SecondSport.com, or Me & My Medicine Ball

OMG (to use the parlance of our times) it's time for Second Thursday #8 of the South Austin Medballers Association of South Austin. Our medicine ball group, SAMASA, celebrated with fresh watermelon from the garden and coffee of course. Eight years of medicine ball workouts/showings is quite an accomplishment. And, I am proud of my medball partners for their continued dedication to our SAMASA meetings every Tuesday & Thursday @ 7:30am at my house on Medicine Ball Lane.
I love this photograph of Piney the Schnauzer sitting on those medicine balls. He was President Hoover's pup that accompanied the President's medicine ball exercise group at The White House. We, SAMASA, also carry on this added tradition; everyone brings their dog to our medicine ball showings on Tuesday & Thursday. And, we have to watch our step in many more way than just locomotion.

I've been talking about writing about the Forgotten Cornerstone Exercise, 'CATCHING', for some time now. And, today I, Dr. Medicine Ball, declare that 'CATCHING' should be and is a Cornerstone Exercise, along with Rotations, High Knee and Sit-Up & Throw. The level of skill required to block, brake, catch & return a medicine ball at full velocity in locomotion, while backing up mind you, deserves to be fully recognized.

I will begin to discuss the little nuances, the ins & outs, the focus, the demanded attention, the understanding that you are the assistant coach of the self-coached. For a quick reference, checkout the posting on this blog from April 23, 2010, Cornerstone Exercise Addendum. I will begin with the basic understanding outlined in the now famous exercise book "The Well Rounded Workout: An Introduction to Medicine Ball Training. I will then dissect and explain the parts of the catch (the block, brake, catch & return) in both the spatial and the temporal realms. Every step we take is different just like snowflakes, and every catch is different as well. The integration of our General Physical Skills are active in all of our locomotion. When we catch an object, while in motion, one must absorb and control the force of the projectile to minimize the disruption of our own locomotion. And, in a rhythmic and precise way, cooperatively return the projectile to it's origin while also in motion.

Thanks for following this infrequent blog but expect SAMASA and Dr Medicine Ball to reveal the secrets of CATCHING right here on Secondsport.com very soon.