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Product Description How does Nolan Ryan still do it? At forty-three years old, Nolan Ryan is a marvel. He is still blowing his fastballs by hitters at an age when most pitchers have long since retired—or have learned to depend on guile instead of power. But the Ryan express keeps chugging on, getting more unhittable, not less. Nolan Ryan's Pitcher's Bible tells us the secrets of Ryan's success. Drawing on Ryan's practical experience and Tom House's research expertise, it shows how the right combination of exercise and motivation can help a pitcher develop to his greatest potential. Nolan Ryan's Pitcher's Bible includes: -Nolan Ryan's complete fitness program for pitchers—including weight training, aerobic exercise, and diet—based on the latest scientific research and his twenty-four years of experience as a major leaguer. -The most up-to-date methods for preventing arm injuries by establishing proper mechanics, a conditioning base, and throwing work loads. -A timetable for keeping a pitcher in top shape year-round, including specific exercise intervals to meet the individual strength demands of each pitcher's throwing motion, maximum velocity, and maximum weekly number of pitches. -An in-depth presentation of Ryan's pitching strategy—how he prepares himself mentally for a game, an analysis of his pitch selection for different types of hitters, and how he applies his training regimen to improving his effectiveness on the mound. Illustrated with black-and-white photos of Ryan in action, along with photos and line drawings of the recommended exercises, Nolan Ryan's Pitcher's Bible is the ultimate book on pitching, by the ultimate pitcher. About the Author Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr., nicknamed The Ryan Express, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and sports executive. Over a record 27-year career that included play in four decades, Ryan pitched for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Nolan Ryan's Pitcher's Bible The Ultimate Guide to Power, Precision, and Long-Term PerformanceBy Nolan Ryan FiresideCopyright ©1991 Nolan Ryan All right reserved. ISBN: 0671705814 Chapter 2 Mental Discipline Being able to adapt to changing circumstances has helped me tremendously -- it has been one of the keys to my success. When I first came up from the minors, for example, I'd dare a hitter to try to handle my fastball. I applied the mentality of a gunfighter to my craft. A guy either had the skill and timing to hit the heater or he struck out. I don't really think of myself as a gunfighter anymore. The fastball is still my bread-and-butter pitch, and I'll go with it in crucial situations. But I'm much more conscious of location. That's the biggest difference between the Nolan Ryan of 15-20 years ago and the Nolan Ryan of today. Check my minor-league stats and you'll see I was either striking everyone out or walking them. I had the kind of velocity -- 98 mph with regularity -- that allowed me the luxury of not being so fine with my control. Well, those days couldn't last forever. I now throw 93, 94 mph -- still fast, but not overpowering enough to base all my success on blowing guys away. I worked long and hard to master the control of my breaking ball and change-up. As my confidence in those pitches improved, I was able to set hitters up, get ahead in the count, and apply strategy instead of sheer force. Control of the curve and change-up transformed me from being only a fastball thrower to more of a tactical pitcher. I've heard some people say that going to the National League made me a complete pitcher because I couldn't just rely on my fastball. Well, nothing happened in my head to make the change -- that's just a bunch of hogwash. Ten years after I came back to the National League, I'm still getting hitters out with my fastball. If you fall behind in the count you still have to throw your best pitch -- and for me that's the fastball. It re