by Ron Wolforth, Pitching Central / Texas Baseball Ranch

The previous section of this article covered the theories and principles behind the protocol change. This time Ron outlines his very specific replacement program for no long runs. While Ron's program is written specifically for pitchers, WebBall recommends it for all players.

Not long ago I had a lengthy phone conversation with NY Yankees strength coach Dana Cavalea. Our conversation lasted over an hour and strange as it sounds it involved only one topic. And in fact A-Rod’s, Madonna’s, Joba Chamberlin’s, Roger Clemens’, Andy Pettitt’s or CC Sabathia’s name never once came up. Instead our topic was strength and conditioning for pitchers and the best types of running for the baseball player.

Seems Dana is fighting the same ghosts of Christmas past that I am. Long distance running for pitchers is simply accepted as sound training.  The obligatory 'poles' for pitchers is standard operating procedure. It is a paradigm. Pitchers need their legs. Running is good for legs. Pitchers need stamina. Therefore running long distance is good for pitchers.

It’s the same short sighted logic and inferential leap that argues since my aunt smoked 2 packs of cigarettes and had 2 scotch and waters every single day and lived until she was 98, then smoking and drinking actually may be the key to longevity. As they say in the NFL…’Under further review…”

Last time I laid out my top 5 reasons why long distance running is definitely not the way to go for peak performance for pitchers. In fact, running long distance is contraindicated and may very well be a constraint to achievement. This time I want to offer...


By the way, I have a challenge for the ones reading this who still are having their pitchers run poles.
Here is my challenge. For one week, have your pitchers do the following program.

1. After the week is over, bring your pitchers together and ask THEM which program they liked better. I promise you it will be overwhelming. Not one player I have exposed to sprint work has said…Coach, when can I get back to running poles.  EVER.
2. Watch your pitchers move. Watch them run poles. Watch them do the new stuff. You tell me which one would help them ‘pitch’ better.
3. This is part of our daily work. We have a shortened version for game day and pre and post performance as well as a longer- extended workout AFTER (meaning it serves as BOTH our warm-up, our flush after the game and our next day recovery run)

This program is all about Hurdles & Ladders & Explosive Redirection

Equipment needed...

• three 6” hurdles
• one 15 foot agility ladder
• 1 stop watch
• 1 clipboard to record results.

Basic Goal...

How fast one can move in 5 seconds? Measure it and continue to see if you can move further/faster/quicker in those 5 seconds.

Set up...

Three hurdles are spaced 1 yard apart and one 15 ladder laid on the ground with a marking at 10 feet.

Exercise 1 High Knees Moving Laterally  
Using the Hurdles

• On the signal to begin, the pitcher goes over the 3 hurdles as fast as he can…when he gets to the 3rd hurdle, he quickly redirects and retraces his steps…when he gets back to the first hurdle…he quickly redirects and begins again. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go over and back of the set of 3 hurdles in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many hurdles he clears. We count a ½ a hurdle if he is in the air going over a hurdle when the time is up.
• You will be surprised just how fast many of your pitchers will improve in their ability to redirect energy and move in another direction.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 2 Icky Shuffles 
With the Agility ladder

• On the signal to begin, the pitcher performs the agility exercise we refer to as icky shuffles. If you are unfamiliar with any of these exercises…simply do a search for them on the internet and there are plenty of clips which will assist you in performing them. When he gets to the 10’ mark on your ladder, he quickly redirects and retraces his steps backward…when he gets back to the first ladder rung…he quickly redirects and begins again. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go up and back on the ladder in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many ladder rungs he clears. We count a ½ a rung if he is in the air going over a rung when the time is up.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 3 Defensive Backs 
How quickly can we move up & back?

• The pitcher uses the 3 hurdles as landmarks…On the signal to begin…he goes around the first hurdle on top and then immediately below the 2nd hurdle and then quickly around the top of the 3rd hurdle. He then continues with the pattern of moving up and back retracing his steps…moving as quickly as he can possibly go, one top of one hurdle and below the next… while moving laterally side to side. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go over and back of the set of 3 hurdles in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many hurdles he clears. We count a ½ a hurdle if he is in the air going over a hurdle when the time is up.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 4 Hop Scotch 
Agility ladder

• On the signal to begin, the pitcher performs the agility exercise we refer to as hop scotch- which is both feet in the square…immediately followed by both feet out of the same square. When he gets to the 10’ mark on your ladder, he quickly redirects and retraces his steps backward…when he gets back to the first ladder rung…he quickly redirects and begins again. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go up and back on the ladder in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many ladder rungs he clears. We count a ½ a rung if he is in the air going over a rung when the time is up.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 5 Running Backs 
How quickly can we move side to side?

• The pitcher uses the 3 hurdles as landmarks…On the signal to begin…he goes around the first hurdle on and then immediately around the 2nd hurdle and then quickly around the the 3rd hurdle. He then continues with the pattern of moving side to side retracing his steps…moving as quickly laterally as he can possibly can. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go over and back of the set of 3 hurdles in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many hurdles he clears. We count a ½ a hurdle if he is in the air going over a hurdle when the time is up.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 6 Machine guns  
How fast can we rotate or spin the pelvis?  (Agility ladder)

• On the signal to begin, the pitcher performs the agility exercise we refer to as machine guns- which is one foot in the square…immediately replaced by the other foot in the same square…while moving laterally. In essence, his shoulders remain parallel to the ladder at all times while the pelvis quickly twists back and forth, allowing one foot to  replace the other in the square as you move down the ladder. When he gets to the 10’ mark on your ladder, he quickly redirects and retraces his steps backward…when he gets back to the first ladder rung…he quickly redirects and begins again. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go up and back on the ladder in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many ladder rungs he clears. We count a ½ a rung if he is in the air going over a rung when the time is up.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 7 Large Bunny Hops Moving Laterally 
Hurdles

• On the signal to begin, the pitcher hops over the 3 hurdles as fast as he can…when he gets to the 3rd hurdle, he quickly redirects and retraces his hops…when he gets back to the first hurdle…he quickly redirects and begins again. Hop with both feet staying together. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go over and back of the set of 3 hurdles in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many hurdles he clears. We count a ½ a hurdle if he is in the air going over a hurdle when the time is up.
• You will be surprised just how fast many of your pitchers will improve in their ability to redirect energy and move in another direction.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 8 Scissors  
How fast can we rotate and redirect the pelvis?  (Agility ladder)

• On the signal to begin, the pitcher performs the agility exercise we refer to as scissors, which is taking the outside foot across the square and striding outside of the ladder…immediately replaced by the other foot moving outside of the other side of the ladder of the next square…while moving laterally. When he gets to the 10’ mark on your ladder, he quickly redirects and retraces his steps backward…when he gets back to the first ladder rung…he quickly redirects and begins again. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go up and back on the ladder in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many ladder rungs he clears. We count a ½ a rung if he is in the air going over a rung when the time is up.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

Exercise 9 Large Hops on One Leg Moving Laterally  
Hurdles

• On the signal to begin, the pitcher hops over the 3 hurdles as fast as he can on one leg…when he gets to the 3rd hurdle, he quickly redirects and retraces his hops…when he gets back to the first hurdle…he quickly redirects and begins again. The goal is to see how many times the athlete can go over and back of the set of 3 hurdles in 5 seconds.
• We measure how many hurdles he clears. We count a ½ a hurdle if he is in the air going over a hurdle when the time is up.  The pitcher alternates legs each set.
• We do 4 sets of 5 seconds each. Recording each time their results.

These 4 sets of 9 exercises not only represent our wake-up warm-up prior to our bullpen or game performance, it also represents our post game flush and our next day conditioning.

Why? Because...

1. It trains the correct energy system.
2. It recruits the correct muscle fiber type.
3. It trains the correct neuromuscular synchronization.
4. It supports greater range of motion/stability and mobility.
5. It’s more functional.
6. It’s more skill specific.
7. It has a much greater carry over to game time performance.
8. It trains the correct stretch shortening cycle.

Until my next communication…fight the good fight and stay open & forever curious.