You can improve your overall baseball performance through a sport-specific workout routine. The program is designed with several phases for developing strength and conditioning, along with preventing injuries. By utilizing a workout routine for baseball players, you improve speed, strength, power, agility, coordination and flexibility.
Time Frame
Even though the season takes place for several months during the summer, a baseball workout routine lasts 12 months. The in-season phase takes place during the competitive season and is designed for maintaining strength while fine-tuning mechanics and skills. The off-season phase occurs during the closed season and focuses on increasing strength and repairing injuries suffered during the season. The pre-season phase is split into two segments -- early pre-season and late pre-season -- with each phase focused on progressively preparing you for the upcoming season.
Strength
The most important consideration for baseball strength training is incorporating a variety of functional exercises that develop total body strength. Use different tools such as kettlebells, medicine balls, barbells and resistance bands. Use lighter weights for the upper body and avoid heavy overhead pressing movements that can place excessive stress on the shoulder and arm. Sample upper body exercises include pullups, pushups and bench press. Sample lower body exercises include squats, deadlifts and lunges. Incorporate core and abdominal training exercises into each workout routine.
Conditioning
According to Allen Thomas, strength and conditioning coach for the Chicago White Sox, developing cardiovascular fitness and conditioning helps to handle the physical stressors encountered during the season. Focus on speed, agility and stamina while performing conditioning drills. For example, perform short-distance intervals such as a 400-meter run followed with a 200-meter run and 100-meter run. Other baseball agility drills can be performed using cones. Work on lateral speed, acceleration and deceleration by running and zig-zagging through the cones in various patterns.
Rotator Cuff
The shoulder is the most important component to a baseball player's body, but it is also the most vulnerable to injuries. As a result, workout routines for baseball players should contain various strength and flexibility exercises for general strength and stability training of the shoulder and rotator cuff. These exercises reduce the potential for injuries by reducing overuse damage. You can use lightweight resistance bands to perform shoulder strength and flexibility exercises during a warm-up or strength training workout. Sample exercises include arm circles, front raises, external rotation and internal rotation.
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