483: Jack Barry on Confidence and the Art of Instinctive Athleticism

Today’s guest is Jack Barry. Jack is the founder of JB Performance and a former ABCA DIII All-American (York College, 2021) who played at Salisbury University. After college, he worked at Tread Athletics, then built a remote+in-person coaching model. Jack has coached athletes from high school to pro levels, appeared on Baseball America’s 90th Percentile, and hosts the “Just Rippin’” podcast. On today’s episode, Jack speaks on athletic potential as a function of work capacity with quality, deliberate practice. We unpack the mental side of training, how visualization, targeted self-talk, and timely pattern breaks calm performance anxiety and restore confidence. He also touches on how athletes thrive when they develop a unique identity, balance effort with recovery, and treat mindset and mechanics as equal partners. This is a dynamic episode, at the intersection of pitching skill and global human performance concepts. 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(https://www.just-fly-sports.com/podcast-home/) Timestamps 0:20 – From college ball to new competitive outlets4:10 – Work capacity, family influences, and cross-training7:10 – Adapting training: speed, volume, and specificity10:01 – Aerobic contributions in racket and throwing sports15:46 – Provoking reactivity: stumble drills and innate responses23:16 – Pattern breaks, the yips, and the "be sexy" mentality27:44 – Reactive throwing drills to clean the arm action31:15 – Pre-movement cues and subtle distractions to speed action43:21 – Visualization with highlight reels to build confidence52:25 – Essentialism in training: less and better59:50 – Start with less, progress intelligently1:00:25 – Barefoot training and simplifying the lower half Actionable takeaways 0:20 – From college ball to new competitive outlets Jack traces his path from Division III Salisbury baseball into jiu-jitsu, tennis, and a renewed love for training after leaving team sport. Treat post-playing transitions as a chance to experiment with new sports that satisfy the competitive impulse. Use cross-training to keep motivation high while developing complementary athletic qualities. When exploring a new sport, accept the beginner phase and enjoy the novelty rather than forcing immediate mastery. 4:10 – Work capacity, family influences, and cross-training Jack reflects on family genetics and finding his own work-capacity strengths through varied activities. If you enjoy sustained effort, program both volume and varied intensity (easy long efforts plus specific speed sessions). Use cross-training (racket sports, running, court games) to get game-like cardiovascular stimulus without burnout. Be deliberate: split session types by purpose (speed sessions, volume sessions, tempo work) instead of lumping everything together. 7:10 – Adapting training: speed, volume, and specificity Jack describes learning to periodize his running and mix speed with volume to actually get faster. Structure sessions by purpose: separate longer aerobic efforts from targeted speed work. Progress volume conservatively (small weekly increases) and add specific speed work for real improvements in pace. Treat running like any other modality: apply progressive overload principles and discipline. 10:01 – Aerobic contributions in racket and throwing sports Jack compares racket sports and throwing, noting the reactive and aerobic demands of court play. Use court-based conditioning to develop reactive stamina and contextual decision-making. Choose cross-training that mirrors sport constraints when possible (racket sports for reactive throws). When prescribing conditioning, prefer enjoyable, sport-like formats to sustain athlete buy-in. 15:46 – Provoking reactivity: stumble drills and innate responses Jack and Joel discuss deliberately provoking reactive behavior to shut off overthinking and unlock natural responses. Include occasional stumble or get-up starts to force reactive systems and reduce conscious rumination. Use surprise or unpredictable triggers in practice to train the body’s innate quickness under pressure. Reserve these drills for appropriate contexts; they are tools to access reactive output, not constant training staples. 23:16 – Pattern breaks, the yips, and the "be sexy" mentality Jack shares the value of non-technical pattern breaks and the "be sexy" cue to reframe performance under pressure. Use lighthearted, unrelated activities (driving range, pickup basketball, different meal) to break ruts and reset focus. Create simple, individualized cues that reduce overthinking and let the subconscious drive skill execution. For athletes with choked performance, pair deliberate practice with small pattern breaks to restore confidence. 27:44 – Reactive throwing drills to clean the arm action Jack outlines a drill where a player catches a quick toss and must immediately throw, forcing quick arm tempo and simplicity. Practice the reactive catch-and-throw drill: catch with the throwing hand and release immediately to train arm quickness. Manipulate the toss location to shape desired arm path and timing (behind, side, front). Use this drill to reduce “stabby” arm actions and promote a faster, simpler release. 31:15 – Pre-movement cues and subtle distractions to speed action Jack and Joel explore small pre-movement tricks that distract the conscious brain and improve quickness. Introduce tiny physical cues (hand tension, a quick clench) to occupy the conscious mind just before action. Teach athletes short rituals that consistently prep their motor system without promoting rumination. Practice cues in training until they transfer automatically into competition scenarios. 43:21 – Visualization with highlight reels to build confidence Jack recommends using real performance highlights as a stronger visualization tool than abstract self-talk alone. Create athlete highlight reels from real clips and pair them with music to reinforce proven ability. Use these videos to accelerate confidence during rehab or performance slumps. Prioritize demonstrated performance over empty affirmation; show athletes the evidence that they can perform. 52:25 – Essentialism in training: less and better Jack argues for focused, deliberate practice rather than glorified volume that often leads to injury or wasted effort. Identify the few high-value actions that drive performance and prioritize them ruthlessly. Start with less volume; add only when the athlete’s recovery and adaptation permit. Use deliberate practice principles: quality reps beat quantity when the goal is skill and transfer. 59:50 – Start with less, progress intelligently Jack uses food and recovery analogies to explain why starting with less volume is safer and more effective. Begin new phases conservatively; you can always increase load if recovery and performance allow. Reserve high-volume spikes only when the schedule and athlete readiness support them. Teach athletes to view additional work as strategic, not as a default reaction to anxiety about performance. 1:00:25 – Barefoot training and simplifying the lower half Jack explains how barefoot throwing can simplify lower-half behavior and reveal excessive lower-limb compensation. Use barefoot throws as a diagnostic or early-stage constraint to simplify the lower half and highlight upper-body efficiency. Progress foot conditions: barefoot drills for proprioception, barefoot shoes for training, then cleats for skill transfer. Apply barefoot work selectively, knowing it’s an advanced, context-sensitive tool rather than a universal prescription. Quotes “If you want to get faster, you can’t just pile on more running. You need to separate sessions by focus: speed, volume, or tempo, so the body actually adapts.” “Sometimes the best way to unlock athleticism is to provoke reactivity. A stumble start or quick catch-and-throw drill forces the body to solve problems without overthinking.” “The goal of the reactive throw drill is simple: catch the ball with your throwing hand and get it out as quickly as possible. It cleans up arm action without over-coaching.” “Pattern breaks are underrated. Take an athlete with the yips to a driving range, or give them a playful cue like ‘be sexy.’ It resets their mind and frees up performance.” “Highlight reels are more powerful than affirmations. When an athlete watches themselves succeed, the brain believes it; it accelerates confidence and recovery.” “Effort feels good, but too much volume is often just anxiety disguised as training. Start with less, because you can always add more once the athlete shows they’re ready.” “Essentialism matters. Training isn’t about doing everything; it’s about finding the few things that actually drive transfer and doubling down on those.” “Barefoot throwing is a constraint that simplifies the lower half. Without the shoe, the body can’t fake drive off the mound, and you see what’s really happening mechanically.” About Jack Barry Jack Barry, CSCS, is the founder of JB Performance, where he helps pitchers turn efficient mechanics and smart workloads into game-day velocity and command. His process blends slow-motion video breakdown, individualized drill progressions, and clear week-to-week plans that are simple to follow and easy to measure. Jack’s focus areas include strength & conditioning, throwing mechanics and workload management, pitch design, and mobility. Jack Barry Performance Before coaching online,