How to Dominate Off-Season Baseball Training
Learn how to set up an effective training schedule for the off-season baseball months and make big performance gains.
The best time of year to make major gains for baseball is in the fall and winter. For the serious (and still developing) athlete, here is a sample weekly breakdown that could be used to maximize the off-season:
Day 1: Plyometrics + Linear Speed + Lower Body Lift
Day 2: OFF
Day 3: Medicine Ball Drills + Upper Body Lift
Day 4: Plyometrics + Lateral Speed + Lower Body Lift
Day 5: OFF
Day 6: Medicine Ball Drills + Upper Body Lift
Day 7: OFF
This sample plan focuses on power, speed, and strength development (and, of course, injury prevention). There will be an appropriate and adequate cardiovascular conditioning effect through each session itself. If desired, extra low-level aerobic conditioning can be completed in the form of walking for 15-30-min at a time several days a week.
Within each individual training day, each drill/exercise that is selected should be chosen to specifically enhance the very specific needs of a baseball player. Position players will have different needs than pitchers and those needs should also be a major priority when planning each training day.
By following training plans that are safe, effective, efficient, and written to the individual’s needs, athletes will make significant strides towards their performance goals that will be directly transferred to the field.
Coach Sarah Walls, founder of SAPT, is a professional performance development coach and personal trainer with over 15-years experience. SAPT offers athletic training programs for individuals of any age and background. Please email Sarah below if you'd like to learn more.
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Is Muscle Activation a Myth? https://t.co/qHB0cNjgwF
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Reasonable Warm-ups https://t.co/kCZ737pMSI
SAPT College Baseball Training Testimonials: Red Dowdell, Ryan Dickt, & Kent Blackstone
A number of our athletes are headed off to compete in collegiate sports this year, and three of our baseball guys were kind enough to take a couple moments in order to provide some insight into how training at SAPT has helped them to prepare for the high level of competition they'll be facing this upcoming season. I should also note that what they didn't say on camera is that they are some of the hardest working athletes I know, giving it their 100% each and every single time they walked in the door. A good training program is nothing without the athlete following it through no matter what "life" throws at them outside the gym walls, so I tip my hat to these guys for consistently training with conviction and purpose, and setting a shining example to everyone who's fortunate enough to work alongside them.
Take it away fellas!
Red Dowdell - Virginia Military Institute
Position: Catcher High School (Senior) Honors: First-Team All-Met 2012, National District Player of the Year 2012
(Note: Below is Red hitting a big deadlift PR at the end of in-season training this past Spring)
Ryan Dickt - Patrick Henry Junior College
Position: Catcher High School (Senior) Honors: National District Player of the Year 2012, 2nd Team All-Region
(Note: Below is Ryan performing a ground-to-standing transitional movement drill in preparation for the upcoming baseball season.)
Kent Blackstone - New Mexico State University
Position: Shortstop High School (Senior) Honors: First-Team All Met 2012
Best of luck to all you gentlemen this next year!