You will rarely have an adrenaline rush during bullpen work while the exact opposite is true during games.  Most pitchers get a handful of adrenaline rushes during every game and it's something that is hard to be mirrored in bullpen work, so you must be able to recognize when it happens and know how to use it or defend against it.

Most people associate adrenaline in sports with extreme sports like the X games, skydiving, bungee jumping, or dare devil stunts.  People who participate in these activities have been coined adrenaline junkies.  But just because adrenaline isn't normally associated with baseball or softball, it doesn't mean it can't play a huge role in the game.

Adrenaline is a hormone that is released into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress when your mind feels fear or injury.  You will most likely have an adrenaline rush when you first take the mound, face a tough hitter in a big situation, have a hitter charge the mound, almost get hit by a line drive, hear the crowd cheering, and any number of other situations.    

When adrenaline is released into your bloodstream your heart rate and blood pressure increase, lungs and pupils expand, and blood is redistributed to muscles throughout your body. Other symptoms include the feeling of butterflies in your stomach, shaking knees, tingling feet, sweaty palms, shortness of breath, and an increase in energy.

Adrenaline can be a disadvantage or an advantage during games.  

Disadvantages

• Speeds tempo and makes rhythm, balance, and timing difficult
• Can cause overthrowing
• Makes off speed pitches harder to command
• Makes body language harder to control

Avantages

• Give extra energy when fatigued
• Adds MPH's on fastball 
• Can help temporarily with pain
• Can help agressiveness        

Prepare for this burst of hormone by first identifying when it is happening and then deciding whether it is hurting or helping in the situation. If it is a disadvantage, like making your tempo speed up too much then take a deep breath, refocus, and remind yourself to keep your weight back.  If it is an advantage, like hearing the crowd cheer for you while your ahead in the count 1-2, you may want to throw a fastball instead of an off speed pitch to take advantage of an extra MPH or two. 

The Lokator Bullpen App will help stimulate adrenaline surges by promoting competition between friends and teammates.  If you have the competitive fire burning inside, then the stress and fear of loosing will be all that is needed to stimulate a game-time adrenaline rush.