WebBall.com - Off-Season Training Period

Training for Fitness

The off-season begins the day after you've completed the End-Season Transition.

It continues from one year's recovery period only until you start Pre-Season Training for next year. (Likely duration 6-8 weeks.) Building a general fitness base will keep you in shape till the sport-specfic demands of your next pre-season program.

Objective...
Stay fit, stay healthy.

Foundation...
Strength + Stamina

Weight Work
Winter is the one time in the year where you can work on strength for its own sake - through pure weight lifting - so you'll enter the next season stronger and bigger. Remember weightlifting is a sport in its own right. While a good baseball coach will know the principles and some of the techniques, players should always try to work within an accredited fitness centre (or at your high school or college) with well-trained instructors and always, always with a spotter.

Aerobic Activities will give you a break from baseball. In addition to obvious exercise programs and running, try swimming, mountain biking, cross-country skiing.

To make it more sport-specific (anaerobic) try tag football, even frisbee throwing. If you want to keep some baseball-related activities in the mix, continue with end-season visual-tracking sports (tennis, etc.), or work on base-stealing.

Go one step farther, and consider taking a first-aid program - the more you know about injury treatment and prevention, the more confidence you'll have throughout your training and playing seasons.

Running Base

Even running can be sport specific.

Any running is good conditioning. To benefit baseball as well, do run-sprint intervals - from 90' to a lap of the warning track - for 20 minutes, 3 times a week.

Systematic Weight Training

Do weights in a program:

Max. three times a week (always a full day's rest between, i.e. M-W-F)
Set workout length (40 minutes).
Warm Up First. Outdoor or treadmill run, then stretching routine, lifting at 50% of 1RM (1 Rep. Max.).
Do a small number of exercise (3-6) in sets (15 total) with rest intervals (3 minutes between exercises) for best recovery.
Maintain fixed number of reps per set (10-15).
Keep to 85% of 1RM when doing sets, less (60%) if you want to work on speed (And don't do ballistic movement with any heavy weights, or risk ligament damage.)
Work slowly through the full range of a muscle's motion (1.5 seconds to lift, 3.0 seconds down.), maintaining consistent force.
Use free weights and dumbells - for greater freedom of movement and to stengthen joints.
Over time, your 1RM will increase. Best way to know is your performance in sets and reps. Say your bench press program is 4 sets of 5 reps each, target weight 80 lbs. Only when you maintain technique and proper duration right through the 4th set at 80 should you move up to 85 on your next workout day.

Muscle Groups

Work all muscle groups, in this order, during each session.

Chest - bench press (with cushion on chest to keep elbows from acute angle)
Back - back squats or lat bar pull-downs
Shoulders - power clean or overhead press
Triceps - lat bar press downBiceps - biceps curls
Midsection - twisting curls (universal)
Quads - leg extension, leg pressHamstrings - leg curls, depth jumps
Calves - toe raises, heal raisesForearms wrist curls, reverse curls

Some physiologist warn against any bar work, recommending only flex machines - which allow full range of motion but never over-extended. Check with your fitness instructor for technique, breathing, alternatives.