Strength Training through Summer Ball Season

By Phil Tognetti (@FullWindup)

Summer baseball is upon us, and whether you realize it or not, this summer will be the summer to level up your game. Or, you can plan on returning to school in the fall the same ballplayer you were when the season ended this past spring.

Your choice.

But, allow me to let you in on a little secret. If you want to become a better ballplayer this summer, you must focus on your development. Commit to the small details that over time will add up to big positive changes. read more

By Alan Jaeger- @jaegersports

For many years I’ve been asked a number of questions about “when” and “how” pitchers should train in the off-season to best prepare for their upcoming season. Because there are so many variables in each case, it’s not usually a short answer. That’s because each pitcher has their own unique history. However, what variables do seem to apply to nearly all pitchers is, 1) the amount of rest a pitcher needs to take after a long season, 2) their approach toward their off season throwing program and, 3) the integration of their off season throwing program into their season. read more

By Alan Jaeger

The essence of this article was to source why a “one-size-fits-all” throwing program began to take root in the baseball community decades ago, and why, in some cases it is still being implemented.

This formatted program typically included specific limits on how “far” (ie 120 feet), how “much” (ie the counting of throws), how “long” (ie 10 minutes) and at what angle (ie on a line) pitchers were instructed to throw.

For someone who has seen the baseball culture change so dramatically in the past 15 years, where players are throwing more, rather than less…further rather than shorter, knowing that there is still a throwing program out there that treats all arms the same and places restrictions on them is hard to understand — especially when you’ve seen players thrive for the past 24 years by having the freedom to listen to their arm and allow it to dictate how much, how far and how often to throw. read more

By Brian Smith (@FORTY3TRAINING)

ATP – Generated by the body and is the main unit of energy through the three energy systems.

• Phosphagen
• Glycolytic
• Oxidative

Energy Systems

The above information should be the guide for baseball coaches to design their team training. In a typical baseball game the action can vary according to the play. The average collegiate player can run to first base in 4 seconds, therefore most plays last >10-15 seconds. Looking at the chart above the energy system that is used throughout the game would primarily be the phosphagen system. read more

By Joe Hudson, CSCS

Sports Performance Coach, DC Strength

It is no secret that pitching in Major League Baseball has become the dominant force in the game over recent years. Perhaps the largest contributor to pitching success at the highest level can be attributed to significant increases in fastball velocity. With average fastball velocity climbing from 89.5 MPH in 2002 to a staggering 92.0 MPH in 2014, it is no surprise pitchers at all levels are striving to throw harder. Young pitchers are seeking every way possible to light up the radar gun come spring, with arguably the most highly recognized method coming from weighted ball training. read more