Primal Blog 4

Primal Baseball Blog

Welcome to the Primal Blog. Our goal is to give you simple, actionable, and easy-to-digest information weekly. We will share our quotes of the week, journal prompts of the week, visualization prompts of the week, meals of the week, and much more. Thanks for following along. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @primalbsbl. Tune into our podcast "The Man in the Arena" on Apple Podcasts. 

If you have questions, concerns or suggestions feel free to email us, at primalbsbl@gmail.com

Book Quote of the Week

Book: Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Quote:

"Play stimulates the parts of the brain involved in both careful, logical reasoning and carefree, unbound exploration. Given that, it should hardly be surprising that key breakthroughs in thinking have taken place in times of play...Play doesn't just help us to explore what is essential. It is essential in and of itself. So how can we all introduce play into our workplaces and lives? In his book, Brown includes a primer to help readers reconnect with play. He suggests readers mine their past for play memories. What did you do as a child that excited you? How can you re-create that today?" ( 87)

Personal Analysis:

 Whether it's baseball or everyday life. We need to find time to play. Work is great, and to be in love with the process is an amazing thing. To reach our maximal potential, both work and play are required, they must become intertwined. Work and no play can cause a deterioration in performance. If you are feeling like you are being dragged to training every day, or forced to practice, chances are you will not last very long. If you are feeling burnt out, try and add simple things into practice or your training. Compete against yourself, and make the drills become games. Enjoy your practice, whether you are a kid or a professional. Play elicits the drive and passion for the game you love. When you feel like a kid, and you feel like you are playing instead of working, your productivity increases and your value explodes. The task at hand flies by as you give into the flow around you. Do what you did as a kid, instead of 75 drills and cues for your mechanics and pitching, go grab a ball and throw to a wall. Play with yourself and watch everything unfold for you.

Meal/Recipe of the Week

Maple Syrup Ice Cream

Ingredients:

 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Recipe:

In a large bowl whisk cream and milk together. Whisk in the egg yolks, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. If using an ice cream maker, chill for 1 hour before letting the machine churn the mixture. If you don't have an ice cream maker, put the mixture in a freezer container and freeze, mix every 30 minutes for 5-6 hours.

Serve and enjoy.

Who doesn't love maple syrup? Who doesn't like ice cream? This is a great way to have fun cooking with your family and enjoy the end product. Fueling well doesn't mean not having fun and enjoying the food. Ice cream can be a great source of protein and fuel. Whether you are trying to bulk or not you can use it as a tool in your fuel. Ice cream is great for everyone. Making your own can ensure there are no additives and extra sugar going into your body. I recommend Haagen-Daaz, as they use simple, clean ingredients and have no tricks up their sleeves.

Journal and Visualization Prompt of the Week

Journal Prompt:

What is your long-term goal in life? Family wise? What do you want to be remembered for? 

Now what are the short-term actions you will take to compound and get there?

Visualization Prompt:

Breathe in greatness. Breathe out greatness. Visualize greatness coming in and out of you as you inhale and exhale. The rest of this exercise is driven by you. Breathe in (insert blank), Breathe out (insert blank). Pick different things you want to be, or want to acquire. It could be things like strength, wisdom, good vibes, or anything, you decide.

Baseball Thought/Key of the Week

The Baseball is an Extension of You

When we throw a baseball, we need intent. We have to cultivate an idea of where we want the ball to go, and what we want the ball to do. If we cannot see where we want to go, how are we supposed to get there? When throwing, I sometimes think of the baseball as an extension of myself. As I throw the ball, my body is leading the way along with my intention. Throwing a ball with command takes effort, both mentally and physically, if you are not committed to going through that spot, you cannot get upset when things do not go according to plan. In life the same is true, the words you speak, the actions you take, and the intention you bring to what you are doing guide where you go. Everything you create, all the interactions you have, and every action you choose to make is an extension of you. An easier perspective to see this from is the ball going to your catch partner, you are creating something and putting it out into the world using your force and power. The same goes for actions, ideas, etc. If you want to have command of the ball, have intention. If you'd like command of your destination in life, have intention.

Song of the Week

red (feat Morgan Wallen) by HARDY

 

Primal Blog 3

 Primal Baseball Blog

Welcome to the Primal Blog. Our goal is to give you simple, actionable, and easy-to-digest information weekly. We will share our quotes of the week, journal prompts of the week, visualization prompts of the week, meals of the week, and much more. Thanks for following along. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter @primalbsbl. Tune into our podcast "The Man in the Arena" on Apple Podcasts. 

If you have questions, concerns or suggestions feel free to email us, at primalbsbl@gmail.com

Book Quote of the Week

Book: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Quote:

"We treat our plans as though they are a lasso, thrown from the present around the future, in order to bring it under our command. But all a plan is- all it could ever possibly be- is a present-moment statement of intent. It's an expression of your current thoughts about how you'd ideally like to deploy your modest influence over the future. The future, of course, is under no obligation to comply." (Burkeman 123)

Personal Analysis:

 Many times we believe just because we think a plan out in our head, or have a vision of a path in our head, the world will allow those events to happen in perfect chronological order. We are never in full command of the world, as much as we wish we could be, things will arise. Events we could not have possibly planned for will throw us away from our imagined route. Oftentimes, you will be thrown from your outline, an injury, a loss, family, or friends, will all pop up and you will need to adjust and adapt. Although our plans may not go accordingly, this does not mean we can't reach the final destination. There are multiple courses of action to reach the outcome, we just have to reroute, reset, and find another way.

Meal/Recipe of the Week

Honey Mustard Wings with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

 Chicken Wings, Olive Oil, Maple Syrup, Honey, Dijon Mustard, Whole Grain Mustard, Sweet Potatoes

Recipe:

Preheat the Oven to 380 degrees. Slice sweet potatoes, and add preferred spices. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil on. Place in oven.

Season wings with preferred spices. Put wings in the oven on a baking sheet for 12 minutes. 

As the wings are cooking, get a mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of each mustard, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add salt to taste.

At 12 minutes, flip the wings and put them in for another 5-10 minutes. Check on sweet potatoes and cook to preferred softness. The longer you leave them in, the more tender they will become.

Take out wings, and toss Wings in sauce.

Serve and enjoy.

Everybody loves wings, and honey mustard is a great addition for a little kick. Add maple syrup for an added aftertaste. If you are looking to gain mass, using sweet potatoes as a fuel source is a great option. You can play around with this dish as much as you'd like. Chicken is a great meat for those looking to lean out. Depending on your goals, you can mix and match this dish, adding other vegetables or adding sour cream, etc., that will tailor towards your goals.

Journal and Visualization Prompt of the Week

Journal Prompt:

What are 2 things you can remove from your life that will allow you to become more productive?

Visualization Prompt:

Visualize your ideal home. Visualize yourself there, with your future family. Visualize what is in your backyard, and what it looks like. What it sounds like. Visualize yourself working backward to where you are now. The steps that it took to get to that space. Visualize yourself working, and slowly moving the needle closer and closer to that dream. Visualize what it takes.

Baseball Thought/Key of the Week

Lab Rats vs. Gamer

With pitching facilities being constructed all across the country it can be forgotten that we play baseball outside, with many external factors and stimuli affecting performance. Luckily, many facilities understand this and take measures to prepare their players for the conditions they will face on the game mound. While mechanics and technology play a large role in pitching development, so do athleticism and competition. We are able to grow both at the same time, and we can have a balance of both in order to develop as a player and person. When we only acquire one of the two skill sets, we can falter when in the game. If we only understand how to throw hard and move well, when stressful situations arrive, we can become overwhelmed and lose our patterns. On the flip side, if we only know how to compete, and do not know how to throw hard and move well, we can be beaten simply due to our lack of skill. It takes both sides to become a well-rounded athlete, pitcher, and human. The two personality types are complimentary of one another, dive too far to either side of the spectrum and we miss out on the benefits of the other. 

Song of the Week

real things by mike.

 

Primal Blog 2

 

Primal Baseball Blog

Welcome to the Primal Blog. Our goal is to give you simple, actionable, and easy-to-digest information weekly. We will share our quotes of the week, journal prompts of the week, visualization prompts of the week, meals of the week, and much more. Thanks for following along. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @primalbsbl. Tune into our podcast "The Man in the Arena" on Apple Podcasts. 

If you have questions, concerns or suggestions feel free to email us, at primalbsbl@gmail.com

Book Quote of the Week

Book: It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Moawad

Quote:

"We all want things, and there's value to that; want is a precursor to motivation. But want is an idea. Commitment is an execution. (Moawad 65).

Personal Analysis:

 Talking about something is easy. Doing it is harder. Doing it over and over and over and over again, that's extremely hard. It feels good to talk about dreams and goals. We should share dreams and visions with those around us who have our best interests in mind. To go around sharing with everybody you see, may not give you the best chance to succeed. Wanting is very different than doing. Getting up day after day and committing to the action, to the process. That's what it is about. As you make it past the first few days or weeks of excitement, you may hit roadblocks. The goal doesn't seem so close anymore, you are sore, tired, sick. Your friends want to go party, you want to stay up late to watch that new movie. All of that is fine, and you should enjoy it all deeply, but in the morning rent is due. There's a reason few people rise to the top. Those people do what others will not. They sacrifice what others will not. Wanting is one thing, doing is another. Less talk, let the work talk. Win in the dark. When no one sees you. When no one is thinking about you. When you are an afterthought. Have intention with the work, things will come to you.

Meal/Recipe of the Week

Ground Beef Nachos

Ingredients:

 One package of corn Tortillas,  1 lb of Ground Beef,  1 block of Cheddar Cheese, 1 Sweet Onion, Olive Oil

Recipe:

Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees. Cut tortillas down the middle from both sides (making 4 pieces). Lay them on a baking sheet. Brush the tortilla slices with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, and any other desired spices. Cook tortillas until they start to brown.  

While tortillas are cooking. Season ground beef with any rub or spices you prefer. Cook ground beef on the stovetop. Chop or dice a sweet onion. Add to ground beef and cook. Check Tortillas and flip them. Adding light olive oil to the other side.

Grate Cheddar Cheese.

Once tortillas are golden brown on each side take them out and add all toppings. Put back in the oven on High broil.

Serve and enjoy.

Nachos are a party pleaser and a great plate to share with friends and family. It is not hard to make food that is good for you taste good. Adding a lot of protein to the nachos allows you to have a fun, enjoyable meal and get a sufficient amount of protein for you and the family. Food is fuel and fuel should be something you enjoy. If it tastes bad, you probably aren't going to be excited to eat it. Expanding your fueling options can help you get excited about cooking and sharing dinner with others.

Journal and Visualization Prompt of the Week

Journal Prompt:

What is the far-reaching goal you have for yourself? Where do you see yourself in a month? A year? 5 years? 10 years? How will you ensure you work towards those things daily?

Visualization Prompt:

Visualize your ideal self in a month. Visualize zooming out. Now see yourself in 6 months. Zoom out even more. See yourself in a year. See the things you are doing, the characteristics you have. The environment around you. The routines you have. Zoom out, what do you look like in 5 years. Who is still around you, what are you doing? Now last zoom, look 10 years from now. What is still important to you then? What is not?

Baseball Thought/Key of the Week

Backward to Go Forward 

 Baseball and life seem to have concepts intertwined at every corner. In the pitching delivery, we must move backward to move forward efficiently and effectively. In order to load and get the results we want, we must move our body back to create momentum to then unwind and snap forward. Similar to a slingshot, we must stretch, load, and explode. In life, we must use the same principle. Many times I have pushed straight forward, into a wall, thinking there was no way around it. Yes, sometimes the way is through the wall. However, many times if I had just stepped back away from the wall, I would have seen there was another path around the wall. When we make up our minds and think we need to go down a specific path, it cuts off all the other paths that open if we just step back, reassess, and analyze our position.

Another viewpoint I want to view this topic from is a coaching standpoint. When a coach sees an issue such as runners stealing on their pitchers. Some may immediately think, "he needs to be quicker to the plate". Does he though? Is that the only option? No. The pitcher can do a number of things, lower the leg kick, mix timing of holds and picks, etc. With the second grouping of options, he now does not need to change a million things in his mechanics and is still able to create good timing and rhythm down the mound. There are always options that we can make work if we step back and adjust.

Song of the Week

We Will Never be This Young Again by Ben Rector