Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Athletes, by nature, follow an intuitive daily routine that revolves around a feeling of comfort in their preparation. Each day prior to beginning any physical activity, the warm up that my teammates and I take part in is methodical in nature and customary in habit. We run and stretch, readying our bodies for the ensuing exertion. On days in which that physical activity includes some sort of baseball playing, throwing is involved in that warm up. We begin at short distances and low velocities, and work gradually as we progress further and further from each other. Some days we extend ourselves in a practice known to baseball players as long toss, throwing the ball extreme distances in order to strengthen our arms. Some days we keep the distance shorter, focusing on specific tasks or giving our arms a rest from the soreness that may have come on during the previous day. Nevertheless, there is always some sort of throwing that we take part in before practice or a game.

The methods of stretching and running and throwing always remained relatively similar throughout all of my experiences on the field, and became even more methodical as I progressed to higher levels of baseball. I grew comfortable with my routine and felt as though I was well prepared both mentally and physically for participating in the upcoming baseball to the best of my ability.

The continuous repetitions of my preparation were something that I somewhat took for granted over time. I became careless with perfecting each movement, and didn't think twice about my throwing mechanics. I would stretch and I would run and I would throw with the purpose of getting my body loose. I wouldn't stretch and run and throw with the purpose of getting my body prepared.

Prepare is a wonderfully in depth word. Merriam-Webster defines the word in the context of the verb "to prepare" as "to make ready beforehand for some purpose, use or activity." The example they provide is "prepare food for dinner." The word prepare in and of itself is a word that I assume every English speaking person knows and uses in his or her everyday life beginning at a very young age. But, just like any other word in the English language, the word prepare can be analyzed much further than what it is at the most outlying layer of itself.

What exactly does it mean to adequately prepare for a subsequent event? How does one recognize when he or she becomes adequately prepared for said event? These profound metacognitive thoughts are meant to provoke an introspective relationship with oneself and one's bodily actions. Yet that relationship is one that is very difficult- nearly impossible actually- to fully recognize. It is that relationship that separates the good from the great, whether it is referring to an intellectual activity or a physical activity. Recognizing the personal requirements that oneself may have in order to adequately prepare for optimal performance is one of the true marvels that human beings have so much trouble accomplishing.

A few months ago, I was just like any other individual who had trouble reaching this peak of introspective capacity. I would go about my methodical preparation without any sense of haste for perfection, without any laser-like focus. When I stretched my body, I'd stretch haphazardly. When I'd throw, I'd throw to make sure that my arm would not hurt when using it to it's full extent when required to do so. The purpose of my preparation wasn't maximization, it was satisfaction.

And then I got hurt. And everything changed.

This injury has made me realize that my time in the game is precious. I cannot take my body for granted because eventually, it will give out on me. My body does not have a capability that enables self-recuperation. If I don't take care of it, it will break down. And it did...and I'm just now paying the consequences. This injury has provided me with an outlet for that introspective reflection on the act of preparation. No longer do I step on the field and carelessly go about my warm up. No longer do I go through my methods of readying myself arbitrarily. Every single stretch I complete is with a purpose and every single throw I make is for a reason. Preparing myself for competition is the single most important aspect of reaching my ultimate goal of success. And I now come to an understanding of what it truly takes to adequately prepare myself.

I strive for perfection, and prepare myself as perfectly as I can. That's the only way to go about things and reach my goals. Coming back from such an operation as Tommy John Surgery is a daunting task, and one that can only be accomplished through grit and toughness. That work ethic begins with preparation. Each day when I begin a workout or a throwing session, I make sure that I complete every rep to the fullest and every throw to the best of my abilities. Preparedness is the key to all success, and preparedness is what I am working at...every single day.