In this podcast, Marc Dagenais discusses the history of softball. Fortunately for all the passionate of the game, softball history is very well documented and we have a clear understanding of its evolution over time.

Marc goes on to explain who invented softball, where and how the game started, how it has grown, etc. Sit down and relax while you learn more about where the game you love so much is coming from.

Make sure to comment below!

It's a really cold day in Montreal!!!

Leave your comment below...

Would you like some softball coaching tips on how to coach female athletes?

In this video, I share some insights and lessons I have learned over the years coaching softball and more specifically, female athletes.

One of the important things I explain is how important the social aspect is for them and how you must adjust your coaching to take this into consideration and experience success coaching girls softball.

Feel free to leave your comments or share your own experiences.

Please respond to this in the comment form below because I need 10 comments to continue posting.

Just finished updating my new year special on customized softball workout programs. Check it out: http://www.softballperformance.com/newyear

Please! Take 27 seconds to leave your comment below so I can get the ten comments I need to keep updating this blog...

[media:938465ef-f02c-6bd8-3e6a-ab61fb4cfd3e.mov] "Get in Shape to Dominate!"

The holidays are over. It's now time to get back to work to increase your strength, power, and speed for next season. To give you an incentive to get started NOW and to get you started with your own customized, softball-specific workout program  - I am running a HUGE NEW YEAR special on my personalized program design service.

However, I can only accept 150 requests. That's all I have time for in the next few weeks. It's going to be on a first come, first serve basis until all 150 slots are taken. Last year, we received 237 requests so I expect the slots to go really quickly.

Right now, the service is at a huge discount. However, the price will increase by $10 every 2 days at midnight until all the slots are taken. This is to make sure YOU take action NOW and don't procrastinate! Hurry and get your own customized, softball-specific workout program!

Click on this link for more info or to sign-up:

Customized, High-Performance, Softball-Specific Workout Program

If you think of anything I left out of this post, please feel free to put that on the comment.

I've been designing softball conditioning programs for over 10 years. Let me tell you that softball conditioning can really help improve a player's game.

Yet, a lot of softball players don't take it seriously know. They know that getting in good shape by doing softball conditioning would help their game but somehow they don't give it enough importance or focus.

My belief is that either lack the motivation to work out or they aren't sold enough to the idea of making softball conditioning a priority.

Here is a list of 20 reasons why you MUST make softball conditioning an important part of your training if you want to become the best you can be and dominate on the softball field.

When you follow a well-designed softball-specific conditioning program that uses the same advanced training techniques and innovative exercises that the best players in the world use, you will…

You will…

1. Reach, stretch and get more of those "oh-so-close" balls
2. Swing the bat harder and hit the ball further
3. Be mentally toughness
4. Get better jumps off the bases
5. Be much more confident and feel stronger
6. Run down more balls in the field

Softball Performance Secrets Podcast - In this podcast about softball conditioning, Marc Dagenais, softball peak performance coach, discusses lack of motivation to workout the biggest hurdle people face when it comes to softball conditioning and shares 12 tips to help people stay motivated and keep working out on a regular basis.

Do you agree or disagree?

I just got my hands on a very interesting article  that deals with overuse injures of softball pitchers. It was published in Training and Conditioning Magazine a few weeks ago. This is the official professional magazines of athletic trainers. These are the people that works with sports teams and take care of injured athletes.

Colleagues of mine who works with the Montreal Canadiens NHL Ice Hockey Club gave me a copy of the article.

The information presented is very important so I thought I would share with you the key messages contained in the article.

Here are the key messages:

- We assume that softball pitchers didn't have to worry about overuse injuries. That's not true.

- Recent studies have shown that the forces produces by the windmill pitching motion is similar to the baseball pitching motion and does take a toll on a softball pitcher's arm.

- Many studies conducted in the last few years have revealed that softball pitchers are subject to a high incidence of overuse injuries.

Here is the next habit of success to help you achieve all your dreams in the coming year.  Commit to these habit of success and you'll experience tremendous success.

HABIT OF SUCCESS #2 - Commit to Continous Learning

Someone once said that the day you stop learning, you stop living.

A common characteristics of the most successful people in society is they are lifelong learners.

They have developped the key habit of continuous learning,  the habit of continuous personal and professionaldevelopment.

Just as you exercise physically on a regular basis to remain fit and healty, you must exercise mentally on a daily basis to become better and better in your chosen field.

There are all kinds of way to learn. You can read books. You can watch instructional DVDs. You can go to clinics or attend a seminar or a workshop. You can listen to CDs or downloaded audio material. You can surf the net. You can observe experts.

These are just a few examples.

Commit to continuous learning and you'll experience more  success than ever before.

Who loves ya?

Marc
"Your Softball Peak Performance Coach"

Participate in the conversation by leaving your comment below.

I don't know if you are like me but every year at this time,I'm thinking about what I'd like to accomplish  and what goals I'd like to achieve in the coming year.

There are always a fair number.

Do I achieve them all? Of course not.

But I still have a pretty good batting average.

So what does it takes to achieve a high percentage of  your goals?

You have to master the "Habits of Success".

Over the next few days, I'm going to present you what I consider the key habits you should have or develop to experience tremendous success both on the field and in your life.

HABIT OF SUCCESS #1 - Become a Lifelong Optimist

Perhaps the most helpful mental habit you can develop  is the habit of optimism.

It's a scientifically proven fact that optimistic people  are usually the happiest, healthiest, and most successful people in society.

Now, optimism is a habit you can develop.

Dr. Martin Selignman, professor of psychology at UPenn and author of Learned Optimism (great book!) says that you learn to become an optimist by thinking the way the
optimists think.