that means different muscle mechanics are needed to throw high-octane fastballs.
Metabolic Fatigue: In contrast, metabolic fatigue predominantly involves the muscles themselves and heightened senses. It occurs when the energy substrates required for muscle contraction, such as ATP and glycogen, become depleted.
Metabolic fatigue is usually experienced as muscle soreness, a burning sensation, or a feeling of muscle “failure.” This type of fatigue tends to set in during high-repetition, high-intensity exercises like weightlifting, where muscles are pushed to their limits.
If you throw a 125-pitch game with an imbalanced and weak arm (we are talking about those who do not use the ArmCare platform,) then you likely will be sore.
Impact on Strength Testing
Neurological fatigue can significantly skew the results of strength testing.
When the CNS is fatigued, it may fail to recruit motor units optimally, leading to an underestimation of an individual’s true strength capacity.
This can be frustrating for athletes and trainers, as it can obscure an accurate assessment of an individual’s strength levels. Athletes can say their arms feel great, but putting objective data to the strength element can say something completely different.
Case and Point
I have been running an exciting research study looking at throwing arm fatigue. This study is not the 10-pitch biomechanical assessment type stuff. I am looking at fatigue and need to encourage it.
I chose to work with a school where the arms were built out to two innings in the Fall, and the coaches are bought into having a competitive advantage in preparing arms for the playoffs, as they suffered injuries and drastic declines last season.
The team turned the staff over to me for bullpens throughout the entire month of October to encourage throwing arm fatigue, which we are looking at in a million different ways. It’s been the best sports science undertaking I have had yet.
This young man came to me the other day before his tech-integrated bullpen, rates his arm as feeling great, feels ready to go at high intent, and wants to light up the radar gun with an LED screen in his face to get him to throw maximally.
Understanding the distinction between neurological and metabolic fatigue is something I know well, and the ArmCare platform showed me what I suspected—neurological fatigue in his throwing arm.
Most people would have let that kid pitch. No fault of their own, as their decision-making wouldn’t be data-led.
I didn’t and waited a day, and he was good to go. I identified his source of fatigue as it came from a heavy lift about 36 hours before.
I talked to his Director of Baseball Performance and mentioned that for this athlete, it’s a good idea to provide 48-72 hours before upper body lifts or try to schedule them after his bullpen or games.
For more information on scheduling training to avoid neurological fatigue, please take our Data-Led Pitching Management Course.
I saved an arm that day, and you can too, by buying into regular assessments and knowing when to hit the gas, coast, or hit the brakes.
We do not have a crystal ball, but we also aren’t wearing blindfolds to what throwing injury risks look like.
We can quantify it, and we are studying it so you can be even better equipped to dominate pitching and throwing performance while moving closer to throwing arm injury eradication.
Enter the science and practice of individualized player development and athlete wellness.
Save an arm today.
Ryan
Ryan@armcare.com
