“Software Engineering an Athlete”

***

“After ending a 2-year bout in pursuit of a new career path as a software engineer…

…one (unexpected) thing has lasted from the years of keyboard grinding and collection of 8 dust-covered certifications

and it’s a big part of how I build young pitchers..”

***

Software Engineering an Athlete

Humans are walking software programs.  

We know this. We’re a product of our “programming.”

If we want a desired result – whether it be bigger biceps or a happier mood - we need to write the code for that particular result into our system (aka ‘practice’). 

If we are not intentional, our bodies will automatically write a code for us – although often times this code is lazy and inefficient.

 This is how I view players I work with.

The Start

I am given a player – with his unique ‘software program’ and all.

Sometimes, these players don’t have any real training before getting to me.

I like this. It feels like opening up a blank document on my computer. Fresh, clean slate.

Other times, I receive players who have had tons of training – and have gotten themselves tangled in a spider web of many different inputs from many different sources.

This was the kind of player I was when I was younger.

Regardless of the player’s imbedded software program, I feel I am strong at reading their ‘code.’

I start from a zoomed out perspective - I watch the way his ‘machine’ works as a whole.

With this approach, it becomes easy for me to see certain parts of his ‘machine’ moving out of rhythm with other parts.

To progress, I need things in order. I need the sequence to get lined up.

The Process

So, I begin our sessions by intentionally programming the player’s body.

I know that in order to use our ‘machines’ properly, we need to learn how to drive it first.

If we don’t know how to drive it, we’re not in control.

And if you’re not in control, you don’t know how to really hit the gas, shift gears, steer & pull the levers.

This is my exact thought-process behind the first 10-12 minutes of the session: the ‘warm up.’

This is not about getting the heart rate going.

This is about taking a moment to connect the mind to the body – feel what it feels like to gain some control.

This intentionally writes ‘control’ code into the system.

Now that this ‘control feature’ is activated, we are able to access more of the machine’s potential.

Control doesn’t just mean accuracy.

Control means you have control over ALL of the machine’s abilities. Power, accuracy, stamina, - and most importantly – psychology.

Rinse and Repeat

Do this over and over again for weeks, months & years, and you expose both the efficiencies and inefficiencies of your system’s ‘code.’

This is a never ending process – much like the growth and decline cycles of life.

The more we focus on learning our software programs (by getting in control of our machines), the more we can influence the kind of code we want to write into it.

Software Engineering an Athlete.