Overcoming The Throwing Yips
Why do the yips have such a stranglehold on some baseball players?
Why is it so difficult to break away from the clench of the yips and regain that freedom of just making accurate throws?
Many baseball players view the yips in fatalistic terms. These players feel powerless to overcome the yips.
The baseball lore of the yips being a career-ender looms over player’s heads like an incurable disease.
But, for every baseball player destroyed by the yips, there are countless others who have beaten the yips.
Are you really willing to allow the yips to win out?
You may never be the same after experiencing the yips but that doesn’t mean you are worse off as a baseball player.
Just possibly, the yips can teach you about the mental side of the sport and the importance of developing your game mentally and physically.
In this sense, your ability to conquer the yips can prove to be beneficial by developing a stronger degree of mental toughness.
Your newfound mental toughness can be applied to the other game challenges you will, no doubt, experience throughout your baseball career:
- hitting slumps
- serious injuries
- managing late-game pressure
- being benched
- focusing during games
- improving your confidence
Cincinnati Red’s prospect Tony Renda refuses to allow the throwing yips to halt his career.
Renda is a young second baseman who split time last year between the AA affiliates of the Washington Senators and New York Yankees. In 64 games with the Trenton Thunder, Renda made 19 errors, almost one error for every 16 chances.
Thunder manager Al Pedrique knows Renda has the skills and ability to make an impact in the big leagues despite having his bout with the yips.
PEDRIQUE: “He’s quick with his footwork. His hands are fine. He has a good idea how to play second base. I think right now it’s a mental thing, where he is thinking too much on the easy ground balls. I told him to just play through it, pick up the target and let it go.”
Pedrique is confident Renda can get the yips issue corrected and loves Renda’s attitude towards facing this challenge.
PEDRIQUE: “One thing I like about him [Renda] is that he knows what is going on, but he wants to play. A lot of guys in those situations, they want to sit in the dugout and watch the game. He told me ‘I want to be out there and work my way out. I know I can do it. It’s something that happened in the past.’ That’s something that we’re going to work with him and be patient with.”
Armed with the proper mentality, you too can conquer the yips.
2 Effective Strategies to Conquer the Throwing Yips
Strategy #1: Instead of viewing the yips as a deadly, career-ending disease, see the yips as just another baseball challenge.
When you face a new pitcher, you normally watch your teammates facing that pitcher. You come up with your own strategy on how you will approach your at-bat. Even if that pitcher strikes you out, you take that feedback and try a new approach on the next at-bat.
This is the mentality you need to conquer the yips. Look for your best angle of attack.
Strategy #2: If is best to fight fire with fire.
If the yips are a mental “thing,” then commit to improve your mental game. The good thing about strong mental skills is that you can apply them to other areas of your game and even prevent some issues from ever popping up in the first place.
Related Baseball Articles:
- Overthinking and The Throwing Yips
- One Mental Key to Beat The Throwing Yips
- Breaking The Throwing Yips Cycle
Breaking The Yips Cycle Audio
Breaking The Yips Cycle AudioIf you can throw well when alone, but can’t take it to games, this is a mental game issue and not a physical challenge!
The Yips Cycle is a vicious cycle that causes ball players to stay trapped in overthinking and over control…
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